Letter to Minister Stitt, Victorian Minister for the Environment. You can send a similar letter to Minister Stitt here
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Showing posts with label logging. Show all posts
Showing posts with label logging. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 17, 2023
Monday, June 23, 2014
Open letter to Josh Frydenberg: Your attempt to delist Tasmanian forest is very wrong
Open letter
TO: Josh Frydenberg, MP for Kooyong.
I wish to draw to your attention that the Abbott government's attempt to withdraw the World Heritage nomination of Tasmanian forests is very wrong.
I wish you to represent my views on this in the Australian Parliament. Could you please confirm to me when you do this and provide me the the Hansard reference?
Regards, Peter Campbell
Home address supplied
TO: Josh Frydenberg, MP for Kooyong.
I wish to draw to your attention that the Abbott government's attempt to withdraw the World Heritage nomination of Tasmanian forests is very wrong.
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| Tasmania world heritage area rally: the committee will hand down its decision late on Monday night. Photograph: Rob Blakers/AAP Image |
The IUCN has found that, contrary to your government’s claim that the area was heavily degraded, that:
- 85% of the 74,000 hectares was natural forest
- 45% is old-growth forest.
- Just 4% could be described as heavily disturbed by logging, roads and other infrastructure.
I wish you to represent my views on this in the Australian Parliament. Could you please confirm to me when you do this and provide me the the Hansard reference?
Regards, Peter Campbell
Home address supplied
Monday, June 02, 2014
A letter to the World Heritage Committee opposing Abbott's attempt to denominate World Heritage listing of Tasmanian forests
Your Excellency,
I am writing to you as Chairperson of the World Heritage Committee, to bring to your attention my deep distress and alarm at the attempt by the Australian Government to remove 74,000 hectares from the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage site.
The decision by the World Heritage Committee to include an additional 172,050 hectares within the World Heritage Area in June 2013 had resolved many long standing threats to the Tasmanian World Heritage site and helped end a conflict that had been dividing Tasmanians for decades.
The decision by the then Australian Government to nominate these areas was only possible because of the strong role played by the World Heritage Committee and it's advisory bodies over the previous 25 years. The integrity and persistence of the Committee and its advisory bodies throughout this process has been exemplary.
The proposal before you by the current Australian Government is politically motivated and is contrary to Australia’s obligations as a signatory to the World Heritage Convention.
The Australian Federal Government has submitted evidence to the World Heritage Committee that large sections of the area under review are severely degraded. This is false - less than 10% of the area proposed for de-listing has been disturbed and the vast majority of this World Heritage Area remains untouched, pristine and wilderness quality natural landscapes.
I urge the World Heritage Committee and you as Chair, to continue to uphold the values and principles of the World Heritage Convention and continue to protect these forests from destruction.
I would be grateful if you could draw my concerns (and the concerns of many other Australians) to the attention of the World Heritage Committee.
Link to Getup letter
I am writing to you as Chairperson of the World Heritage Committee, to bring to your attention my deep distress and alarm at the attempt by the Australian Government to remove 74,000 hectares from the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage site.
The decision by the World Heritage Committee to include an additional 172,050 hectares within the World Heritage Area in June 2013 had resolved many long standing threats to the Tasmanian World Heritage site and helped end a conflict that had been dividing Tasmanians for decades.
The decision by the then Australian Government to nominate these areas was only possible because of the strong role played by the World Heritage Committee and it's advisory bodies over the previous 25 years. The integrity and persistence of the Committee and its advisory bodies throughout this process has been exemplary.
The proposal before you by the current Australian Government is politically motivated and is contrary to Australia’s obligations as a signatory to the World Heritage Convention.
The Australian Federal Government has submitted evidence to the World Heritage Committee that large sections of the area under review are severely degraded. This is false - less than 10% of the area proposed for de-listing has been disturbed and the vast majority of this World Heritage Area remains untouched, pristine and wilderness quality natural landscapes.
I urge the World Heritage Committee and you as Chair, to continue to uphold the values and principles of the World Heritage Convention and continue to protect these forests from destruction.
I would be grateful if you could draw my concerns (and the concerns of many other Australians) to the attention of the World Heritage Committee.
Link to Getup letter
Saturday, May 25, 2013
Make national parks and reserves a matter of national environmental significance
Open letter to Tony Burke MP, Minister for Environment
Dear Tony,
Please ensure our National Parks are protected from destructive practices such as mining, logging and grazing across Australia. This is an issue of critical importance.
National parks are the cornerstone of our conservation effort. They protect not just native plants and animals, but whole ecosystems. They also provide clean water, air and opportunities for rest, recreation and respite for millions of Australians and visitors alike.
But despite their title, the national (Australian) government has very little to do with most national parks at present.
State governments across Australia are talking about offering up our national parks for logging, grazing, mining, large-scale tourism developments and other destructive practices for short-term political or commercial gain.
The damage this would cause would last for generations. The Federal Government needs to act now, in this session of Parliament, to protect our national parks and reserves system.
I ask that as a matter of urgency and in order to stop destructive logging, grazing and mining in national parks, that you please table the necessary legislation under the EPBC Act to make national parks and reserves a matter of national environmental significance.
This would be a truly great legacy for nature and national parks.
External links
Dear Tony,
Please ensure our National Parks are protected from destructive practices such as mining, logging and grazing across Australia. This is an issue of critical importance.
National parks are the cornerstone of our conservation effort. They protect not just native plants and animals, but whole ecosystems. They also provide clean water, air and opportunities for rest, recreation and respite for millions of Australians and visitors alike.
But despite their title, the national (Australian) government has very little to do with most national parks at present.
State governments across Australia are talking about offering up our national parks for logging, grazing, mining, large-scale tourism developments and other destructive practices for short-term political or commercial gain.
The damage this would cause would last for generations. The Federal Government needs to act now, in this session of Parliament, to protect our national parks and reserves system.
I ask that as a matter of urgency and in order to stop destructive logging, grazing and mining in national parks, that you please table the necessary legislation under the EPBC Act to make national parks and reserves a matter of national environmental significance.
This would be a truly great legacy for nature and national parks.
External links
- Make national parks and reserves a matter of national environmental significance, Victorian National Parks Association (you can send a similar letter from here)
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Bushfires rage on mixed land tenures, not National Parks
Via Chris Taylor.
It did not take long, but the logging lobby is now blaming national parks and environmentalists for the recent fires. In the logging industry's newsletter, Timber and Forestry eNews, the lobby are parroting Miranda Devine's article 'Green arrogance burns fiercely'.
It did not take long, but the logging lobby is now blaming national parks and environmentalists for the recent fires. In the logging industry's newsletter, Timber and Forestry eNews, the lobby are parroting Miranda Devine's article 'Green arrogance burns fiercely'.
The obsession of the logging lobby's focus on just national parks as the driving force behind these fires is misleading at best and outright dangerous at worst, because multiple land tenures have carried these fires. These include state forest, pasture land for grazing, cropping land, conservation reserves and plantations.
