VicForests – Tactical hooliganism

MEDIA RELEASE In an act described as “tactical hooliganism” VicForests’ contractors started logging a stand of contentious high value forest NW of the Errinundra National Park last week. They had previously agreed not to log this site while the Premier’s Forest Taskforce negotiations were underway. “We see this as a flashpoint in the process” said …

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Clearfelling the Future…. Victoria’s Endangered Forests

  A local film-maker is planning to make a series of short films that expose the destruction of Victoria’s forests by clearfell logging and the urgency for their protection. He hopes to get these short films across as many media outlets as possible. But he’s asking for donations via crowd funding to see it materialise. …

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Is Victoria’s native forestry industry worth it at $5 million a job?

The viability of Victoria’s government-owned native forestry business has been thrown into doubt by a high-level analysis concluding it takes more than $5 million of investment in roads, machinery and equipment to create a single timber job.  A confidential report by accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers warns VicForests is “not generating an appropriate return” to meet its stated objectives, including maximising its contribution to the …

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Victorian forests worth more as national park than timber

This ANU report proves the logging industry is worth 1/70th what the forests produce in water value. Professor David Lindenmayer said plainly “This is really dumb economics…” Logging in the central highlands generated a tiny $29 per hectare of additional net economic activity in 2013-14. That compares to a $2,023 per hectare contribution to the …

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VicForests takes credit for volunteer scientists’ work

UPDATED: VicForests claim spin doesn’t steal credit from GECO A community group of citizen scientists has become incensed following the release of a statement by VicForests that appears to claim their work for its own. A Gippsland-based group of citizen scientists claim VicForests has attempted to take credit for its work in protecting the habitats …

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The good guys gazump the bad this time!

The Bad news is that VicForests continues to clearfell in ecologically valuable forests which have barely had an adequate survey or none at all. This means VicForests continue, as always, to destroy rare wildlife, rainforest, giant trees and critical habitat. The Good news is that the surveyors from GECO again found a massive breach of …

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Obliteration successful at Hensleigh Creek

The old growth and rainforest of Hensleigh Creek was clearfelled by VicForests in 2015-16, then on 10th April 2016, it was finished it off with an intense burn. They call it ‘sustainable management’ … who do they think they are kidding!?! If you want to express your horror/outrage you can contact the decision makers. The …

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DELWP to investigate VicForests for logging protected rainforests

For the third time in as many months, a Gippsland-based environmental organisation has blown the whistle on VicForests for logging potentially protected rainforest in the region. In early April 2016, the Goongerah Environment Centre (GECO) announced it had exposed Victoria’s commercial logging business, VicForests, triggering an investigation by the Department of Environment Land Water and …

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Environmentalists accuse state logger of forest survey conflict of interest

MICHAEL BRISSENDEN: Skilful in the air, but awkward on land – the greater glider, or clumsy possum as it’s otherwise known, is having a big impact on East Gippsland’s logging wars. Just last week the state’s logger VicForests agreed to lock up 100 hectares of forest after environmentalists discovered 15 of the gliders. Environmentalists argue …

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Summer legal actions stop VicForests in its (bulldozer) tracks

On three occasions between mid-December 2015 and early February 2016, EEG has been forced to engage lawyers from Environment Justice Australia . We believe VicForests is consistently not taking its legal obligations regarding environmental protection seriously and Minister Neville’s Environment Department is yet to to take action. Keep reading for more details of our most …

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