Spurred on by concerns raised with her office, NSW Member for Murray Helen Dalton has coordinated the protest to the NSW Government's decision to shut down the Riverina Domestic Firewood Collection Programme in the Murray and Murrumbidgee Valley national parks.
The start time is 8am - before work and school - and a community barbecue will be provided.
It will be held at Eli Brown Park, on the corner of Whitelock and Harding Sts.
The community petition to reserve the decision, launched by Deniliquin’s Judy Theobold, will be available to sign.
Under the government's announcement, domestic firewood collection in both national parks will cease after October 30, ending a long-standing arrangement that has allowed residents to gather fallen River Red Gum timber for winter heating.
Community members and Ms Dalton maintain it will have a significant impact on many regional households that rely on firewood as an affordable source of warmth during winter.
“This is a devastating decision, particularly among residents who rely on collected firewood as an affordable source of winter heating fuel,” she said.
“This makes no sense. Fallen firewood is the most affordable source of winter heating for many locals and if we leave the wood out there, it will be a disaster when the fire season comes.”
While there was broad agreement that native wildlife required some fallen timber habitat, Ms Dalton said he national parks contained more than enough material to meet those environmental needs.
Among those supporting the protest is Mathoura resident Thomas Weyrich, who agreed that the government's reasoning for ending the program failed to reflect conditions on the ground.
Mr Weyrich said there is an abundance of fallen timber throughout local forests and argued that firewood collection played an important role in reducing fuel loads and maintaining access tracks.
“It's just ridiculous, and it's more of a political change than anything else. Common sense has gone out the window,” he said.
“If we don't keep the forest floor reasonably clean, we will have a fire out there one day.”
Mr Weyrich also expressed concern about the impact the decision would have on elderly residents and low-income households across communities including Mathoura, Deniliquin and Moama.
“Electricity is just way too expensive for most people. Gas is not accessible,” he said.
“We have a significant elderly population who would struggle to finance alternatives such as split systems.
“Somebody's got to do something. The long-term ramifications of this are going to be enormous.”
The petition is being distributed throughout the community, and can also be signed at Ms Dalton’s Deniliquin and Griffith electorate offices.
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