Victoria Media Releases

Victorian Government must ban weedy pasture plant - February 28, 2010

Conservationists today called on the Victorian Government to stop promoting a weed its own researchers have identified as capable of invading half the state.

New national parks now a reality - November 26, 2009

Victoria’s much-loved magnificent River Red Gums along the Murray, Goulburn and Ovens rivers in northern Victoria will now be protected for many generations to come. Legislation passed in State Parliament last night gave the green light for the creation of almost 100,000 hectares of new River Red Gum National Parks - a decision much-applauded by the state’s leading environment groups.

One year out from the state election, green groups put parties on notice - November 26, 2009

One year out from the Victorian state election, The Wilderness Society puts political leaders on notice to lift their game on the environment. Launching their new report in Melbourne today, ‘Turning it around – A 2010 state election agenda to safeguard Victoria’s environment’, Victoria’s leading environment groups outline seven key areas that require urgent action.

Election promise dishonoured: old-growth forests to be felled - November 12, 2009

Victoria’s peak environment groups today expressed dismay and disappointment at a Bill second read in Parliament this week, which proposes a new forest protection system in East Gippsland that excludes many of Victoria’s oldest and most important forests.

Planned burns and vegetation clearing will not stop catastrophic fire events: report - September 09, 2009

Prescribed burns did not significantly slow the spread of bushfire in the catastrophic conditions of Black Saturday, states a new report released today. The report, commissioned by the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF), the Wilderness Society and the Victorian National Park Association (VNPA), analyses the driving influences of the February 7 fires and looks at how the fires passed through and affected different areas of land. It has been submitted to the Royal Commission today.

Brumby Government to continue to log Victoria's 500- year-old forests - August 21, 2009

To the disappointment of Victoria’s leading conservation groups, the Brumby Government today announced that the remaining areas of the Brown Mountain old growth forest in Victoria’s east will be logged, mostly for woodchips to be exported to Japan to make paper.

Environmental Organisations expose Brumby's flawed old-growth forest promises - May 25, 2009

An investigative report released today reveals that the Brumby Government is breaking a 2006 election promise by protecting paddocks and previously logged areas instead of Victoria’s ancient old-growth forests.

 

Draft Timber Strategy a missed opportunity - April 20, 2009

The Wilderness Society today described the Brumby government’s unveiling of the their Draft Timber Industry Strategy as missing the opportunity to create innovative green jobs, secure the logging industry’s future in plantations and taking decisive action on climate change.

Brumby government destroying pre-Columbus old growth forests - April 03, 2009

In a state first, radiocarbon dating has confirmed that a tree logged and killed by the Victorian government began growing before Christopher Columbus ‘discovered’ the Americas.

New report highlights need to work with nature to protect people from bushfires - March 22, 2009

Bushfires are emerging as a major threat to the survival of many critically vulnerable animals and forests following the Victorian bushfires, the Wilderness Society said today. The call follows the release of a new interim report detailing the top five species and top six conservation areas significantly affected by the devastating Victorian bushfires.