Victorian forest alliance formed
A new state group has been formed consisting of 12 regional, state and national groups who are all working to protect Victoria’s forests. Environment East Gippsland is participating in meetings and will be helping with the campaign directions. A similar alliance was formed in WA which had a stronger influence on their government. This prevents the government’s pet tactic of divide and conquer.
This alliance’s mission is to Protect old growth, water catchments , threatened species habitat and biodiversity across Victoria’s native forests.
All groups agree to work to:
- End export woodchipping
- Secure funding to properly manage national parks
- Adopt aims and charter of the National Forest Summit (annual meeting of Australia’s forest campaign groups)
- Have close communications between groups
- End the conversion of native forests to plantations
- Help transition the industry into plantations
- End economic distortion that favours native forest logging
This group was formed in October ’04 and will be the new driving force for the next two years of forest campaigning in the lead up to the State election.