Gunns in the spotlight at a recent meeting - Our Disappearing Forests - in Healesville, Victoria. Photo: The Wilderness Society collection

Speakers from the Wilderness Society, local environment groups My Environment and Healesville Environment Watch, the Save Mt St Leonard group and local councillors all spoke of the destruction of these forests from VicForests' clearfell logging practices.

The crowd heard about numerous breaches of logging codes, absence of environmental audits, the hidden truths behind wood chipping of native forests and just plain old local love of local forests. By the end of the meeting it was clear that VicForests is a major Achilles Heel of the Brumby Government.

The meeting took place at the same time that Murrundindi Shire council passed a motion calling for an immediate halt to current logging on the Bicentennial Trail and on Mt St Leonards in Toolangi.  VicForests has recently intensified its logging in this region. The shire council motion further demonstrates the ongoing conflict caused in the community by VicForests clearfell logging.

Meeting attendees were surveyed in the weeks following, and many have pledged to help support the campaign to get VicForests' clearfell logging out of the Central Highlands' native forests.

Local Mitcham district residents today take their request that the state government ramp up action to protect Melbourne’s water supply to the office of their local member of parliament, Tony Robinson.

“We’ve all been by taking shorter showers, installing tanks, using a bucket to wash the car, but the Brumby state government is not taking the most important water saving actions”, said local resident Brigid Walsh.

“Instead of building expensive and polluting desalination plants and pipelines, they should be protecting our forests and rivers ‐ the source of Victoria’s good, clean water.”

For ten years the state government has failed to prioritise protecting Victoria's water supply. Woodchipping is still allowed in Victoria's water catchments, reducing the inflows to dams by 50 per cent. And Victoria’s rivers are dying, because far too much water is still taken out of them: most rivers have less than 10 per cent of their average annual flow.

“If the state government is serious about making sure there’s enough water for homes, for our wildlife and for our farms, then they should stop allowing water catchments to be logged”, said The Wilderness Society spokesperson, Jacquie Kelly.

“While Mitcham district residents have done well to save water, the state government has been building expensive water projects that won’t secure a safe water future”, said Environment Victoria spokesperson, Amelia Young. ““Mitcham residents are asking for a better deal – they want their water‐saving efforts reflected in state government policies for rivers and forests. Minister Robinson should urgently convey this community expectation to his state government.”

“The state government is telling us to save water. We’re doing that. We now say it’s time for them to do it themselves by protecting our forests and rivers”, concluded local resident Brigid Walsh.

On the morning of Thursday 3rd, the failure of local Mitcham MP Tony Robinson to meet with The Wilderness Society and Environment Victoria came home to roost.  Local residents protested outside Minister Robinson's office in Mitcham in a show of support for the protection of Victoria's native forests and rivers.

Local residents sending Mitcham MP Tony Richardson a message to protect forests and rivers. Photo: The Wilderness Society Collection

For years, Minister Robinson has refused to meet with The Wilderness Society and Environment Victoria to discuss Victoria's future water supply.  The protection of forests - our natural water factories - and river systems is vital to the security of future water supply in Victoria.

Key messages to Minister Robinson, easily read by traffic passing by were: "TONY : Our water comes from rivers, when will you give them a drink?", "TONY : Victoria's forests give us clean water here in Mitcham." and "TONY : I'm worried about water here in Mitcham. When will you secure a safe-water future?" and “TONY: Please stand up for our water catchments".

The Wilderness Society will continue to remind Minister Robinson that his constituents care about these issues and also that the protection of Victoria's carbon rich forests must be an essential first step in his government's plans to tackle dangerous climate change.

For more information, please visit our waterlogged webpage.

The report shows that VicForests has posted a loss this year of $5.1 million.  This is on top of last year posting a tiny profit after receiving a $5 million lifeline from government, and a loss the previous year.

Woodchip train makes its way to Midways, Geelong, for as little as $2.50 per tonne. Photo: Wilderness Society Collection

Whilst VicForests squanders Victorian taxpayer's hard earned money, woodchipping and paper companies continue to post handsome profits.  Whilst we don't yet know how much they will make for 2009, South East Fibre Exports, a wholly owned subsidiary of Japanese paper giant, Nippon Paper, last year made over $10 million profit.  They woodchipped approximately half a million tonnes of Victoria's native forests, and this year paid as little as $2.50 per tonne for them.

Another giant company, Australian Paper, which makes Reflex papers, is VicForests' largest single customer and was recently purchased for around $700 million by Nippon Paper.

The $5.1 million loss is on top of an extra $1.3 million handout for bushfire recovery and does not include the massive $29 million royalty that it has failed to hand over to the state government who, along with the Victorian public, own these forests.

VicForests continues to log ancient forests such as the 500+ year old trees at Brown Mountain, and wastes massive amounts of water by allowing logging in water catchments.

