More than half NSW forests lost since 1750 and logging ‘locking in’ species extinction, study finds

Study finds long-nosed potoroos among the species to be most affected by habitat logging in NSW. Photograph: Jurgen & Christine Sohns/Getty Images/image/Broker RF

More than half of the forests and woodland in New South Wales that existed before European invasion are now gone and more than a third of what’s left is degraded, according to new research.

Despite the loss of 29m hectares of forest since 1750 – an area larger than New Zealand – continued logging since 2000 had likely affected about 244 threatened species.