Australia halts logging for koala haven on eastern coast

Australia halted logging in a large stretch of woodland on the country's eastern coast Sunday to create a retreat for koalas and save the local population from extinction.

The New South Wales government imposed a ban effective from Monday on logging across 176,000 hectares of forest on the state's north coast for a Great Koala National Park, hitting six timber mills and about 300 workers. State officials contacted each affected mill, the government said in a statement, vowing to provide payments to cover workers' salaries and business costs while offering free access to training, financial, health and legal services.

The Officials said the Great Koala National Park will provide a refuge to more than 12,000 koalas, 36,000 greater gliders and more than 100 other threatened species.