If native forest is being clear felled and not regenerated then it is not a sustainable industry nor is it sustainable for biodiversity. The results form the Department of Sustainability and Environments Monitoring Annual Harvesting Performance 2007/2008 proves that logging in Victoria based on regeneration performance alone is unsustainable

The full report can be downloaded from the DSE website

The following captures and highlighted areas from the aforementioned report show the lack of sustainability:

An in correct modeling of 18% is not good enough for coupe selection by DSE and for protection of our biodiversity including endangered species.

Over logging is taking place and total area logged is increasing while saw log production is decreasing.

VicForests Sustainability Report

Download full report

VicForestsproduce an annual sustainability report and despite the following graph being included in the report there is no commentary by them.

The dark green bars are the total area logged - the industry spin for logging is "harvested" hence "area harvested"

The diagonal green line shows the "Regeneration Commitment" which is a cumulative total of the area that is supposed to be regenerated and handed back to DSE. VicForests argue that it takes many years to regenerate the coupes and hand them back.

Following a clear fell logging operation the left over fuel is allowed to dry for a year before being burnt, the following year it is seeded and then the following year the regeneration can be evaluated i.e. 3 years

The light green bars are the areas of logged forest that have been regenerated and handed back to DSE to evaluate weather they have been successful hence "Area handed back".

Taking the above into consideration if VicForests logged approximately 5000 ha in 2004/205 and then three years later in 2007/2008 they only handed back 1900 ha they have logged approximately 3000 ha more then they have handed back. In other words they have not regenerated approximately 62% of what they logged 3 years ago.

However, what is worse is that VicForests inherited a large backlog of non regenerated coupes from the DSE. Based on the above graph by 2007/2008 the cumulative regeneration commitment was supposed to be 18,000 ha but the cumulative area actually handed back has only been approximately 3,800 ha which is a shortfall of 14,200 ha or approximately 80%.