Gunns acknowledged that the vast majority of Australians want their native forests protected.
However, Tasmanian native forests, and native forests in Victoria and New South Wales, are not protected from logging as a result of this.
The 40,000 hectares of "forest" they did commit to protect included low quality regrowth forest and even some cow paddocks. They did not protect other designated old growth forests such as Brown Mountain.
Following legal action by Environment East Gippsland, the Victorian Supreme Court ruled that Brown Mountain forest must be protected due to the presence of endangered species and the requirements of the law, and found the Victorian Government and Vicforests to be at fault.
It is now up to state and federal governments to recognised the will of the people and ensure that remaining native forests are protected and that the logging and woodchip industries fully transition to plantation resources.
The very significant benefits in protecting our remaining native forests include preserving their biodiversity, safeguarding the carbon they store and the water they produce, and providing an excellent resource for local and international eco-tourism.
Links
- Timber giant concedes defeat in decades-old logging war, The Age
- Time for loggers to leave Victoria's forests, Brian Walters
- Victoria no longer in Gunns' sights, Melissa Fyfe, The Age
- Brown Mountain old growth forest, Greenlivingpedia
2 comments:
Pete, you live in melbourne and have probaby never been to the foretst in Tasmania, or even in Victoria or NSW that you supposedly want protected so badly, so why don't you shutup about locking up forests because you know nothing about it and stick to your "kite surfing-man"
Anon, I have been to the South Cape Range, Styx, NW Tiers, and Tarkine forests in Tasmania on several occasions.
I have also been to many Victorian forests, including Central Highlands, East Gippsland, Alpine and the Otways. I know these forests are all worthy of protection - and are still being destroyed. Have a look at http://www.forestletterwatch.org/ for more information.
We need to stop logging in all our native forests to restore their natural values - as they have in New Zealand and Queensland.
We need to do it now. This is what a clear majority of Australians want. Our governments our failing us.
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