Fifteen new national parks and state forests are to be created by the New South Wales government in the north of the state.
Around 66,000ha are to be preserved, with provision for some logging in buffer zones. Rainforests and high-value old-growth areas will be protected.
Premier Bob Carr said: “It guarantees a supply of timber, so we believe the balance is right. But at the same time it’s a bold conservation decision.”
