I drove over the fire-fried country between East Gippsland and the North East in early August, six months after the summer fires, with Kevin Thiele, EEG’s Public Officer, Botanist and Computer Trouble Shooter. The worst effected areas were very sorry looking – miles and miles of grey burnt earth, unidentifiable understorey-that-was, black trunks and bare …
“With all due respect, I do not think this was the biggest bushfire in 100 years I think it’s the biggest back-burn in living memory”Quote from Charles Slade, Channel Nine reporter in the Federal enquiry into the 2003 fires. Read more here
The Victorian Association of Forest Industries (VAFI) has suddenly become concerned for water catchments. It tells us that fast growing eucalypts that come back after a fire, suck up precious water and need to be cut down (all that loverly ash forest in particular). They quote science and figures that we’ve been using for years. …
While the country faces an ever increasing water crisis, governments are realising that something must be done. Competing users include irrigators, plantations and regrowth areas, industries, domestic households and of course the environment. Until now, the environment has never been seriously considered as a legitimate user. Even with major rivers such as the Murray Darling …
Over a three year period, the estimates volume of logs dropped by 98%! Have the department’s claims been miscalculations or gross fraud? The calculations for the Wombat forest was given the highest score of any forest area. They got a 4 out of 5. Considering it’s the tiniest forest area (36,000 compared with 1 million …
In 1996 the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) provided figures to the public about its ‘success’ of growing back trees after forests are ravaged by clearfelling. Seven years on and DSE has released a new report to the public. This report covers regeneration attempts during the period 1993/94-1996/97 and has been delayed for years …
This deceptive new brand invented by a desperate old industry is claiming environmentally friendly credentials while still clearfelling. Part of the eco-Select propaganda shows a dainty cello player singing a forest to sleep. But next morning the loggers come along and wipe it off the face of the earth (that’s the bit they don’t show). …
Neville Smith Timber Industry or NSTI, is a name we should all take note of. It’s based in Heyfield, Central Gippsland and is painting itself as ‘forest friendly’. NSTI are involved in: Ads depicting beautiful forests, furniture and musical instruments, implying native forests don’t suffer a broken twig in their making. Investment in …
Last issue’s front page story was of the needless logging of a 70 km swathe through the Snowy National Park during the January fires under the direction of a logging company boss seconded into the Department to help with fire fighting management. He was put in charge of this back burn line. Findings from …
Workers take exit and re-enter packages Many workers who have chosen to pack up and leave the logging industry have taken up to $90,000 off the government under the exit packages offered. However, with this cash in hand many have also walked out the door, turned around and walked straight back in to get back …
