Australians have been warned it is illegal to remove dead trees from national parks as a Queensland authority cracked down on an unsuspecting ute driver.
Queensland National parks posted the warning over the weekend, having captured images of a ute filling with wood from a wildlife camera inside a park.
‘We speak for the trees when we say everything within a national park and state forest is protected in Queensland,’ the department said in a social media post.
‘Whether it was a live tree like this one, or a dead one, they all play an important part in the protected ecosystem and should never be firewood sources — and penalties do apply.’
The department said dead trees and branches still serve as vital habitat for animals and other plants.
Removing dead wood can interrupt the natural decomposition processes and the construction of shelter and food sources for other animals.
In Queensland, taking wood from national parks and state forests can attract on-the-spot fines of up $1,378.
Serious breaches can be prosecuted in the courts to the tune of $137,850 for a first offence, and $413,550 for repeat offenders.
A wildlife camera captured a ute loaded with firewood inside a Queensland national park. Chopping down trees can bring huge fines, including dead trees which are fauna habitats
Senior Ranger Compliance Luke Male previously said ‘people unlawfully collecting firewood have a total disregard for the forest and other forest users’.
‘They are impacting native species through the removal of habitat, introducing weeds and other pests to the environment or damaging waterways.
‘Forest officers can seize firewood and timber, conduct vehicle searches as well as seize vehicles and equipment such as chainsaws used in committing the offence.’
‘The department has a zero-tolerance approach to the unlawful collection of firewood and other items in our State forests and timber reserves, and people caught breaking the law can expect a fine or prosecution.’
One man was fined $1,437 at Pinnacles Reserve near Townsville after being caught cutting timber in a protected area.
In another case, a person was fined $30,000 in New South Wales for collecting firewood from the Murrumbidgee Valley.
