Forest news

The vanishing old growth forests. Michael Slezak, ABC, 13 Nov 2022

VAGO sharply critical of failures of the Office of the Conservation Regulator, VAGO, 6 October 2022 

Protecting forests for communities and for the environment, Lily D'Ambrosio media release, 30 August 2021

Process on establishing new ‘Immediate’ Protection Areas for Victoria’s native forests needs to move quickly to make up for lost time, VNPA media release on new IPAs 28 August 2021

Bushfire survivors just won a crucial case against the NSW environmental watchdog, putting other states on notice by  in The Conversation, 27 August 2021

Coalition fails to meet endangered species targets to stem decline of birds, mammals and plants by Lisa Cox in The Guardian 26 June 2021

The government’s idea of ‘national environment standards’ would entrench Australia’s global pariah status by Martine Maron, Brendan Wintle and Craig Moritz in The Conversation, 24 June 2021

VicForests: What's the scam? by Tasha May in MW 9 June 2021

On the cusp of an epic launch for hardwood CLTP Timberbiz, 11 June, 2021 ("world's first hardwood cross laminated timber")

VicForests says experiment 'very likely' to kill threatened glider, continues research ABC News 28 July 2021

Major Event Review of Regional Forest Agreements announced (28 May 2021). See Major Event Review Scoping Agreement

Consultation on MaJor Event Review launched 11 June 2021

Summary report here, Survey and submissions close 31 August 2021

The Age (Miki Perkins) ‘Leave the forests alone’: Swift action needed to save endangered parrots (24 May 2021)

ABC News (Michael Slezak and Penny Timms) VicForests conducting more illegal logging and putting Melbourne water catchment at risk, scientists say (18 May 2021)

Forest refuges under threat from logging by the Andrews Government. February 2021 report  from Goongerah Environment Centre showing analysis of maps and data from the 2019/20 Black Summer bushfires reveals the significant areas of unburnt forests critical for bushfire affected wildlife which are set to be logged by the Victorian Government. (23 Feb 2021)

TheAge & SMH (Miki Perkins) Environment groups accuseVicForests of illegal logging (17 Sept 2020)

ABC News (Stephanie Dalziel): Auditor-General's review of EPBC act finds severe deficiencies in Environment Department's processes 25 June 2020 ("Almost 80 per cent of federal environmental approvals examined in a high-level review were non-compliant or contained errors, Australia's audit office says".)

Timberbiz: Statistics show plantations sizes dropping in Australia, 26 June 2020 ("... a tale of government inaction and ineptitude")

VicForest announces draft TRP and draft TUP for consultation, 21 Nov 2019

Concern for Melbourne's drinking water after scientists allege illegal logging. Michael Slezak, ABC News, Wed 20 Nov 2019

Government native forest logging announcement developed in consultation with Nippon Paper and endorsed by Australian Paper CEO.  See In the thick of it by Samantha Hutchinson and Kylar Loussikian in TheAge, Nov 18, 2019 (tab down to In the thick of it).

Brendan's Fact Sheet on Forestry in Victoria (15 Nov 2019)

Protecting Victoria’s Forests And Threatened Species, Lily D'Ambrosio announcement of immediate protections and gradual phase out of native forest logging. (7 Nov 2019)

See also GECO's analysis: Breaking down the gov’s announcement; What does this actually mean for Victoria’s forests? Nov 09 2019

Independent review of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. Ministerial announcement, 29 Oct 2019

See EJA comment here

VicForests announces revised Timber Release Plan and TRP Schedule, 24 April 2019.

See VF's interactive TRP platform. (Open Google Maps, in satellite view, showing same area and scale, in a window beside the interactive TRP, to assist in reading the TRP. Insert coupe number into search box to find coupe name.) 

More regarding the Alexandra District here.

New Allocation Order announced and gazetted and mapped, 24 April 2019. (See RFPG regulatory map to locate the allocation order and TRP in the regulatory framework.)

'Common sense': Littleproud backs Victoria plan to earn carbon credits by curbing logging: Minister breaks ranks on forest policy amid fears for beekeeping industry and the knock-on impacts on farmers (Greg Borschmann in The Guardian 28 Mar 2019)

Damning logging report finds Victorian department neither 'effective nor respected': Review finds state’s logging regime is ‘dated, complex, convoluted’ and ‘difficult to use’ (Lisa Cox in The Guardian, 25 Mar 2019)

Victorian timber workers face uncertainty as plan for industry's access to native forests delayed (ABC, 190222). Posted 190318.