In a fire management strategy, ALL land tenures must be considered for the risk of fire that they pose to life and property, not just one. An example of this is the current Aberfeldy-Donnely Creek fire in Gippsland.
First, the fire is reported to have started in state forest around the Toombon Gold Mine Historic Area reserve, just south east of Aberfeldy.
Second, it progressed through the state forest, much of it has been extensively roaded and parts logged over the years and it recently had an extensive network of 'fuel breaks' cut through it. Of significance, the entire area carrying the current fire was impacted by the 2007 Great Divide fires only 6 years ago.
Third, the current fire has progressed out of the state forest into land tenure used for grazing, dryland cropping and possibly irrigated cropping.
To date, no national park has carried this fire.
We desperately need to have an informed discussion concerning fire risk in our community and cease with the unjustified 'hate mongering' pushed by an extremist minority representing specific political and ideological interests.
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Disgusting propaganda and bile the "logging industry" and their PR hacks spout to justify their crimes against our biosphere. Logging increases fire risk, intact forests mitigage it (not cows).
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Disgusting propaganda and bile the "logging industry" and their PR hacks spout to justify their crimes against our biosphere. Logging increases fire risk, intact forests mitigage it (not cows).
Monday, December 03, 2012
Forests and wildlife are not negotiable
Monday 3 December 2012
Emergency demonstrations in logging-affected communities around the country are taking place today, with conservationists calling on the Prime Minister not to abandon environment and wildlife protection by finalising a closed-door deal with big business at a COAG meeting this week.
Community groups are holding banners in clearfells and forests devastated by logging in WA, NSW, Tasmania and Victoria, to show Prime Minister Gillard what environmental management by state governments looks like.
From her Observer Tree perch 60 metres up in the canopy of Tasmania's beleaguered old growth forests, where she has spent nearly twelve months during a time of intense negotiations and ongoing forest destruction, Tasmanian activist Miranda Gibson has a personal message to Gillard: 'Don't abandon environmental protection'
COAG and the Business Council of Australia (BCA) both meet in Canberra this week to push through their plan to weaken federal environment protection laws and hand powers to assess and approve development in environmentally significant areas to state governments.
The proposed devolution of responsibilities under national environmental laws to state governments is similar to what we already have in place under Regional Forests Agreements, where the Commonwealth has entrusted state governments with protecting biodiversity.
This would leave Australia without any federal oversight of damaging activity in these iconic areas.
Lauren Caulfield. Not Negotiable' campaign spokesperson:
Emergency demonstrations in logging-affected communities around the country are taking place today, with conservationists calling on the Prime Minister not to abandon environment and wildlife protection by finalising a closed-door deal with big business at a COAG meeting this week.
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| Cleafelled forest destroyed in SE NSW for woochips |
From her Observer Tree perch 60 metres up in the canopy of Tasmania's beleaguered old growth forests, where she has spent nearly twelve months during a time of intense negotiations and ongoing forest destruction, Tasmanian activist Miranda Gibson has a personal message to Gillard: 'Don't abandon environmental protection'
COAG and the Business Council of Australia (BCA) both meet in Canberra this week to push through their plan to weaken federal environment protection laws and hand powers to assess and approve development in environmentally significant areas to state governments.
The proposed devolution of responsibilities under national environmental laws to state governments is similar to what we already have in place under Regional Forests Agreements, where the Commonwealth has entrusted state governments with protecting biodiversity.
Lauren Caulfield. Not Negotiable' campaign spokesperson:
- "Anyone who thinks that the Commonwealth should be able to transfer its responsibility for environmental protection to state governments and supervise at a distance need only have a look at the wholesale failure of the Regional Forests Agreements for an example of how disastrous this approach has been.”
- "In Victoria we are facing an extinction crisis – including that of our own wildlife emblem, the endangered Leadbeaters Possum, as Premier Baillieu continues to allow the logging of its last forest strongholds".
- "Putting the states in charge of forest management has led to the devastation of forests around the country for export woodchips, the ongoing decline of threatened species, and a legacy of community conflict"
- "These moves are a rampant attack on environment to protection and will take us 40 years backwards, leaving our iconic wildlife and wild places at the mercy of state governments with an appalling track record on environmental protection"
- "The Prime Minister’s responsibility is to Australians as a whole, not to the Business Council. She should take this issue off the COAG agenda for Friday and off the government’s agenda for good.”
Monday, October 15, 2012
Its time to stop logging natural forests
Much of the world's natural forests have been lost due to clearing for agriculture - or just for their logs. Natural forests are ecosystems that harbour plant and animal biodiversity, capture and sequester carbon dioxide and produce clean water.
Unfortunately, we are still destroying the world's remaining natural forests around the world, including the United States, Canada, Australia, Indonesia, Brazil, Thailand, Papua New Guinea to name a few countries.
The "logging industry" is a misnomer now, as most of the "product" created from destroying natural forests is woodchips that are used to make cardboard and paper products.
Plantations and fibre crops such as hemp can supply the world's needs for pulp and timber.
However, voracious logging companies are still allowed by governments to keep logging and destroying native forest. They are often given free access to the forests as a "resource" or they pay a token amount in "royalties".
Sometimes the logging is even subsided by taxpayers, as is the case with VicForests in Victoria, Australia and Forestry Tasmania in Tasmania, Australia. In these cases the state governments of Victoria and Tasmania actually own logging companies.
Independent polls indicate that the majority of people now want their remaining native forest protected. However, industry and governments collude to allow logging of natural forests to proceed. Some conservation groups such as the Rainforest Action Network, Greenpeace and the World Wildlife Fund (all NGOs) still support ongoing logging of natural forests under the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification.
There is no way a natural forest can be logged without degrading it, and often this degradation is catastrophic to the forest. Trees are felled, undergrowth is trampled by machinery, and the residue is burnt to "create a seedbed" for more trees to grow. Biodiversity and the natural forest's ecosystem is degraded. If this is repeated as a cycle, the forests are effectively converted in plantations.
It is time for logging of the world's remaining natural forests to cease. They must be protected, not logged.
We have the power to make this happen. Contact your local government and state and federal members of parliament and ask them to protect our remaining natural forests now. Tell your friends to contact them too.
This post is written as a contribution to the 2012 Blog Action Day on the "power of we".
Unfortunately, we are still destroying the world's remaining natural forests around the world, including the United States, Canada, Australia, Indonesia, Brazil, Thailand, Papua New Guinea to name a few countries.
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| Yalmy Forest, East Gippsland. Author: Peter Campbell Source. |
The "logging industry" is a misnomer now, as most of the "product" created from destroying natural forests is woodchips that are used to make cardboard and paper products.
Plantations and fibre crops such as hemp can supply the world's needs for pulp and timber.
