EEG Media releases Archives - Environment East Gippsland

Flying Foxes – an economic ‘golden egg’ for Bairnsdale or a million dollar back-fire?

June 20, 2017

There could be a win-win solution for the current controversy over the nationally significant colony of Flying Foxes along the Mitchell River, say local environment groups.

A failure if the council proceeds with habitat destruction could cost ratepayers over a million dollars going by other documented failures and the lessons learned. The second stage of habitat removal and dispersal is planned to begin in the next week or two.

Both the Gippsland Environment Group and Environment East Gippsland believe there are a ...

VicForests agrees to court orders

December 28, 2016

After EEG launched a 10 month Supreme Court battle, the government’s logging agency VicForests, has agreed to await further surveys and put in place protections for wildlife and plants before logging. The court orders made on 23rd December detail VicForests obligations regarding the high value forests.

It’s great that VicForests has finally agreed to consider the six important values that were discovered in the Kuark forests. In January and February, our lawyers at Environmental Justice Australia asked VicForests to halt logging ...

New economic era for East Gippsland

November 13, 2016

The call by the Auswest sawmill and Tim Bull for long term log contracts to be renewed (EGN/SRM 2 Nov) is a misguided ‘Magic Pudding’ mindset, according to Environment East Gippsland.

“Long term contracts are not being signed because there has been serious uncertainty of resource availability for quite a while”, said Jill Redwood from EEG. “The government initiated Forest Taskforce is currently looking into whether native forests can keep providing logs into the future. It appears this could now ...

Victoria’s own ‘Thylacine’ pushed into extinction pit

September 6, 2016

Victoria’s version of the Tasmanian Tiger is heading down the same extinction path as its relative was 80 years ago when the last Tasmanian Tiger died in the Hobart Zoo.

“Eighty years ago we can accept that ignorance was the reason for the extinction of this amazing marsupial ‘dog’. In 2016 there is no excuse”, said Jill Redwood of Environment East Gippsland. “Are we set to farewell another ...

VicForests – Tactical hooliganism

July 21, 2016

MEDIA RELEASE

In an act described as “tactical hooliganism” VicForests’ contractors started logging a stand of contentious high value forest NW of the Errinundra National Park last week. They had previously agreed not to log this site while the Premier’s Forest Taskforce negotiations were underway.

“We see this as a flashpoint in the process” said Jill Redwood of Environment East Gippsland. “VicForests knows full well that industry and environment group negotiations are at a critical point of finalising an important document”.

“We have ...

This burning desire must stop – a costly placebo

March 2, 2016

Environment groups in East Gippsland are imploring DELWP and its Minister to immediately apply more environmental considerations to its planned burns. The old hectare based burns have been acknowledged as financially costly, with minimal safety outcomes but significant ecological losses.

“If this is the new improved risk-based approach, then there is no difference to the old method. This region can’t afford to have another 115,000ha of habitat and wildlife put through more deliberate fire”, said Jill Redwood of Environment East Gippsland. ...

Legal action forces VicForests to survey

February 4, 2016

Action taken by Environment East Gippsland and their lawyers, Environmental Justice Australia, has resulted in VicForests today agreeing to halt logging and survey for rare wildlife and plants in a 28 ha stand of East Gippsland’s forests rich in threatened species.

“Sadly, since mid-January and while negotiations have been going on, VicForests continued to clearfell this amazingly valuable forest where four rare and threatened wildlife and two plant species were discovered by volunteer surveyors” said Jill Redwood from EEG. “It’s a ...

20 year legal exemption must go

February 3, 2016

Wednesday 3rd February marks the 19th anniversary of an agreement that has allowed the logging industry a legal exemption from Australia’s environment laws.

Jill Redwood from Environment East Gippsland, where this exemption from commonwealth laws was first introduced says the Turnbull government is planning to instate another 20 years of this special treatment.

“We have one more year before this archaic agreement expires. To continue this out-dated, anti-environmental exemption to the laws for a passé and declining industry is deplorable”.

“Being exempt from ...

VicForests agree not to log isolated Greater Glider population

January 18, 2016

State logging company VicForests has agreed not to clearfell 10ha of mature forest in East Gippsland after community surveys identified an isolated population of the rare Greater Glider in forest where logging had started.

“This is great news, but was only acted on after we were forced to engage lawyers. Our lawyers, Environmental Justice Australia, detailed what we believe are VicForests’ obligation to protect this isolated population of a species in decline” said Jill Redwood of EEG.

“This 30ha stand of forest ...

VicForests facing legal action again

December 15, 2015

St Patricks River catchment old growth The state government owned logging company VicForests, is in the legal crosshairs of environmentalists yet again. Lawyers acting on behalf of Environment East Gippsland have this week formally requested an explanation as to why a rich habitat site suited for rare forest-dependant wildlife was not surveyed before logging commenced last week.

“We believe this is a strong case of non-compliance with the law”, ...

Category: EEG Media releases