Forestry industry in limbo as Andrews stalls timber release plan (AdamCarey, TheAge, 190221). Posted 190318

PM announces forestry boost in Tasmania: The federal government will create nine forestry hubs across Australia to boost the industry, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced in Tasmania (Ethan James,AAP, 190216). Posted 190318

Labor's 'sea to summit' hike trail being clearfelled before it's built (Adam Carey, TheAge, 190213). Posted 190318

Bush turns its back on support for logging native forests Peter Hannam in the SMH 14 Nov 2018

Small sawmillers propose "bold plan" to save Victoria’s timber industry by making Victoria the ‘Plantation State’ of Australia by 2040. Media release 21 Aug 2018

Victoria calls on federal government to fund fresh reviews of forestry agreements: A row between state and federal ministers has thrown Victoria’s long-term native forest logging agreements into disarray, Gregg Borschmann in the Guardian, 27 March 2018

Sawmillers call for access to Victorian parks and water catchments: Sawmillers say industry in ‘wind-down mode’ as state government discusses logging agreements extension, Gregg Borschmann in The Guardian, 26 March 2018

Coalition accuses green groups of misleading public on forestry agreements: Anne Ruston says National Parks Association “engaged in a campaign to mislead the Australian people” after groups make public submissions on RFAs, Guardian, 23 March 2018

Direct action at Barjarg Road Coup in Strathbogie on International Day of the Forests, 21 March, 2018

Exclusive: legal concerns over plan to roll over forestry agreements without reviews: Documents reveal government plans to extend RFAs without fresh environmental or scientific reviews, Gregg Borschmann in The Guardian, 21 March 2018

Labor demands no sign off of regional forest agreements unless a proper assessment is done, Media Release by NSW Labor Shadow Minister for the Environment, 21 March, 2018

After 20 years of uneasy peace, the forest wars are back: Agreements meant to protect forests and create a sustainable timber industry are about to expire, and both sides are preparing for new conflict, Gregg Borschmann in the Guardian, 20 March 2018

The new forest wars: 'This is something we didn't expect' – video, Guardian, 20 March 2018

VicForests charged over alleged illegal logging in Gippsland forest, Adam Carey, in SMH, 2 March 2018

'We've hit rock bottom'(video): There has never been a more serious time to pay attention to Australia's environment, yet Bob Brown, Peter Garrett and other activists say protections have been slashed, funding cut and charities silenced, David Fanner in The Guardian, 30 Jan 2018

Plan to protect possum under cloud as timber industry seeks change, Adam Carey in The Age, 26 February 2018

Senseless logging of the Strathbogie Ranges is wiping out greater gliders, Ian Herbert in Independent Australia, 20 Feb 2018

Labor branches push for new environment act and independent watchdog: ALP’s internal advocacy group wants sweeping reforms to protect natural heritage to be adopted as policy at next conference, Adam Morton in The Guardian 31 Jan 2018

'The Franklin would be dammed today': Australia's shrinking environmental protections: the nation is losing the political will to protect our pristine places – and biodiversity is suffering, Adam Morton in The Guardian, 30 Jan 2018

We must act to protect our forests before it's too late, opinion piece by Sigmund Jorgensen in The Age, 12 January 2018

"Lawless Logging: An investigation into breaches of the regulatory framework governing logging operations in Victoria" National Threatened Species Day, 7 September, 2017

"Greater gliders: fears of 'catastrophic' consequences from logging in Victoria.  Gliders listed as threatened by both state and federal governments, but they are not protected by legislation"  The Guardian, 7 Sept, 2017

"Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce proposes opening protected zones to logging to save Heyfield timber mill" ABC News, 27 March 2017

"Why reignite Tasmania's forest wars to produce logs no one will buy?" Lenore Taylor in The Guardian Sat 25 March, 2017

David Lindenmayer says Australian Sustainable Hardwoods is gaming the system  ABC Radio Victoria.

"Long-awaited Leadbeater's possum review underway" Sam Darroch in Latrobe Valley Express, Fri 10 March 2017

VEAC's Conservation Values of State Forests Assessment Report, 7 March 2017.

"Heyfield timber mill plea misleading" David Lindenmayer, The Weekly Times, 1 March 2017

"Forests to play major role in meeting Paris climate targets", EurekaAlert, 27 Feb 2017

Forest Industry Taskforce Statement of Intent (9 Sept 2016)

FWPA (2012/13): The case for renewed development in plantations. posted 27 Aug 2018