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 …
We would love to have a reason to praise our governments occasionally. But while the corporate pillagers pull their strings, it won’t happen. The first Rudd/Swan Budget of 2008 didn’t go anywhere to meet the urgent challenge of climate change. Rudd is spending $44 on defence for every $1 spent to tackle climate change. He’s …
that the state has solved the problem of isolating populations of species like the endangered Leadbeaters Possum – by stringing up ropes across the fire breaks for them to cross on. For how many hundred kilometres? I hope the government will also be providing air raid shelters along those ropes so the little tackers can …
In mid 2008, a positive move by the Brumby government could see plantation companies have to pay for the water their thirsty trees soak up which would otherwise flow into streams and rivers. The idea is worrying plantation growers across the state, from the Strzelekis to south west Victoria. Charging for the rain that is …