However, voracious logging companies are still allowed by governments to keep logging and destroying native forest. They are often given free access to the forests as a "resource" or they pay a token amount in "royalties".
Sometimes the logging is even subsided by taxpayers, as is the case with VicForests in Victoria, Australia and Forestry Tasmania in Tasmania, Australia. In these cases the state governments of Victoria and Tasmania actually own logging companies.
Independent polls indicate that the majority of people now want their remaining native forest protected. However, industry and governments collude to allow logging of natural forests to proceed. Some conservation groups such as the Rainforest Action Network, Greenpeace and the World Wildlife Fund (all NGOs) still support ongoing logging of natural forests under the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification.
There is no way a natural forest can be logged without degrading it, and often this degradation is catastrophic to the forest. Trees are felled, undergrowth is trampled by machinery, and the residue is burnt to "create a seedbed" for more trees to grow. Biodiversity and the natural forest's ecosystem is degraded. If this is repeated as a cycle, the forests are effectively converted in plantations.
It is time for logging of the world's remaining natural forests to cease. They must be protected, not logged.
We have the power to make this happen. Contact your local government and state and federal members of parliament and ask them to protect our remaining natural forests now. Tell your friends to contact them too.
This post is written as a contribution to the 2012 Blog Action Day on the "power of we".
Friday, September 21, 2012
Premier Baillieu please protect our environment rather than trashing it
Open letter to Premier Ted Baillieu.
Dear Premier Baillieu,
Like most Victorians, I’m proud of our environment. I’m proud of our clean air and water, our beautiful National Parks, and the ecosystems and amazing destinations that set our state apart.
Yet since coming into power your government has taken a wrecking ball to our environment, taking our environment and our state backwards by decades. I’m appalled by this behaviour from my government, and I’m calling on you to do better.
Instead of expanding brown coal mining and slashing support for clean energy, you should be investing in clean renewable energy like wind and solar.
Instead of cutting forest protections and trampling the Murray River you should be protecting our special places and returning water to our rivers.
Instead of looking out for your big business mates, you should be supporting households and small businesses to be more energy and water efficient to reduce costs and the impact on our environment.
Please stand up for our environment and for all Victorians. After all, that’s the job of the Premier of Victoria.
Specifically - please stop logging in Victoria's native forests, including our water catchments.
Please scrap VicForests -the Victorian government should exit the native forest logging business that runs at a serious loss and destroys our native forests, including habitat of endangered species such as Leadbeaters Possum and the Long Footed Potoroo.
Please reverse your regressive legislation that is blocking wind farm development and favouring further investment in polluting fossil fuel power.
Please re-instate a feed in tariff that recognises the true value of solar power and renewable energy.
Please allocated $50m for cycling infrastructure across Victoria, and develop a plan and program to implement it.
Sincerely,
Peter Campbell
External links
Dear Premier Baillieu,
Like most Victorians, I’m proud of our environment. I’m proud of our clean air and water, our beautiful National Parks, and the ecosystems and amazing destinations that set our state apart.
Yet since coming into power your government has taken a wrecking ball to our environment, taking our environment and our state backwards by decades. I’m appalled by this behaviour from my government, and I’m calling on you to do better.
Instead of expanding brown coal mining and slashing support for clean energy, you should be investing in clean renewable energy like wind and solar.
Instead of cutting forest protections and trampling the Murray River you should be protecting our special places and returning water to our rivers.
Instead of looking out for your big business mates, you should be supporting households and small businesses to be more energy and water efficient to reduce costs and the impact on our environment.
Please stand up for our environment and for all Victorians. After all, that’s the job of the Premier of Victoria.
Specifically - please stop logging in Victoria's native forests, including our water catchments.
Please scrap VicForests -the Victorian government should exit the native forest logging business that runs at a serious loss and destroys our native forests, including habitat of endangered species such as Leadbeaters Possum and the Long Footed Potoroo.
Please reverse your regressive legislation that is blocking wind farm development and favouring further investment in polluting fossil fuel power.
Please re-instate a feed in tariff that recognises the true value of solar power and renewable energy.
Please allocated $50m for cycling infrastructure across Victoria, and develop a plan and program to implement it.
Sincerely,
Peter Campbell
External links
- Help stop the relentless and systematic destruction of our environment, Email campaign, Environment Victoria
- Emperor's new policy, The Age, 19 Dec 2012
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
The Baillieu government must stop logging Victorian rainforest
Local conservationists have yet again had to take court action and use blockades to stop VicForests, the Victorian Government's logging business, from logging protected rainforest in East Gippsland.
VicForests have form. They were found guilty of breaking the law relating the protection of endangered species in Brown Mountain's forest in the Supreme Court in August 2010. Over a year later, despite a court order, they are yet to pay the court costs awarded against them to Environment East Gippsland.
In July this year, VicForests started logging forest near Sylvia Creek that is home to Leadbeaters Possum. They were stopped by another court order following legal action initiated by local environment group MyEnvironment. This court case, scheduled to be heard early next year, is again about VicForests ignoring the laws concerned with protecting endangered species.
The Baillieu government's response to VicForest's illegal and unethical practices is to reward them with 20 year contracts for logging our remaining native forests, indemnify their contracts, allow them to determine the amount of forest they can log and allow them to log forests in reserves, parks and water catchments.
The Baillieu government has also announced an intention to change the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act to that a bureaucrat can exempt VicForests from complying with it, thereby allowing them to log forests that are and should be protected.
There is a whiff of cronyism and corruption about VicForests too. Graeme Stoney, Premier Ted Baillieu's brother in law, has been recently appointed to the VicForests board by the government. Stoney has also recently been active behind the scenes coordinating the return of cattle to graze in the Alpine National Park under the bogus pretext of "research into the role of cattle in bushfire mitigation".
The native forest logging industry is in terminal decline. Regional Forests Agreements have failed. The global market for woodchips, the major "product" that comes from out native forests, has collapsed. Despite accelerating logging, jobs continue to decline. The industry is largely automated now.
In addition, the wholesale conversion of native forests into plantations by continued logging and burning is simply not sustainable, as scientists such as Professor David Lindenmeyer have stated.
There is enough plantation resource available in Victoria right now to supply our timber and pulp needs. The Victorian government should get out of the logging business, get rid of VicForests, and support our sustainable plantation-based timber and wood products industries.
Our native forests should be protected for the carbon they store, their biodiversity, their function as water catchments and because they are wonderful places to visit.
Links
VicForests have form. They were found guilty of breaking the law relating the protection of endangered species in Brown Mountain's forest in the Supreme Court in August 2010. Over a year later, despite a court order, they are yet to pay the court costs awarded against them to Environment East Gippsland.
In July this year, VicForests started logging forest near Sylvia Creek that is home to Leadbeaters Possum. They were stopped by another court order following legal action initiated by local environment group MyEnvironment. This court case, scheduled to be heard early next year, is again about VicForests ignoring the laws concerned with protecting endangered species.
