VicForests protect protected trees
Being such an environmentally sensitive logging agency, VicForests decided to do a bit of self promotion by claiming it had found a giant tree that it will save. Halleluiah.
They claim the tree is the first to be protected under VicForests’ new Giant Tree Protection policy. Well, the DSE introduced this prescription in 2004! So VicForests – after 7 years – have saved one big tree! If they have had to protect giant trees of over 4 metres diameter since 2004, why are they now pretending it’s their very own new shiny policy?
The other thing that was rather amusing is that the photo of this giant messmate tree is in the thick of regenerating eucalypts from a previous clearfell operation that probably knocked out all of its giant brothers and sisters! This one would have been left as a seed/habitat tree. So it’s not really under any threat of being logged, as they claim.
VicForests said their new policy on “giant trees” (sic) will also “see every effort made to protect trees which are greater than 3m in diameter”, which should mean almost all old growth areas would be left alone.
Info from VicForests’ Media Release – Wednesday, March 16th 2011 Protecting Victoria’s “Giants” available here (PDF)