Last week, a snap rally took place in Gisborne as protestors voiced their concerns about the VicForests removal of logs felled by the treacherous storms in June last year .
More than 50 people attended the protest, including members of landcare and conservation groups, Wombat Forestcare members and the Sybil Disobedients (XR Ballarat), calling for the government to stop “environmentally destructive salvage logging”.
On July 15, the rally made its way to Macedon MP Mary-Anne Thompson’s office to issue a letter of demand to their local member.
Ms Thomas said the government understood and respected the right to peaceful protest and would “continue to ensure the appropriate environmental protection measures are in place during this work”.
“These works are happening in direct response to treating hazardous trees after the severe storms and no trees are being removed unless they present a hazard or for operational necessity and no clearfelling,” Ms Thomas said.
However, a statement by landcare group Wombat Forestcare said the salvage operations had seen “hectares of forest cleared for machinery and log storage, wide tracks carved through the forest and heaps of inflammable branches and bark created”.
Wombat Forestcare convener Gayle Osborne said failing to give Wombat State Forest national park status “failed to protect its threatened species including the Greater Glider, recently listed as ‘endangered’.”
It is understood ecological surveys were conducted by VicForests’ ecologists in line with the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning guidelines, which were incorporated into planning and storm recovery processes.
Elsie Lange