VicForests claims that the loss was due to the recent fires.  These tragic fires did burn through a large resource, but VicForests needs to manage the risk of fire, and not continue to blindly commit our forests to paper and woodchip companies.  Victoria has more than enough plantations to supply these commodity markets.  The Brumby Government must now protect our forests for their carbon, water and biodiversity values and stop the wholesale sell off via the propping up VicForests.

Take Action

1. Email the Treasurer John Lenders and demand he pull VicForests out of our native forests.

2. Visit our Waterlogged website and sign our petition to protect our water catchments.

On Sunday, 18 October, the Wilderness Society joined with the local Warburton community to form a giant sign in our forests showing how logging contributes to climate change.

As part of the lead up to 350.org's International Day of Climate Change Action, we came together in the Central Highlands of Victoria to show our support for the protection of Victoria's native forests.

In a logging coupe that was logged for woodchips earlier this year, we formed a giant "THIS ≠ 350" sign showing that in order to get back to a safe level of 350 parts per million of carbon in the atmosphere, we must protect our native forests.

This action is part of the Wilderness Society's push to get the Australian Government to acknowledge that what is good for the goose is good for the gander. While the Rudd Government is telling the rest of the world to protect their forests, we are destroying our own native forests just outside Melbourne.

The Australian state and federal governments must practice what they preach and protect our own native forests from industrial woodchipping.

Celebrating the 350 solution - protecting our intact native forests. Photo: Ben Liquete

One of the most effective ways to immediately reduce emissions is to stop the logging and clearing of forests. In the lead up to Copenhagen, Australia must begin to play a leadership role in pushing to protect the world's forests.

Our creative action was admired by 350.org founder Bill McKibben who hopes to take our images to Times Square in New York and then deliver them to the United Nations.

A slide show of all images from the day will soon be uploaded here, and more images can be viewed on 350.org's Flickr site here.

This action was supported by the following wonderful forest friends:

Adam Menary, Amelia Young, Amy Butcher, Andrew Keall, Angela White, Andy Wright, Asher Bobele, Bechet, Ben Aldridge, Bianca Rich, Bob West, Bodhi Harper Lamont, Brendan Nugent, C Lawry- Noke, Campbell Macknight, Catherine Kingshott, Chris Palmer, Chrissy Gant, Claire Black, Clara Davies, Damien Flynn, Darren Aurisch, David Chamberlain, Davin Richardson, Erin Downie, Felicity Robinson, Frank Gehrke, Gabriel Bobel, Genevieve O'Connell, Georgina Read, Geraldine Ryan, Grace Bariola, Hannah Deans, Harry Dentry, Jane Whitehead, Janet Bariola, Jarrah Kingshott Small, Jason Hodge, Jaxon Barnes, Jeff White, Jennifer Self, Jessica Gartlan, Jill Whitehead, Joy Elizabeth Lea, Joye Dinome Oakshott, Judy Ann Steed, Julia Berta, Karina Doherty, Keith Sarah, Kylie Hodge, Libby Mitchell, Lisa Hoebartner, Lizzie Collett, Loredana Dinome, Lucy McDougall, Luke Chamberlain, Maggie Collett, Margaret Clark, Maria Kear, Mark Nole, Marney Hradsky, Matt Small, Maxine Dentry, Melissa Donchi, Meredith Kerr, Michael Bobele, Michael Palmer, Michelle Fisher, Mirakye Barnes, Narat Dentry, Nathanielle White, Peter Charles Downey, Peter Collins, Peter Cook, Peter Robinson, Phoenix Arrien, Ruby Palmer, Ruth Aldridge, Ruth Chamberlain, Roisin Mortimer, Sage Oats, Sarah Margaret Keltie, Sarah Rees, Sharon Matthews, Sharon Rossi, Simon Oakshott, Simon Oats, Sophie Palmer, Steve Meacher, Stevie Bobele, Stewart Kerr, Susan Palmer, Tanya Bowman , Tim Forcey, Tracey Callander, Vince De Simone, Bradley Jarvis, River Jarvis, Jasper Jarvis, Coni Forcey, Fulvia Inserra, Renee, Charly, Banjo, Jasper.

Environment East Gippsland courageously lodged the request for a logging injunction after the Victorian Government lifted a moratorium on the logging at Brown Mountain.  Environment East Gippsland has been fighting for decades to protect the magnificent old growth forests in East Gippsland.  The Wilderness Society, along with many concerned residents, volunteers and concerned Victorians have given their support to EEG's case.

One of the giant Brown Mountain trees that will hopefully be saved by the Supreme Court Injunction. Photo: Luke Chamberlain

The injunction against the logging will remain until the actual case is tried in the Supreme Court.  This may not occur until early 2010.

VicForests, the Victorian Government's commercial logging agency argued against the case, and pushed for logging to begin in the controversial Brown Mountain coupes this week.  Incredibly, VicForests argued that it is not their responsibility to comply, nor is it possible for them to comply, with endangered species legislation.

The Supreme Court outcome was reported in The Age, where the logging of old growth forests was compared to World War I battlefields.

