New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian has been warned logging after recent bushfires is a threat to three of the most significant koala populations on the state's north coast.

Key points: Chair of a parliamentary inquiry wrote to the NSW Premier asking for koala conservation to be prioritised over salvage logging.

Chair of a parliamentary inquiry wrote to the NSW Premier asking for koala conservation to be prioritised over salvage logging. New independent surveys indicate up to 90 per cent koala mortality in key northern NSW forests.

New independent surveys indicate up to 90 per cent koala mortality in key northern NSW forests. NSW government finalising immediate response plan for wildlife, conservation and sustainable timber supply

The emergence of the letter asking Ms Berejiklian to put a hold on salvage logging comes after it emerged 40 koalas died in Victoria after trees were cleared.

WARNING: This story contains graphic images.

Logging timber from forests affected by natural disasters, a practice known as salvage logging, was a key concern of members of the NSW Upper House inquiry into koala populations last year.

The letter, written by the committee chair and Greens MLC Cate Faehrmann, warned the Premier about evidence from ecologists the number of koalas killed by fires was already significant.

"60-70 per cent of the [koala] population could have been killed in the fires," she wrote on 18 October 2019.

Cate Faehrmann speaking at Braemar state forest. ( Supplied: David Lowe )

"The remaining 30-40 per cent will be under significant stress as a result of limited or no access to food and water and will die if not provided assistance."

Since the letter was written, more fires have swept through habitats and the North East Forest Alliance now believe 90 per cent of koalas in some areas may have been killed.

A koala body found in Carwong state forrest. ( Supplied: Andrew Murray )

Ms Faehrmann told ABC Radio National Breakfast she wrote the letter immediately after the hearings with the support of all committee members, including Labor, Liberal, National and Animal Justice Party MPs.

Catherine Cusack, one of two Liberal members of the cross-party committee, confirmed Ms Faehrmann consulted with other committee members before sending the letter to the Premier.

State forests have been damaged by bushfires this fire season, including areas with significant koala populations. ( Supplied: Andrew Murray )

"All of us were shocked by the evidence," Ms Cusack said.

"People were crying, you could hear a pin drop as the witnesses were speaking."

The letter to the Premier said the committee was concerned about proposals from the Forestry Corporation of NSW to begin salvage logging in areas koala populations were vulnerable.

"We understand that Forestry Corp may be looking at assessing what wood is remaining after the fires," Ms Faehrmann wrote.

"Prior to this occurring, we request that the immediate care of injured animals and the development of a recovery plan for these koala populations be prioritised over wood salvage operations."

Premier responded promising access for wildlife carers

Premier Berejiklian responded via email on 31 October to committee chair Cate Faehrmann but did not address the committee's concerns over salvage logging.

Instead, she focused on concerns over access to recently burnt state forests "to enable wildlife carers to provide support and rescue services for injured or stressed animals."

The ABC sent questions about salvage logging to Premier Berijiklian, Deputy Premier and Minister responsible for Forestry, John Barilaro and the Forestry Corporation NSW.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian responded to the letter but did not commit to a moratorium on salvage logging. ( AAP: Mick Tsikas )

In a written response, a spokesperson for the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE) said:

"Following the unprecedented fires, NSW Government agencies are working with scientific experts to understand the fire impacts with the aim of protecting the environment while enabling the sustainable supply of native timber."

"The NSW Government is committed to supporting the recovery of native wildlife, including koalas."

The spokesperson said a recovery plan is currently being finalised.

Calls for moratorium on salvage logging

In evidence to the committee, ecologist David Milledge from Landmark Ecological Services said he was worried about the prospect of salvage logging in state forests.

The body of a kangaroo found in carwong state forrest ( Supplied: Andrew Murray )



"There should be a moratorium on those State Forests that have been burnt," he told the committee.

Mr Milledge told the Radio National Breakfast program he believed plans were in the works for logging to proceed.

"Forestry had logging operations planned, now they're using these fires as an excuse to take the last remaining big trees."

"The bigger trees that didn't get burnt are incredibly important now to those surviving koalas.

"As a species they have got a bit of resilience and they can recover — but not if the big trees are knocked out," Mr Milldge said.

Koala populations have been devastated by bushfires in some parts of the country. ( Supplied: Jo-Anne McArthur/We Animals Media )

Labor Deputy Leader in the Legislative Council, Penny Sharpe, said committee members had agreed to the letter sent to the Premier.

"To have scientists and local environmentalists, who have scoured these forests for decades, cry as they tell the committee that in some areas they can no longer find koalas was profoundly moving," she said.

"Extinction is no longer theoretical, in some places it has already happened."

The industry has pushed for salvage logging

Earlier this year, the timber industry's peak body, the Australian Forest Products Association, was quick to advocate for possible salvage logging in state forests and national parks affected by bushfires.

A tree with koala scat at its base in Carwong state forest. ( Supplied: Andrew Murray )

"Subject to environmental considerations, state governments should support salvaging timber from all burnt forests across all impacted tenures to clear roads, minimise fuel loads and allow greater flexibility for meeting timber supply requirements," AFPA said in a briefing note on 15 January to MPs (PDF)

The proposal has been criticised by some scientists and ecologists but others have said it's necessary to remove timber from bushfire-affected areas.

Ms Cusack, who lives at Lennox Head in the State's north, said she was concerned about any plans for salvage logging in the region.

"They're not going to be taking burnt out stumps, anything worth logging would be what you want to keep," she said.

"Everyone in the world is hoping we put the preservation of these beautiful animals first, that's the action the committee has requested from the government."

Late last week, the Institute of Foresters Australia (IFA) released a position paper on salvage logging and bushfire recovery.

The paper acknowledged salvage logging can reduce multi-age forests and habitat — especially for arboreal marsupials like koalas — and can adversely impact natural regeneration leading to the decline of "many flora and fauna species".

But subject to a range of caveats, the IFA said it supported salvage logging "in productive and available forests that have been severely burnt and killed".

The NSW parliamentary committee continues its hearings into koala populations and habitat in Coffs Harbour today.