"All these forests covered the Spotted Gum (E. maculata) type, which were logged to the near-exclusion of all others. Overcutting of Spotted Gum during the timber shortage which followed the Second World War resulted in a decline in its availability by the 1950's. As a consequence, areas carrying species other than Spotted Gum were investigated".

Logging is planned for a 30 year cycle with the ultimate logging of 35,500 ha planned.

In September the logged compartments 317 and 312 are deferred from logging via the Interim (forest) Assessment Process (IAP).

May: The Wilderness Society commences blockade at Compartment 298 Wandella State Forest to prevent further logging in compartment 299, within the wilderness assessment area.

National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) Occasional Paper No 2 lists the Tuross River as a "Wild and Scenic River".

The Prime Minister and the Premiers of all Australian states, except Tasmania, sign National Forest Policy Statement. This Statement declares "until the assessments (of forests for conservation values) are completed, forest management agencies will avoid activities that may significantly affect those areas of old growth forest or wilderness that are likely to have high conservation value".

May: Labor Government ceases logging in all identified wilderness areas. For the purposes of the Forestry Interim Assessment process (IAP), the Tuross Wilderness is considered identified and automatically deferred from logging.

September: Government announces its interim forest decision which creates National Park additions in the North-East and Eden forest regions but overlooks the Southern Forest Region which extends from Nowra to Narooma. The logging moratorium in Badja State Forest is confirmed. The Government also announces the Dunphy Wilderness Fund of 1 million dollars per year over 5 years for the acquisition of private lands in identified wilderness.

October: Additions to the neighbouring Brogo Wilderness, including a link through to the identified Tuross Wilderness, are nominated by Colong Foundation, Confederation of Bushwalking Clubs and The Wilderness Society as part of a broad nomination of 18 additions or new areas in eastern NSW, based on the Provisionally Identified Wilderness (PIW) areas outlined in the forestry Interim Assessment Process (IAP). The nominations within the Eden region are processed separately to those in Southern region, leaving the northern half of the nominated Brogo Wilderness extension, north of Bourkes Road, to be assessed with other Southern Region wilderness areas at a later time.

January: NPWS acquires a 40 hectare property on Myrtle Creek under the Dunphy Fund.

April: NPWS acquires a 130 ha property on Wadbilliga Hole Creek, and 40 ha near the junction of this creek with the Tuross River, under the Dunphy Fund.

May: NPWS acquires two properties of 24 ha and 40 ha on the lower reaches of Wadbilliga Creek under the Dunphy Fund.

June: South East Forest Alliance produces a Badja National Park proposal as part of a renewed southern forests campaign.

20 March: The Carr Government agrees to continue funding the Dunphy Wilderness Fund beyond 2001 and recognises that significant funds will be required.

Recommendations: All identified wilderness in State Forests should be added to Wadbilliga National Park and declared under the Wilderness Act 1987. Logging should cease immediately upon addition to the park. Areas affected by logging should be rehabilitated.

The environmental impacts of trails on wilderness areas are well known. These include: soil compaction and erosion; rubbish dumping; weed invasion and dissemination by motor vehicles and horses; encouraging the ingress of feral animal; assisting arsonists to set wildfires in remote areas; and other adverse environmental impacts of related to off-road vehicle use and horseriding.

Recommendations: In addition to their severe environmental impacts, maintenance of management trails in wilderness areas does not comply with the management principles laid down in the Wilderness Act. The protection of wilderness values in fire management plans needs to be a priority. During fire emergencies bulldozers should not be allowed to scar the scenery by cutting fire control lines on steep slopes. All too often these measures fail to contain a wildfire. Decisions on damaging suppression practices should be addressed during management planning, not in a fire crisis. Except for fire trails in perimeter areas, trails constructed during fire fighting operations should be closed and rehabilitated immediately following the operation. The best prescription to avoid fires in wilderness areas is to confine management trails to the edge, to prevent the spread of fire from outside.