The Wilderness Society congratulates Environment East Gippsland on this historic win, and calls on the Brumby Government to pull VicForests into line, protect our native forests and move the logging industry into value added processing of Victoria's vast plantation estate.

Take Action in Support of EEG's case

Write to Premier Brumby, demanding he protect all old growth forests in Victoria

Premier John Brumby

1 Treasury Place
Melbourne Victoria 3002

Email the Premier

The Wilderness Society's Sugar Glider stands in front of the petition tree. Victorian Parliament house - 2 September 2009. Photo: The Wilderness Society Collection

These invitations had a tear-off return letter to Premier Brumby calling on him to take real action on climate change and protect Victoria's native forests.

The letters stated "We need leaders with a new plan for the future - a plan which helps reduce climate change and make Victoria safer from its impacts. Part of your plan must be to pull VicForests into line, secure our precious water catchments and protect our old-growth forests to reduce climate change."

We've collected over a thousand of these signed slips, and on Tuesday 1 September took them to Parliament House as a Giant Petition Tree.

If you're interested in finding out more about helping us stop logging in Victoria's old-growth forests please email our Victorian Community Campaigner. Details below.

Handing out pamphlets to passes-by during the busy lunch-hour in the heart of the CBD, campaigners badged the otherwise blank offices that house VicForests.

Volunteer Clara hands out pamphlets to passes-by during the busy lunch-hour in the heart of the CBD. The Wilderness Society campaign staff and volunteers will continue to call on VicForests to change the way they do business, and to manage our forests for carbon and biodiversity values, not at a loss for woodchips. Photo: The Wilderness Society collection

Passers-by were surprised to learn that not only is the Brumby Government wasting taxpayers’ dollars propping up the government’s logging agency, VicForests - but that the government is squandering opportunities to save water, help solve climate change, and create clean green jobs by protecting Victoria’s native forests.

Since last Friday’s decision by government to allow the iconic Brown Mountain in East Gippsland to be logged for woodchip, it is now up to VicForests to decide when they will send logging contractors back into this carbon-rich forest, and only a few months until loggers will once again be sent into Melbourne’ pristine forested water catchments.

The Wilderness Society campaign staff and volunteers will continue to call on VicForests to change the way they do business, and to manage our forests for carbon and biodiversity values, not at a loss for woodchips.

Join us in calling on Premier Brumby and Treasurer Lenders to secure a safe climate future and enough water for us all by ensuring VicForests stop logging our publicly-owned forests. Sign the online petition here >>

As if the bushfires of February 2009 weren’t tragic enough for people, wildlife and habitat, soon afterwards the Brumby Government gave the green light to a huge salvage logging operation in forests burnt by the Black Saturday fires.

In most cases, salvage logging has a more devastating impact on nature than the bushfires themselves. Scientists agree that while in their most fragile state after fire, forests must be left alone to recover. There is also strong scientific evidence that old-growth forests are more resilient to wildfire than young, post logging regrowth forests. Old-growth forest is generally characterised with a dense shady canopy over a damp, lush and fire resistant understory. By comparison, regrowth forests are dry and burn easily.

The Wilderness Society is alarmed that salvage logging operations are removing evidence at the scene before the Royal Commission can do its job.

Look out for the Wilderness Society’s submission to the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission at www.royalcommission.vic.gov.au

Write to your local member asking whether they support the salvage logging operations in bushfire affected areas. Make sure they know ‘salvage logging’ has a huge ecological and climate impact we just can’t afford.

By logging native forests in Melbourne’s water catchment areas, VicForests is wasting billions of litres of future water. Photo: The Wilderness Society Collection

The Wilderness Society's Victorian forests campaigner Luke Chamberlain said the group today launched an education campaign, with the aid of a new website called www.sicforests.com.au, to expose the environmentally damaging actions of the Victorian Government’s commercial logging agency VicForests.
 
"By logging native forests in Melbourne’s water catchment areas, VicForests is wasting billions of litres of future water," he said.

 
"So this means in our catchment areas where VicForests has logged, we are losing up to 50 per cent of the water that would have otherwise entered our dams and rivers. Studies in the Thomson catchment show that a massive 20,000 mega litres of water could be saved per year if logging was phased out.
 
"In a time when we’re all doing our bit to save water by having shorter showers and not watering our gardens, VicForests continues to log our water catchments and undo all our good water-saving work, making them one of Melbourne’s worst water wallys."
 
Mr Chamberlain said the water loss and habitat damaged caused by VicForests' logging was not even justified by the profits made.
 
"As a Government Business Enterprise, Vic Forests’ responsibility is to return to the Victorian taxpayer a decent profit for logging our native forests," he said.
 
"But since VicForests was established in 2004, its financial performance has been dismal: it has either made a loss or has been propped up by government handouts and taxpayer subsidies to pay for roads and forest management.
 
VicForests does so poorly financially because it sells our valuable trees for a measly $2.50 per tonne. So while a few company directors and Japanese paper companies make a killing, every Victorian is paying for it both financially and environmentally."

• Visit our special WaterLogged website >>