After the 2006 state election, John Thwaites and Steve Bracks promised to protect East Gippsland’s old growth while not reducing what was there for loggers to cut – an impossible task. John Thwaites put a couple of industry supporters in charge of this little job. Meanwhile, other logging lobbyists were demanding more areas of old …
Out of the blue came an announcement at the end of June that three endangered species will gain some protection in Gippsland and the North East by 75,000 ha of reserves. Despite other enviro groups singing the government’s praises we were a little more careful (being hardened sceptics). When we looked into this we found …
This global list features some of Gippsland’s very own threatened mammals. The Zoological Society of London calls them EDGE species – Evolutionary Distinct and Globally Endangered mammals. Coming in at 28 is our Mountain Pygmy Possum – on the edge of its melting alpine habitat. Then there’s the Central Highland’s Leadbeater’s Possum at no. 54, …
Last Easter, three EEG members entered a beautiful rainforest and old growth area in the Bonang River catchment on the Errinundra Plateau. It was being logged. They found what they considered illegal logging of a buffer, which should have been protecting the rainforest in the gully. Morally, a chainsaw should never have come near the …
What a spectacle we had during the Gippsland by-election campaign. All candidates (except the Greens) were grovelling in front of the logging and coal industries. Michael O’Connor (CFMEU)huffed and puffed on radio for one 30 second news grab and the next day pollies were buckling at the knees pledging their loyal devotion to logging and …
The rich, wet undisturbed forests of Victoria hold over 2,000 tonnes of carbon per hectare in the above-ground biomass.These are astronomical numbers that are far larger than the 90 tonnes the International Panel on Climate Change(IPCC) was using as the default value. The forests of SE Australia, Tasmania and Queensland have an extremely important carbon …
The North-East Wild Dog Management Group says recent trials of aerial baiting show no evidence that it is effective and recommend that it be stopped. The Minister has agreed. This is great news. They also recommended more research on the effectiveness of 1080. It’s a shame that an unknown number of non-target species and endangered …
In May 2008, ANZ told Gunns it won’t be funding its $2 billion pulp mill in northern Tasmania. ANZ has been Gunns’ main banker for 22 years but was facing a volcanic reaction from customers and shareholders if it helped get the mill built. This announcement was quite a body blow, but Gunns grimaced and …
A critical skills shortage is threatening the future of the wood and paper products industry. A plantation company, ITC, said foresters, saw doctors, wood machinists, harvesting machine operators as well as general tradies like electricians, engineers, fitters and truck drivers were all hard to find. This worker drought even includes a lack of administration, accounting, …
They never give up. Our logging industry is now saying it needs to be a major player to help solve Australia’s climate change problems. They claim our forests – that they plan to keep cutting down – could absorb 20% of the planned 60% target to cut emissions by 2050. How so? A confidential document …