The Baillieu government's response to VicForest's illegal and unethical practices is to reward them with 20 year contracts for logging our remaining native forests, indemnify their contracts, allow them to determine the amount of forest they can log and allow them to log forests in reserves, parks and water catchments.
The Baillieu government has also announced an intention to change the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act to that a bureaucrat can exempt VicForests from complying with it, thereby allowing them to log forests that are and should be protected.
There is a whiff of cronyism and corruption about VicForests too. Graeme Stoney, Premier Ted Baillieu's brother in law, has been recently appointed to the VicForests board by the government. Stoney has also recently been active behind the scenes coordinating the return of cattle to graze in the Alpine National Park under the bogus pretext of "research into the role of cattle in bushfire mitigation".
The native forest logging industry is in terminal decline. Regional Forests Agreements have failed. The global market for woodchips, the major "product" that comes from out native forests, has collapsed. Despite accelerating logging, jobs continue to decline. The industry is largely automated now.
In addition, the wholesale conversion of native forests into plantations by continued logging and burning is simply not sustainable, as scientists such as Professor David Lindenmeyer have stated.
There is enough plantation resource available in Victoria right now to supply our timber and pulp needs. The Victorian government should get out of the logging business, get rid of VicForests, and support our sustainable plantation-based timber and wood products industries.
Our native forests should be protected for the carbon they store, their biodiversity, their function as water catchments and because they are wonderful places to visit.
Links
- Timber gets long-term commitment, The Age, 14 December 2011
- MEDIA RELEASE: Supreme Court orders stop to logging East Gippsland rainforest, 14 December 2011
- MEDIA RELEASE Legal injunction to stop Victorian rainforest logging, 14 December 2011
- MEDIA RELEASE: Police move in to evict protest at unlawful logging coupe, 12 December 2011
- MEDIA RELEASE: Conservationists Halt Logging Across Victoria, 5 December 2011
- Silvia Creek forest - Greenlivingpedia
- Brown Mountain old growth forest - Greenlivingpedia
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Agreement to exit native forest logging in Tasmania
An historic deal that will end logging of Tasmania's native forests was reported today.
Following lengthy talks between industry, union and environment groups, an agreement between them has just been struck, and a joint statement of principles issued, that includes:
Links
Following lengthy talks between industry, union and environment groups, an agreement between them has just been struck, and a joint statement of principles issued, that includes:
- Recognising the need to protect high conservation value forests and end ''industrial forestry'' of them in a timeframe to be agreed
- Restricting the burning of timber as biomass fuel to material sourced from plantations only
- Moving to ''a strong and sustainable industry based on a range of plantation-based industries including a pulp mill"
- The logging of some specialty timbers from these forests for purposes such as craftwood is allowed.
This is great news for Tasmania's remaining native forests, and potentially ends decades of conflict over the logging of native forests.
It is interesting to note that no politicians were involved in brokering the agreement. Forests have been a "political football" for some time, with both Labor and Liberal governments supporting their ongoing destruction for decades and ignoring the wishes of over 80% of the Australian population that want them protected.
There are many factors that have contributed to this outcome, including:
- Continued job losses within the native forest logging industry, despite ongoing access to native forests
- Gunns Corporation exiting native forest logging due to the unwillingness of Japanese buyers to purchase woodchips that are not subject to the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified forestry practices
- The rising strength of the Australian dollar making export of woodchips unprofitable.
- Declining availability of native forests has forced governments to move loggers into highly contentious forest areas, which has provoked serious ongoing conflicts.
- A realisation that plantations can provide a much more reliable supply of wood with greatly reduced environmental impact - but only if they are appropriately managed.
- There is enough hardwood and softwood plantation resource currently available to enable industry transition out of native forests.
This follows the end of industrial-scale native forest logging in Queensland and Western Australia in the late 90s.
This agreement clearly sets a precedent for exiting native forest logging in Victoria and New South Wales too, where factors very similar to those in Tasmania are also relevant.
It is to be hoped that industry, union and environment groups in New South Wales and Victoria can achieve a similar excellent outcome after years of similar conflict and declining jobs in the native forest logging sector.
Forest protection is big issue in the upcoming 2010 Victorian State election. The Brumby government protected around 41,000 hectares of forest in September 2010, but this included many areas that were not high conservation-value forests (only around 11,000 hectare were old growth forests), and left many other high quality forest areas such as Brown Mountain unprotected from logging.
A compromised political outcome that only protects Melbourne's water catchments (less than 2% of Victoria's native forests logged annually) - will not be good enough.
Links
- Era of protest ends in a principled peace, Sydney Morning Herald
- Historic deal on forests, The Age
- Forest Letter Watch
- Historic agreement to protect Tasmania's ancient forests, The Wilderness Society
Friday, September 10, 2010
Gunns exits native forests, they should now be protected in Tasmania, NSW and Victoria
Gunns has exited from logging native forests in Tasmania, and have stated that "native forest is not part of our future" and that they are moving to a plantation-based business.
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 Victorian Labor government promised in 2006 to "immediately protect remaining significant stands of old growth forest currently available for timber harvesting" but they have not yet done so.
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
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
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Roads, water, smart meters and the 2010 Victorian state election
The phoney campaign for the 2010 Victorian state election is well and truly underway. Unfortunately, this highlights the failings of politics and government to follow due process, public consultation and make appropriate decisions. Some examples follow.
Smart meters
The business case for smart meters has not been proven, yet residents are being forced to pay for them whether they want them or not. Greater benefits at much lower cost could have been obtained by installing simple in house energy meter displays to allow consumers to see real time how much power they are are using and therefore set about reducing it. Unfortunately, these "in home displays" have been dropped from the mandatory section of the Victorian Government's smart meter specification.
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/smarts-on-hold-but-consumers-still-paying-for-meter-20100327-r48y.html
http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/smart-meters-another-dumb-economic-idea-20100412-s40m.html
Water
The Brumby government has embarked on a carbon intensive and environmentally damaging water strategy that also has no solid business case. The north south pipeline steals water from the chronically deprived Murray Darling basin and sends it over the divide to Melbourne. The desalination plant will consume large amounts of energy, pollute the Bass Coast, and result in high net carbon emissions. Meanwhile, water tanks, recycling and stopping logging in water catchments are all ignored, despite being more effective, cheaper and better for the environment.
http://www.theage.com.au/environment/brumbys-water-plan-savaged-20100327-r4dh.html
The relaxing of stage 3A water restrictions is a political stunt for the election. Melbourne's water storages are still too low for this.
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/water-restrictions-never-again-above-stage-3-20100316-qcl6.html?autostart=1
The economics of the desalination plan just don't stack up, and due diligence has not been a feature of the business case or the planning/approval process for it.
http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/politics/water-plans-drift-behind-a-veil-of-secrecy-20100411-s0os.html
Planning
The internal workings of Government - including sham public consultations - is revealed in the media strategy written by Planning Minister Justin Madden's media advisor and accidentally sent to the media. Madden and Brumby have claimed repeatedly that the document is "unusual" and "irregular: and even that they have "seen nothing like it". What a load of nonsense. This sort of spin and manipulation is clearly common.
