Forests Forever Easter Ecology Camp

January 13, 2018

  SPEND EASTER IN THE HEART OF EAST GIPPSLAND’S FORESTS 30th March -2nd April 2018 Be guided by expert ecologists revealing the delicate workings of these ancient eco-systems, be awed by the diversity of a pristine rainforest and be outraged by the logging and continuing destruction.  Tour with expert botanists Explore rainforests and old growth …

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Forests Forever 2017

April 1, 2017

Spend Easter in the heart of East Gippsland’s forests. Be guided by expert ecologists revealing the delicate workings of these ancient eco-systems, be awed by the diversity of a pristine rainforest and be outraged by the logging and continuing destruction. Tour with expert botanists Explore rainforests and old growth Search for giant trees Spotlight for …

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Forests Forever Ecology Camp 2016 – Kuark Forests

October 5, 2016

  • Contemplating their future …?
  • After walking deep into Kuark’s rich old growth forests, Ed shares their amazing wonders, their rare plants and animals and why they should never be logged.
  • Mother Nature – landscape gardener extraordinaire.
  • Another giant stands solid in this wet forest.
  • Old Growth does not exclude the young recruitment trees – as any healthy community would.
  • A fallen giant, after hundreds of years of hosting gliders and owls, now hosts moss and fungi.
  • The fern-strewn hillslope. Tree ferns create a micro-climate under the forests canopy, keeping the soil cool and damp.
  • The misty damp weather made the green colours super vivid and fresh.
  • Oh strewth – another Bertha!
  • The ground ‘litter’ that the government tells us must be incinerated in their burns, if kept damp and cool is quickly digested by the forest ecosystem – Lyrebirds and bandicoots dig and scratch, fungi digests, moth larvae eat the dry euc leaves, termites and ants work their magic…
  • Sadly nearer the road, there was evidence of past logging where giant trees were easily felled and loaded.
  • And lastly – what could become of these magical and ancient forests unless the citizen scientists and GECO can find rare species and EEG can have VicForests in the Supreme Court!

Forests Forever 2016 – Brown Mountain visit

August 1, 2016

  • The solid base of a Brown Mountain giant
  • Tiny fungi being caught on camera.
  • One of hundreds of small components of a complex forest ecosystem. Quietly digesting wood and leaf litter – without a $30 million budget..
  • “Lofty” – our 12.5m circumf great, great, great, great grandmother.
  • The sun shone for the lunch stop in amongst the glade of the giants.
  • Another giant survives in Brown Mountain – thanks to EEG’s court action in 2009.
  • Great to see our ‘babies’ year after year – unchanged.
  • Fallen giant hosting a myriad of life.
  • A solid healthy giant impresses our weekend campers.

Forests Forever 2015

August 1, 2015

  • Gathering at the campground before heading out for the day
  • Ann, a VNPA vollie at the Brown Mt lunch stop
  • Old growth at Brown Mountain
  • Happy walkers in the depths of the old growth at Brown Mountain. — at Errinundra Plateau.
  • The Rainforest Boardwalk. Planned for clearfelling in the early 80s until protesters raised awarenbess of the attrocities happening in east Gippsland. It’s now the centrepiece of the Errinundra National park
  • View from the top of Wooly Butt Hill overlooking the Brodribb Wilderness in the Errinundra NP.
  • Brown Mountain. She’s sheltered generations of gliders and owls – probably 600 years old.
  • Rainforest botanist, David Cameron explains the wonders a rainforest’s ecology to our group under a giant sassafras
  • The track to Wooly Butt hill (Wooly Butt being a name for Alpine Ash)
  • Hundreds of species of beautiful fungi are busily devouring logs and leaves to capture the carbon as soil (rather than as atmospheric pollution when burnt).
  • Hundreds of species of beautiful fungi are busily devouring logs and leaves to capture the carbon as soil (rather than as atmospheric pollution when burnt).
  • Hundreds of species of beautiful fungi are busily devouring logs and leaves to capture the carbon as soil (rather than as atmospheric pollution when burnt).
  • The EEG chefs stirring up a storm – hearty vegan soup
  • Choc mud cake with cream and raspberry sauce – nothing too good at the FF camp kitchen.
  • In the Brown Mountain old growth forests, saved by our court action. This site supports about 5 giants in close proximity plus a mix of other age groups.
  • The ratbag campaigner, the political animal and the botanist.
  • Late arvo sunshine through a young forest.
  • Oscar and friend. Oscar has been coming to Forests Forever since he was a baby.
  • One of the giants in Brown Mountain. She’s sheltered generations of gliders and owls – probably 600 years old.
  • Edge of the wetland at Tea Tree Flat.
  • The path to the sphagnum ‘bog’, Tea Tree Flat. This wetland was where Dr Peter Gell carried out research to show that there had been more stress to this area since logging started than since the last ice-age. The wetland is drying up due to logging in its headwaters outside the park.
  • The extrenely rare Monkey Mint Bush (prostanthera walteri) at the very top of Wooly Butt Hill .
  • Unidentified moth on a Mt Pepper at Tea Tree Flat. Moths play an increadibly important role in the forest ecosystem – from pollination to fuel reduction (larvae eat dry leaf matter) to providing a meal for other animals.
  • Our furthest Forests Forever attendees – from Newcastle – loved the weekend. Mt Tingaringi in the distance.
  • At Errinundra Plateau.
  • The top of Wooly Butt Hill overlooking the Brodribb Wilderness
  • Alison hugs the Rennie tree near Brown Mt creek.
  • he start of the organic farm tour … the goat shelters
  • Solar array that powers the EEG office. Plus the solar drier to preserve excess summer fruits.
  • The raspbverry and pumpkin patch being overtaken by marigolds.
  • Bonny the big gentle clydesdale.
  • The campsite in Goongerah, at dawn.
  • The Brodribb River at Goongerah camp ground
  • The Ellery Creek catchment was burnt in the Feb 2014 fire but is starting to recover. It shows how important tree ferns are at cloaking the bare ground while the understory returns.
  • Daughter learning from Dad the fascinating world at ground level. Wooly Butt Hill.
  • Lunch stop at the base of a giant Mountain Grey Gum just up from the Brown Mt Creek and its protective rainforest.
  • Lunch and good company at the Rainforest Boardwalk. — at Errinundra Plateau.
  • Delicate mosses, lichen, liverworts and ferns all help keep the forests verdant and fire-proof.

Forests Forever Easter Ecology Camp 2015

April 2, 2015

Camp by the Brodribb River with like-minded people at night and be guided by expert biologists during the day. Be awed by 600 year old forests and the diversity of a pristine rainforest. Discover how forests are vital for climate calming, and spotlight for nocturnal wildlife. Learn wildlife survey techniques or take an organic farm …

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