VicForests faces the chop

By Mara Pattison-Sowden
THE future of Victoria’s forests is shaping up to be a major election issue in the electorates of Gembrook and Seymour.
Last week the Labor Government announced it would back the Victorian Greens’ call to broker Tasmanian-style peace talks between loggers, environmentalists and unions to resolve years of conflicts, and it would do away with VicForests, its commercial forestry division if it wins the election.
The Liberal Coalition announced last month that it would allow the timber industry to continue to chop down current supplies of native timber, review harvesting rotations for faster growing native species and place VicForests under the sole direction of the Minister for Agriculture.
The Greens announced they want a complete transition out of native forests and into plantations not just for environmental but also economic benefits.
Eastern Victoria Greens candidate Samantha Dunn said logging was certainly a key concern for the communities of Gembrook and Seymour.
“These communities have seen it going on before their very eyes,” she said.
The Wilderness Society of Victoria is concerned the Liberal Coalition’s policy could result in native forests in the Central Highlands being logged more intensively and turned into plantations.
WSV Victorian Forest campaigner Luke Chamberlain said the native timber resource in Victoria has dwindled due to continued over logging and the effects of firestorms like Black Saturday.
“Intensifying logging in these forests would further endanger species like the Leadbeater’s possum, reduce water supplies and release even more carbon into the atmosphere,” he said.
Environmental campaigner Steve Meacher said that logging needed to stop if talks were to go ahead between the industries.
“Tasmania had a moratorium while the talks were going on, we haven’t seen that yet and by the time talks are over we could see all the forests gone,” he said.
“Labor’s policy could make little difference, but the Liberal’s policy is worse.
“We took them to see the coupes and yet they’ve come up with this policy that shows no respect for the environment.”
Warburton resident Christian Nielson said the Coalition’s policy was a “logging at all cost” policy.
“It disregards good science, it disregards changes to the natural landscape from drought and fires, and it completely disregards public opinion,” he said.