	Updated: September 18, 2011
Regions: Victoria Campaigns: Forests

Temporary stay of execution for Sylvia Creek

: Sylvia Creek in the Central Highlands of Victoria is critical habitat for the endangered Leadbeater's possum. Photograph: Brent Lukey

UPDATE (19 September): The court injunction has now been extended until February 2012. This means that NO logging can take place in that area of forest until the full court case is heard in February. Well done to the local community and campaigners who have worked so hard for this outcome.

After five weeks of on-the-ground protests by the Wilderness Society, the community and local environment groups over concerns about the destruction of important habitat for the Leadbeater’s possum, the Victorian Supreme Court has ordered VicForests to halt logging in Gun Barrel coupe at Sylvia Creek.

Local environment group, My Environment, who has been fighting to protect the Central Highlands forests for a decade, led the charge in bringing the issue to court.

Due to the extraordinary dedication of the local community, with protesters in the forest almost every day since logging began in July, VicForests has only been able to log for around three days out of a possible five weeks.

This groundswell of community support was a key factor in getting the plight of the Sylvia Creek forest to court, and is a testimony to the power of people to lead positive change in their communities. A huge thank you and congratulations go out to everyone who has supported the community and environment groups on this issue over the past months.

Justice Osborn, who also presided over the landmark Brown Mountain court case in 2009-10, granted the injunction against the logging, with the injunction set to expire on the 19th of September.

At that time, Justice Osborn has asked that VicForests provide evidence in court that logging in the Sylvia Creek forest will not endanger the survival of the endangered Leadbeater’s possum. He will then decide whether to extend the current injunction while the case is deliberated in detail.

We will be keeping a watchful eye on the state government over the coming months to ensure that they don't try and change to the law before VicForests is brought before the courts in February. Until then, we will continue to support the local community and My Environment as they gather further evidence of Leadbeater’s possum activity in the forest in support of the case.

Sylvia Creek is just one example of a systemic logging problem in Eastern Victoria's forests. Victoria has the largest plantation estate in the country and has more than enough plantations to completely substitute for the woodchipping of native forests.

Like in Tasmania, we are seeking a solution to decades of conflict in Victoria's forests, and we need industry and government to get on board. By immediately moving from the woodchipping of native forests to plantations, we can help protect our magnificent native forests and secure industry jobs in Victoria's plantation estate.