I don't know whether this is the appropriate forum to hop on my high horse, but
due to a complete frustration at recent forest management issues in Victoria, I
have to start somewhere.
It all looked so promising a few weeks back. The Victoria government announced
cutbacks to logging. Then the fine print was read.
No cut back in the amount of forest to be cut.
Further increase in woodchip levels.
Large sections of the report on sustainable levels have apparently been
censored,
supposedly on the need to also cut woodchip levels.
Now logging has started at Goolengook.
Well, you probably know the story on how it is a national treasure, bird rich
site, contains heaps of endangered species and list goes on, as to why it
should
be saved. So I thought I would provide some other information. Without
knowing
it, I sent picture of a Slender Tree Fern (Nationally threatened) the other day
to a leading botonist. His reply, was whether or not I was aware of the
skirted
Tree Fern next to it. A species even rarer then the Slender Tree Fern.
83% of the wood to be cut, has been declared as residual wood to go to the
woodchipper. So much for government claims that the area is required to meet
sawlog quotas. No wonder there are so many rumours flying about Daishowa (The
owners of the chipper at Eden) making so many donations.
Exclusion zones have been set up around the area including a large proportion
of
the Errinundra National Park. So much for our crown land being managed for
everybody. It seems State Forests are only for the logger, especially if
comments from the Forestry Union are anything to go buy, on how they are going
to
blockade the Great Ocean Road if greenies keep turning up in forests. That
would
be a great idea, block the main way that towns in the Otways make a living all
for the sake of two mills operated employing very few people. Or is it more to
do with Midways (Chip company at Geelong) where most of the action against
woodchipping has occurred.
People need to be aware that a huge amount of sawlogs are pulped because of
government subsidies. If it wasn't for woodchipping there would be no need to
cut sawlog production or import timber from overseas. There would also be a
greater level of rural employment as timber mills would have good quality wood
to
use and make a saleable product. But no, at the moment as many of you would
see,
good quality sawlogs are taken straight to the chipper. Most of the woodchip
mills are in major cites and going by the amount of log trucks you see parked
in
Melbourne suburbs, most of the drivers also live in major cities.
Recently a forest industry spokesgroup suppressed a report that each timber
industry worker in Victoria is subsidised to $70000. This doesn't count for
the
80 million hand out spoke about recently to help timber towns adjust to having
less sawlogs. Orbost people most be really serious about change, logging one
of
the major tourist attractions in the area in recent years, 2000 visitors a
years
have gone to Goolengook. I guess this would increase to 10000 a year if people
weren't scared of run ins with ferals and there weren't so many acts of
violence
against anybody that has the slighest interest in conservation. Still
continueing today, predominantly by so called public servants, who seem to have
the idea that they only represent multi-national woodchipping companies.
Some quick honest facts about claims being made about the blockade.
Syringes found belonged to a diabetic.
Daggers believed to have been planted in the bust of the blockade.
A delivery of razor wire was made to the blockade 2 days before the bust.
Probably a set up.
One bridge damaged in original burnoff of logging operation 4 years ago by
aerial
drip torch. Only last year did the ferals begin dismantling it to build a
house.
The bridge was not required for fire suppression as road only travelled another
200 metres to a log landing. Bridge was found to be illegal, as built through
a
heritage listed river.
During Christmas on my last trip there, I did find another bridge that had been
damaged. This has not been in media reports as yet. It was probably done by
ferals, but was probably unsafe for heavy traffic due to rotting and flood
damage. It is also 50 metres away from a Spot tailed Quoll site. This track
is
very overgrown and this bridge may make into the media as it was originally
proposed to be the access road for logging along the boundary of Errinundra
National Park.
At least 4 dope plants where known to be growing next to a bath tub. No sign
of
any other drugs can be confirmed other then from lies and a PR campign on
talkback radio trying to cloud the issue. After an attach on 3 blockaders by
40
loggers was the fort built, not to completely stop access into the area.
A policy did exist on site that there was nothing to be kept that could be used
in a confrontation. At all costs it was to remain peaceful and not to respond
to
other violence.
Currently reports are that there are 80 police and 113 forest officers
patrolling
the area. Yes we are paying for this area to be chipped. In return for use of
crown land royalties equal to the price of a loaf of bread will be paid for
each
truck load of timer to leave the area.
Further info on the above and about current action can be found at http://
www.geco.org.au/
Shit, I better stop now, eventough this email has turned out to be a very quick
summary. I have put a petition below in regards to Goolengook that it would be
great if you could send on and if you dont send it on, please forward it to Mr
Bracks. In the mean time, now is a great time to stand up for the environment
whether it be Marine, Box - Ironbark, Goolengook, Woodchipping or endangered
species funding. Some industries are on the back foot as like others they
realise they they may soon have to stop abusing OUR environment and use it in a
sustainable way and not based on political decisions. Make you feelings known
in
the media.
We, the undersigned recognize the biological significance of the old growth
forests in the Goolengook River catchment in East Gippsland, we have
reverence for their intrinsic value and we demand their immediate protection
from imminent logging.
1. Howard Nichols, Beaumaris, Victoria
2. Fiona York, Goongerah, Victoria
3. Alexander Bowles, Goongerah Victoria
4. Max Dixon, Goongerah, Victoria
5. Morgan Boehringer, Goongerah, Victoria
6. Siobhan Daynes Goongerah, Victoria
7. Andrew Newnham, Goongerah, Victoria
8. Madeline Hudson, Goongerah, Victoria
9. Richard Evans, Goongerah, Victoria
10. Gavin Tapp, Goongerah, Victoria
11. Timothy Gray-Price, Fitzroy, Victoria
12. Liz Ingham, Yarraville, Victoria
13. Howard Nichols, Beaumaris, Victoria
14. Paul Jones, Kalorama, Victoria
Please copy and paste the following petition into a word document, add your
name and redistribute to as many people as possible. There's no time to
stuff around, so get going NOW ! If you sign at number fifty send it to
Bracks at the address below or do not have anyone else to send it too. Thank
you
all.
To: Premier Steve Bracks
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