The Victorian National Parks Association is calling for greater oversight of salvage logging, holding concerns that crucial habitats are being decimated under the guise of fire mitigation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The VNPA lodged complaints with the Victorian Ombudsman this month over recent activities at the Cobaw State Forest near Woodend, which is covered by a Special Protection Zone and is earmarked to become a conservation park. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Fire mitigation works, which look essentially the same as salvage logging, have recently commenced in the Cobaws following the 2021 windstorm event,” VNPA nature conservation campaigner Ben Gill said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
“The Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action has engaged VicForests to carry out these works and the salvaged timber will be sold or be used for commercial purposes.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In March 2022, the VNPA became alarmed by VicForests\u2019 plan to undergo broadacre large-scale operations in the Cobaws. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The ranges have not been commercially logged recently, have strong conservation values and when surveyed had insignificant storm damage. The last logging in the Cobaws was in 1999.
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“After VNPA questioned the need for this work, DEECA management stated that the final operation would be limited to five tracks: Pinnacle Track, Mansfield Track, Devanney Track, Ridge Road and Croziers Track,” Mr Gill said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“However, VNPA staff and local conservationists then discovered on January 31 a heavy log handling machine operating deep in the forest, in areas with limited obvious windfall damage. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
“This salvage work that is not being carried out on any of the designated tracks has not been explained.”
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Mr Gill said this case highlighted the need for an independent regulator to step in when fire mitigation works occurred in state forests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cCommercial native forest logging appears on hold across most of the state except salvage logging in storm damage areas, or for so-called fire mitigation, which can be done without following even the basic normal forest oversight rules,” he said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Large logs are being taken and trucked off for commercial use and forest contractors from across the state let loose in places they would have been not allowed otherwise.
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\u201cWhether the damage is a fire hazard or not, there should still be intensive surveys for threatened flora and fauna regardless. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
“The Office of the Conservation Regulator has confirmed that they have no jurisdictional oversight in works conducted under fire mitigation rules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe are probing and questioning the department about its fire mitigation practices and getting little transparency in return. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
“An independent regulator with powers should be the primary watchdog, not grassroots organisations like ours.”
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The Cobaws provide a refuge for native flora and fauna including the brush-tailed phascogale. This state-listed vulnerable species relies on the presence of fallen timber to forage for insects. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
“When timber is removed from their habitat, habitat values are lost,” Mr Gill said.
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“We know there have been several recent sightings recorded by citizen science projects in the Cobaws very close to the proposed cleanup areas.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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