As eight ”nannas” face the clogged court system for knitting in a logging coupe, the price of protest in Victoria is set to escalate. Fourteen months ago, six grandmothers and two grandfathers entered a logging coupe at Mount St Leonard, placed their chairs in a neat row, and quietly sat down to knit. The group …
In November Premier Napthine brought in new changes to existing laws that deal with protesters in forests and on our wetlands. These were couched in terms of ‘public safety’ rather than environmental atrocities protection. The changes include: ‘possessing prohibited objects or substances’ at a logging site – maximum penalty $2,877 (knitting needles or placards maybe?). …
Victoria should overhaul its energy supply and change its approach to planned burns as part of efforts to stop worrying declines in the state’s environmental health. A major stocktake of Victoria’s environment prepared for the state government – the first of its kind in five years – has detailed significant worsening trends in critical areas. …
The mountain cattlemen are launching yet another attempt to get cattle back into the Alpine National Park. The decision by the previous Federal Government to ban alpine grazing was a victory for common sense and good science. There is more than 60 years of science that shows cattle damage alpine wetlands and peatbeds, and threaten …
Animals are going extinct and millions of dollars in Australian endangered species funding are being squandered because of poor planning and monitoring, leading environmental scientists say. If data on the welfare of an endangered species is collected, it is rarely analysed or acted on, said David Lindenmayer, one of the authors of an article in …
Environmental initiatives that target zero net deforestation may miss their mark when it comes to slowing climate change and protecting biodiversity, warns a commentary published in this week’s issue of the journal Science. While zero net deforestation may seem like a worthy target in efforts to curb forest loss, Sandra Brown and Daniel Zarin argue …
Two of East Gippslands most beautiful coastal areas are set to suffer serious assault this week. As Mallacoota’s most beautiful beach starts to be encased under an industrial concrete boat launch and car park, Lakes Entrance is also, once again, to be dug out to a depth that is killing the ecosystem of this Ramsar …
Released in October 2013 the report shows 65% of Victoria’s state forest areas are zoned to be logged. But with unlogged narrow corridors and isolated steep slopes within that zone, it means about 45% can be stripped of its forest and wildlife. Guaranteed though, the entire 65% will be impacted. Here are some other points …
FAMILIES will have to pay to stay at more than 100 of Victoria’s national park campgrounds for the first time, under a Napthine Government plan. And the cost of camping at premium sites where fees already apply will be hiked from an average $37 a night to about $59 a night. The Government is proposing …
Charging to enjoy our National Parks, they say is fairer for taxpayers and more ‘sustainable’.The logging industry however, is subsidised by taxpayers to the tune of about $60 million, yearly grazing agistment to beef farmers in the Alpine Park worth $1.4 million was offered for free (and fought for in the high court), but people …