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/madden-media-plan-shows-the-inner-workings-of-spin-20100306-ppts.html
What has Victorian Attorney General Rob Hulls and the Brumby Government go to hide? Given a Ministerial advisor wrote at document that indicates planning processes would be subverted (for the Windsor), why should they be "excluded" from giving evidence to a Parliamentary Committee? This has a whiff of corruption about it.
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/labor-advisers-may-face-jail-20100412-s47q.html
Public transport
Decades of neglect and inadequate funding for Victoria's public transport by both Labor and Liberal governments have taken their toll. Trains don't run on time, or at all, and are packed when they do. Trams in the city are infrequent and now crowded to capacity. Privatisation is a failure. The new Metro operator is as bad or worse than the previous one.
The majority of funding in the 40b dollar transport plan is still going to roads and freeways.
http://www.theage.com.au/national/brumby-rail-promise-stalls-20100214-nzgk.html
Logging old growth forests
The 2010 Timber Release Plan (TRP) for East Gippland published by the Victorian Government will dramatically increase old growth forest logging in 2010. It deliberately targets old growth forest areas from maps used during negotiations with environment groups about the government's 2006 election commitment to "protect that last significant old growth forest in East Gippsland" Download the letter to get the full story.
http://www.greenlivingpedia.org/Image:2010_VicForests_logging_letter.pdf
VicForests, under the control of the Victorian Government, has been taken to court by Environment East Gippsland to protect Brown Mountain. The government refused to take appropriate action to protect endangered species such as the Potoroo from logging. It is to be hoped the judge finds the government should do what the law says and survey for threatened species in forests before logging them. Currently they don't - because they don't want to find them - which would mean they can't log the forests.
http://www.greenlivingpedia.org/Brown_Mountain_old_growth_forest
This track record is not good. I think it may even cost them the next election. Unfortunately, a Liberal/National government would most likely continue with all these flawed policies and practices.
So think about voting Green or independent and choose carefully where YOUR preference goes.
Smart meters
The business case for smart meters has not been proven, yet residents are being forced to pay for them whether they want them or not. Greater benefits at much lower cost could have been obtained by installing simple in house energy meter displays to allow consumers to see real time how much power they are are using and therefore set about reducing it. Unfortunately, these "in home displays" have been dropped from the mandatory section of the Victorian Government's smart meter specification.
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/smarts-on-hold-but-consumers-still-paying-for-meter-20100327-r48y.html
http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/smart-meters-another-dumb-economic-idea-20100412-s40m.html
Water
The Brumby government has embarked on a carbon intensive and environmentally damaging water strategy that also has no solid business case. The north south pipeline steals water from the chronically deprived Murray Darling basin and sends it over the divide to Melbourne. The desalination plant will consume large amounts of energy, pollute the Bass Coast, and result in high net carbon emissions. Meanwhile, water tanks, recycling and stopping logging in water catchments are all ignored, despite being more effective, cheaper and better for the environment.
http://www.theage.com.au/environment/brumbys-water-plan-savaged-20100327-r4dh.html
The relaxing of stage 3A water restrictions is a political stunt for the election. Melbourne's water storages are still too low for this.
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/water-restrictions-never-again-above-stage-3-20100316-qcl6.html?autostart=1
The economics of the desalination plan just don't stack up, and due diligence has not been a feature of the business case or the planning/approval process for it.
http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/politics/water-plans-drift-behind-a-veil-of-secrecy-20100411-s0os.html
Planning
The internal workings of Government - including sham public consultations - is revealed in the media strategy written by Planning Minister Justin Madden's media advisor and accidentally sent to the media. Madden and Brumby have claimed repeatedly that the document is "unusual" and "irregular: and even that they have "seen nothing like it". What a load of nonsense. This sort of spin and manipulation is clearly common.
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/madden-media-plan-shows-the-inner-workings-of-spin-20100306-ppts.html
What has Victorian Attorney General Rob Hulls and the Brumby Government go to hide? Given a Ministerial advisor wrote at document that indicates planning processes would be subverted (for the Windsor), why should they be "excluded" from giving evidence to a Parliamentary Committee? This has a whiff of corruption about it.
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/labor-advisers-may-face-jail-20100412-s47q.html
Public transport
Decades of neglect and inadequate funding for Victoria's public transport by both Labor and Liberal governments have taken their toll. Trains don't run on time, or at all, and are packed when they do. Trams in the city are infrequent and now crowded to capacity. Privatisation is a failure. The new Metro operator is as bad or worse than the previous one.
The majority of funding in the 40b dollar transport plan is still going to roads and freeways.
http://www.theage.com.au/national/brumby-rail-promise-stalls-20100214-nzgk.html
Logging old growth forests
The 2010 Timber Release Plan (TRP) for East Gippland published by the Victorian Government will dramatically increase old growth forest logging in 2010. It deliberately targets old growth forest areas from maps used during negotiations with environment groups about the government's 2006 election commitment to "protect that last significant old growth forest in East Gippsland" Download the letter to get the full story.
http://www.greenlivingpedia.org/Image:2010_VicForests_logging_letter.pdf
VicForests, under the control of the Victorian Government, has been taken to court by Environment East Gippsland to protect Brown Mountain. The government refused to take appropriate action to protect endangered species such as the Potoroo from logging. It is to be hoped the judge finds the government should do what the law says and survey for threatened species in forests before logging them. Currently they don't - because they don't want to find them - which would mean they can't log the forests.
http://www.greenlivingpedia.org/Brown_Mountain_old_growth_forest
This track record is not good. I think it may even cost them the next election. Unfortunately, a Liberal/National government would most likely continue with all these flawed policies and practices.
So think about voting Green or independent and choose carefully where YOUR preference goes.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Brown Mountain forest Potoroos need protection immediately
To Victorian Environment Minister Gavin Jennings
Dear Minister Jennings,
Further to your press release on Friday when you released the DSE survey of Brown Mountain forest in East Gippsland, the presence of threatened and endangered species in the Brown Mountain forest adjacent to the creek warrants the immediate permanent protection of this forest.
I note that the "additional 400 hectares of Brown Mountain to be protected" you announced is in fact already protected.
I also note that the forest in question contains numerous trees that have been confirmed at over 600 years of age and that this forest is designated as "old growth" by the Department of Sustainability and Environment.
Reading the DSE report, it states that high density populations of Greater Gliders and Yellow-bellied Gliders were found. This means they require immediate protection, contrary to you interpretation.
While no Long-footed Potoroos sightings were confirmed by DSE, their diggings were seen in the study area, and the forest type was assessed as good quality habitat for them.
