A pastoral company has been fined $18,000 for illegally clearing about 25 hectares of state forest near Dalby.
The company plead guilty in the Dalby Magistrates Court for clearing land in Kumbarilla State Forest between May 20 and June 15 last year.
It used earthmoving machinery including a bulldozer with a stick rake to clear the land then pushed the felled trees into stacks and burned them.
The company holds a lease over part of the Kumbarilla State Forest and is permitted to graze cattle in the leased area.
Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service rangers identified the clearing travelling along the Moonie Highway about 60km southwest of Dalby.
The land contained brigalow regrowth, some of which had been growing for approximately 20 years.
Brigalow is an important species which forms part of various regional ecosystems.
The company was charged with one offence of unlawfully interfering with forest products, contrary to section 39(1) of the Forestry Act 1959 and one offence of using a restricted item in a state forest, contrary to section 73D(1)(g) of the Act.
In sentencing the company, the magistrate emphasised the need for deterrence.
"It is essential that state forests are protected," she said.
In a statement, the Department of Environment and Science welcomed the fine, stating "as Queensland's environmental regulator, DES treats breaches of the Forestry Act very seriously and will take strong enforcement action".
The company was also ordered to pay $1,500 in legal costs and no convictions were recorded.
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