ANTI-COALMINING protesters camped in the Leard State Forest for more than 530 days have been given just hours to vacate the site or risk being forcibly removed by police.

The Leader understands Forestry Corporation went to the camp on Tuesday morning and told protesters it was shutting the forest and they had 12 hours to pack up and move on.

There is a significant police presence on standby at the site should the campers not adhere to the deadline or choose to stand their ground.

The camp was established on August 5, 2012 to oppose Whitehaven Coal's plans to construct a $767 million coalmine at the nearby Maules Creek.

The ultimatum comes after two protesters were arrested for disrupting work on the mine by chaining themselves to heavy machinery on Monday.