The photograph of a Potoroo taken by a movement sensitive camera within the forest in question on 3am Friday 21 August 2009 now mandates immediate protection of the forest as per the Code of Forest Practice.
Could you please now take action to immediately protect this Brown Mountain forest?
Could you also take action to "protect all remaining old growth forest currently available for logging" as per the Labor Party's election promise and policy commitment made in 2007?
Peter Campbell
(home address and phone number supplied)
=======
UPDATE 3pm Tuesday 25/8/09: DSE visited the camera site today on Brown Mt and have confirmed the LF Potoroo, the site is now ground truthed. From Jill Redwood.
=======
Please consider sending your own email to Gavin Jennings at gavin.jennings@parliament.vic.gov.au
Dear Minister Jennings,
Further to your press release on Friday when you released the DSE survey of Brown Mountain forest in East Gippsland, the presence of threatened and endangered species in the Brown Mountain forest adjacent to the creek warrants the immediate permanent protection of this forest.
I note that the "additional 400 hectares of Brown Mountain to be protected" you announced is in fact already protected.
I also note that the forest in question contains numerous trees that have been confirmed at over 600 years of age and that this forest is designated as "old growth" by the Department of Sustainability and Environment.
Reading the DSE report, it states that high density populations of Greater Gliders and Yellow-bellied Gliders were found. This means they require immediate protection, contrary to you interpretation.
While no Long-footed Potoroos sightings were confirmed by DSE, their diggings were seen in the study area, and the forest type was assessed as good quality habitat for them.
The photograph of a Potoroo taken by a movement sensitive camera within the forest in question on 3am Friday 21 August 2009 now mandates immediate protection of the forest as per the Code of Forest Practice.
Could you please now take action to immediately protect this Brown Mountain forest?
Could you also take action to "protect all remaining old growth forest currently available for logging" as per the Labor Party's election promise and policy commitment made in 2007?
Peter Campbell
(home address and phone number supplied)
=======
UPDATE 3pm Tuesday 25/8/09: DSE visited the camera site today on Brown Mt and have confirmed the LF Potoroo, the site is now ground truthed. From Jill Redwood.
=======
Please consider sending your own email to Gavin Jennings at gavin.jennings@parliament.vic.gov.au
and/or call his Ministerial office on (03) 9096 8830
CC your email to your local state MP, Premier John Brumby and Opposition Leader Ted Bailleiu
If you're on Twitter send Gav this message - @GavinJennings stop logging Brown Mountain immediately & protect endangered #potoroos
More information
CC your email to your local state MP, Premier John Brumby and Opposition Leader Ted Bailleiu
If you're on Twitter send Gav this message - @GavinJennings stop logging Brown Mountain immediately & protect endangered #potoroos
More information
- Brown Mountain old growth forest, Greenlivingpedia
Tuesday, June 09, 2009
Bob Brown threatened with explusion from the Senate
Senator Bob Brown launched legal action some years ago to stop Forestry Tasmania sanctioning the destruction of Wielangta forest and many of the threatened species that live in it.
Bob won the initial court action which confirmed that forest and species destruction was occurring.
The Forestry Tasmania appealed and won. Now they are demanding that Bob pay their court costs of $240,000. Even though they are quite obviously still very much in the wrong.
If Bob doesn't pay then he may be expelled from the Senate.
You can contribute to help pay these outrageous court costs by either:
Internet bank transfer
Name of account: Bob Brown Forest Account
BSB No. 633 000
A/C No. 125 133 793
Name of person to be placed in the reference
Or - Cheque made payable to Bob Brown Forest Account GPO Box 404, Hobart, 7001.
I have sent my donation through tonight. Keep up the good fight Bob.
Bob won the initial court action which confirmed that forest and species destruction was occurring.
The Forestry Tasmania appealed and won. Now they are demanding that Bob pay their court costs of $240,000. Even though they are quite obviously still very much in the wrong.
If Bob doesn't pay then he may be expelled from the Senate.
You can contribute to help pay these outrageous court costs by either:
Internet bank transfer
Name of account: Bob Brown Forest Account
BSB No. 633 000
A/C No. 125 133 793
Name of person to be placed in the reference
Or - Cheque made payable to Bob Brown Forest Account GPO Box 404, Hobart, 7001.
I have sent my donation through tonight. Keep up the good fight Bob.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Brown Mountain logging finished in this seasons first coupe
The first 20 hectare “coupe” of this season’s logging allocation in Brown Mountain was completed on 22 April 2009. The destruction includes the felling of more trees 600 to 800 years old.
The tree that was radiocarbon dated was 10 metres in girth. Some trees logged have a 12 metre girth - by extrapolation they would be 800 years old.
Here are some photos of the catastrophic effects of this logging.
The stump of another tree over 600 years old
There are two more 20 hectare coupes remaining. The officer of Environment Minister Gavin Jennings apparently now has the DSE report about threatened species and is considering what to do. It is not clear whether this document will be released to the public, or whether the remaining areas of Brown Mountain forest will be protected.
More photos and more information: Brown Mountain old growth forest, Greenlivingpedia
If you have the time, write a letter or email to:
The tree that was radiocarbon dated was 10 metres in girth. Some trees logged have a 12 metre girth - by extrapolation they would be 800 years old.
Here are some photos of the catastrophic effects of this logging.
The stump of another tree over 600 years oldThere are two more 20 hectare coupes remaining. The officer of Environment Minister Gavin Jennings apparently now has the DSE report about threatened species and is considering what to do. It is not clear whether this document will be released to the public, or whether the remaining areas of Brown Mountain forest will be protected.
More photos and more information: Brown Mountain old growth forest, Greenlivingpedia
If you have the time, write a letter or email to:
- your local MPs
- Premier John Brumby john.brumby@parliament.vic.gov.au
Thursday, April 02, 2009
Logged Brown Mountain tree dated at over 500 years
The results from radiocarbon dating of a sample of one of the old growth forest giants logged recently in Brown Mountain in East Gippsland are in. The tree is between 500 and 600 years old.
This tree, and the forest it used to be part of, pre dates white settlement in Australa by 279 years. Logging these irreplaceable forests is an abomination sanctioned by the Brumby Government.
Logging has been temporarily halted when threatened species of possum and freshwater crayfish were found in Brown Mountain's forests.
The Brumby government should immediately protect all remaining old growth forest available for logging, as they promised the would do in 2006.
Links
A photo of the logged tree stump that was radio carbon dated.
This tree, and the forest it used to be part of, pre dates white settlement in Australa by 279 years. Logging these irreplaceable forests is an abomination sanctioned by the Brumby Government.
Logging has been temporarily halted when threatened species of possum and freshwater crayfish were found in Brown Mountain's forests.
The Brumby government should immediately protect all remaining old growth forest available for logging, as they promised the would do in 2006.
Links
- Brown Mountain forest, Greenlivingpedia
- Felled old-growth tree '500 years old' , ABC News
- Premier Brumby please protect Brown Mountain forest
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Every drop is precious
Recent logging industry claims that logging our catchments will improve water yields and protect them are false and opportunistic. Scientists have confirmed that logging in our water catchments, like bushfires, decreases the quality and quantity of water they produce.
The recent catastrophic bushfires travelled at alarming speed, up to 100km/h, across farmland and through plantations and heavily "managed" forests, including forests where recent fuel reduction burns had been done. Bushfire and climate scientists have confirmed that Victoria's hottest day every, combined with very strong north winds, created conditions for an unstoppable firestorm.
The bushfires slowed considerably when they eventually entered Melbourne's water catchments. Intact wet sclerophyll forests in our water catchments are less prone to burning, and temperatures and wind speeds have eased. Melbourne Water is doing a great job managing our protected catchments.
However, the Victorian government has been sitting on their hands holding continual reviews about the destruction of some of our catchments by logging; it is now time for action. Stage 4 water restrictions are looming in the near future, and every drop of water is precious. We are now facing less water in our dams and drastically reduced rainfall across the state.
Melbourne's water catchments, and those elsewhere across the Victoria, should be immediately protected from logging in the interests of all Victorians.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Barrie Cassidy blames greens for bushfires
The harrowing tales from survivors and CFA people on the After the Firestorm: An ABC News Special" tonight were compelling viewing.
However, the host Barrie Cassidy then displayed the most appalling and offensive editorialising journalism I have ever seen the ABC broadcast.
Barrie Cassidy said "and people say the greens have too much influence, what do think Peter Attiwell?"
This was a leading question for Attiwell, who is ex Forestry faculty Melbourne Uni and has been employed by the Victorian Association of Forest Industries (VAFI) at various times. Attiwell has previously made public statements about "logging being good for forests", "forests need disturbance" and the "importance of fuel reduction burning for forest management" over recent years.
Attiwell's response to this leading question was inaccurate on several counts, and represented a pro-logging anti conservation political position.
Attiwell claimed that
Cassidy also failed to mention that Black Saturday was the hottest day on record in Victoria and in any Australian capital city ever, and that the three days above 43C the previous week made the entire state tinder dry. These type of extreme weather events have been linked by Professor David Karoly and the CSIRO to the effects of climate change.
I know for a fact that a lot of the forest around Marysville has been fuel reduction burnt by DSE on numerous occasions over the last 10 years. This of course made no difference to the ferocity of the fire.
There is no scientific consensus on the claimed ecological benefits of fuel reduction burning. It is actually done to reduce fuel loads, not manage ecology. Scientists have also observed that excessive burning of native forests can actually make them more prone to burning by changing the ecology of the forest from wet sclerophyll to more fire prone dry sclerophyll over time.
Much of the fires burnt on grassland, farmland, plantations and heavily "managed" and logged native forest. Around 50% of the area burnt was privately owned land.
On Cassidy's mention of "the greens", there are no elected Greens in the Murrindindi, Yea or even Nillumbik shires, and there are none in the Victorian State Parliament in these regions either. To claim that greens set policies in these regions is specious and ludicrous. Policies are set state and local governments, and enacted by DSE, the CFA and other government departments.
In addition, fuel reduction burning, conducted without species and habitat loss, is are actually supported by the Greens and organisations such as the Wilderness Society, so Cassidy is dead wrong on this too.
Barry Cassidy's conduct on this matter was biased against the Green political party and local and state conservation groups.
It was also extremely offensive and inaccurate. Opportunistic political comments by those pushing agendas are grossly insensitive to bushfire victims.
As I have stated previously, the only focus at present should be to find the deceased and help the survivors and others deeply affected. I and many of my friends (some of whom are still fighting the fires and are on the ground in affected areas) have been deeply personally affected by these bushfires and the loss of life.
Barrie Cassidy should be subject to disciplinary action and the ABC should also issue a formal retraction of his comments.
You can comment on the ABC TV program website too.
However, the host Barrie Cassidy then displayed the most appalling and offensive editorialising journalism I have ever seen the ABC broadcast.
Barrie Cassidy said "and people say the greens have too much influence, what do think Peter Attiwell?"
This was a leading question for Attiwell, who is ex Forestry faculty Melbourne Uni and has been employed by the Victorian Association of Forest Industries (VAFI) at various times. Attiwell has previously made public statements about "logging being good for forests", "forests need disturbance" and the "importance of fuel reduction burning for forest management" over recent years.
Attiwell's response to this leading question was inaccurate on several counts, and represented a pro-logging anti conservation political position.
Attiwell claimed that
- there is far too much fuel in the forests and that is why the fires were so bad
- The 1983 Royal Commission made 23 (?) recommendations and the government has only implemented 6, oops 7 of them
- There hasn't been nearly enough burning, the cycle is once every 30(?) years, only a very small percentage has been fuel reduction burnt.
- We need to burn on a cycle of every 7 years to make things safe
- We don't need another commission, we just need proper burning. Ecological burning.
Cassidy also failed to mention that Black Saturday was the hottest day on record in Victoria and in any Australian capital city ever, and that the three days above 43C the previous week made the entire state tinder dry. These type of extreme weather events have been linked by Professor David Karoly and the CSIRO to the effects of climate change.
I know for a fact that a lot of the forest around Marysville has been fuel reduction burnt by DSE on numerous occasions over the last 10 years. This of course made no difference to the ferocity of the fire.
There is no scientific consensus on the claimed ecological benefits of fuel reduction burning. It is actually done to reduce fuel loads, not manage ecology. Scientists have also observed that excessive burning of native forests can actually make them more prone to burning by changing the ecology of the forest from wet sclerophyll to more fire prone dry sclerophyll over time.
Much of the fires burnt on grassland, farmland, plantations and heavily "managed" and logged native forest. Around 50% of the area burnt was privately owned land.
On Cassidy's mention of "the greens", there are no elected Greens in the Murrindindi, Yea or even Nillumbik shires, and there are none in the Victorian State Parliament in these regions either. To claim that greens set policies in these regions is specious and ludicrous. Policies are set state and local governments, and enacted by DSE, the CFA and other government departments.
In addition, fuel reduction burning, conducted without species and habitat loss, is are actually supported by the Greens and organisations such as the Wilderness Society, so Cassidy is dead wrong on this too.
Barry Cassidy's conduct on this matter was biased against the Green political party and local and state conservation groups.
It was also extremely offensive and inaccurate. Opportunistic political comments by those pushing agendas are grossly insensitive to bushfire victims.
As I have stated previously, the only focus at present should be to find the deceased and help the survivors and others deeply affected. I and many of my friends (some of whom are still fighting the fires and are on the ground in affected areas) have been deeply personally affected by these bushfires and the loss of life.
Barrie Cassidy should be subject to disciplinary action and the ABC should also issue a formal retraction of his comments.
You can comment on the ABC TV program website too.
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
Please ask John Lenders to stop logging Brown Mountain
There is some scrutiny this week in the Victorian parliament of VicForest's activities.
If you have time, please send a letter by close of business Tuesday 9/12 to John Lenders as the Minister responsible. Feel free to use/edit the one below.
More information and photos on the tragic logging of Brown Mountain is available if you need it here.
Protest at Parliament against Brown Mountain old growth destruction
Recently logged Brown Mountain old growth Shining Gum - November 2008
Brown Mountain old growth Shining Gum - possibly now destroyed.
Regards, Peter
===============
Minister John Lenders, MLC
Treasurer, Leader of the Government, Legislative Council
Level 4, 1 Treasury Place,
East Melbourne 3002
john.lenders@parliament.vic.gov.au
Dear Minister Lenders,
I am writing to express my strong disapproval of the logging of old growth forest in progress at Brown Mountain that VicForests has approved. This area of forest, designated as old growth forest by the Department of Sustainability and Environment, should be protected in accordance with Labor policy released in 2006.
The policy in question stated that:
"In addition to the Goolengook Block, a Labor Government will immediately protect remaining significant stands of old growth forest currently available for timber harvesting by including them in the National Parks and reserves system."
There are more than 50 trees over 300 years old in this area of forest, which is adjacent to Errinundra National Park. This forest also provide habitat for threatened species such as the Powerful Owl, the Spot Tailed Quoll, mainland Australia's largest marsupial carnivore, and the Long-footed Potoroo, Victoria's rarest marsupial. This forest provides water for the depleted Snowy River catchment.
This forest also stores over 1000 tonnes of carbon per hectare, much of which is released as carbon emissions when the forest is clear felled and burnt. Locals had also recently constructed East Gippsland's first old growth forest walk in this forest, which the Department of Sustainability and Environment confirmed during site visits. Much of this has now already been destroyed, which is jeopardising tourism in the region.
Your parliamentary website lists your interests as bushwalking, camping, cycling, swimming. All these activities would be enhanced if this Brown Mountain forest, and the rest of Victoria's remaining old growth forests were protected.
VicForest's reports indicate that over 80% of what is logged when these forests are destroyed ends up as low value woodchips. There is much greater long term economic gain for Victoria if this forest is protected, thereby realising its ecotourism potential and its role in carbon storage and water production.
Can you please instruct VicForests to immediately cease the logging of Brown Mountain and all other remaining old growth forest in Victoria?
Yours faithfully
Name
Address
Email address
Telephone number
If you have time, please send a letter by close of business Tuesday 9/12 to John Lenders as the Minister responsible. Feel free to use/edit the one below.
More information and photos on the tragic logging of Brown Mountain is available if you need it here.
Protest at Parliament against Brown Mountain old growth destruction
Recently logged Brown Mountain old growth Shining Gum - November 2008
Brown Mountain old growth Shining Gum - possibly now destroyed.Regards, Peter
===============
Minister John Lenders, MLC
Treasurer, Leader of the Government, Legislative Council
Level 4, 1 Treasury Place,
East Melbourne 3002
john.lenders@parliament.vic.gov.au
Dear Minister Lenders,
I am writing to express my strong disapproval of the logging of old growth forest in progress at Brown Mountain that VicForests has approved. This area of forest, designated as old growth forest by the Department of Sustainability and Environment, should be protected in accordance with Labor policy released in 2006.
The policy in question stated that:
"In addition to the Goolengook Block, a Labor Government will immediately protect remaining significant stands of old growth forest currently available for timber harvesting by including them in the National Parks and reserves system."
There are more than 50 trees over 300 years old in this area of forest, which is adjacent to Errinundra National Park. This forest also provide habitat for threatened species such as the Powerful Owl, the Spot Tailed Quoll, mainland Australia's largest marsupial carnivore, and the Long-footed Potoroo, Victoria's rarest marsupial. This forest provides water for the depleted Snowy River catchment.
This forest also stores over 1000 tonnes of carbon per hectare, much of which is released as carbon emissions when the forest is clear felled and burnt. Locals had also recently constructed East Gippsland's first old growth forest walk in this forest, which the Department of Sustainability and Environment confirmed during site visits. Much of this has now already been destroyed, which is jeopardising tourism in the region.
Your parliamentary website lists your interests as bushwalking, camping, cycling, swimming. All these activities would be enhanced if this Brown Mountain forest, and the rest of Victoria's remaining old growth forests were protected.
VicForest's reports indicate that over 80% of what is logged when these forests are destroyed ends up as low value woodchips. There is much greater long term economic gain for Victoria if this forest is protected, thereby realising its ecotourism potential and its role in carbon storage and water production.
Can you please instruct VicForests to immediately cease the logging of Brown Mountain and all other remaining old growth forest in Victoria?
Yours faithfully
Name
Address
Email address
Telephone number
Monday, November 24, 2008
We need sustainable water solutions
Water Minister Tim Holding's helpful suggestions of the things we can do as individuals to save water, such as shorter showers and voluntary water usage targets, are already embraced with enthusiasm by many Melbournians.
As an example, water usage at our Surrey Hills house is about 5 litres per person per day thanks to our water tanks, which have just been topped up by the welcome rain. These tanks have now kept our house supplied for 7 years, so I really wonder why the Government is spending our money on huge energy hungry engineering projects such as the desalination plant and the ill-considered north south pipeline when they are not needed.
These risky, expensive and environmentally damaging projects should be the last options considered rather than the first.
Melbourne needs to better utilise its water sources. Storm water capture, recycling and stopping logging in our water catchments are all much better options for saving our water and much more affordable, but they are currently overlooked by government.
Safeguarding our water supply is important to us all. Government has a key role in choosing and developing sustainable water strategies and projects - such as legislating for decent water tanks for all new houses, assisting local councils to build suburban storm water capture facilities, and recycling and reusing water rather than flushing it out and polluting the ocean at Gunnamatta.
One wonders when they will listen to what the public want.
Links
As an example, water usage at our Surrey Hills house is about 5 litres per person per day thanks to our water tanks, which have just been topped up by the welcome rain. These tanks have now kept our house supplied for 7 years, so I really wonder why the Government is spending our money on huge energy hungry engineering projects such as the desalination plant and the ill-considered north south pipeline when they are not needed.
These risky, expensive and environmentally damaging projects should be the last options considered rather than the first.
Melbourne needs to better utilise its water sources. Storm water capture, recycling and stopping logging in our water catchments are all much better options for saving our water and much more affordable, but they are currently overlooked by government.
Safeguarding our water supply is important to us all. Government has a key role in choosing and developing sustainable water strategies and projects - such as legislating for decent water tanks for all new houses, assisting local councils to build suburban storm water capture facilities, and recycling and reusing water rather than flushing it out and polluting the ocean at Gunnamatta.
One wonders when they will listen to what the public want.
Links
- Water crisis requires more than a cold shower, The Age Editorial, November 25, 2008
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