On The Ground:  Video

Breach Overview

Breach Type:  Alleged

Breach Rating:  Major

Notification date:  4th June 2010

Notified to:  VicForests via Bleyer Lawers

Undertaking Sought:  VicForests will not log the coupes, containing Leadbeaters habitat and old growth forest.

Breach Status:  Notified

Breach Location:   Toollangi Australia

Perpetrator: VicForests

Description:

#202 – There is a significant stand of old growth forest that is proposed for harvesting on the current timber release plan (TRP)

#203 – These forests are Zone 1a Leadbeaters Habitat and are only 1.6 km from an ANU Leadbeaters monitoring site further indicating that this is its likely range

Accountability:

Gavin Jennings Victorian ALP Minister for Environment and Climate Change

• Minister for Environment and Climate Change
• Minister for Innovation
• Deputy Leader of the Government (Council)

Comment and / or contact

Benedict Hardman Victorian ALP Member for Seymour, Parliamentary Secretary for Community Development and Bushfire Reconstruction

Parliamentary Secretary, Community Development and Bushfire Reconstruction

Comment and / or contact

David Pollard CEO VicForests

David Pollard  B Econ (Hons) MA (Econ) PHD CEO VicForests

Comment and / or contact

Contractor:

Full Name: NA

Business Name: NA

Phone Number: NA

Address: NA

Geographic Location:  (marked with red)

Download Toolangi District Full Timber Release Plan 2010

Also see Google map at the bottom of the page

Coupe Number:  298-509-0001 and 298-874-0003

Coupe Details:

Download full schedule

Breach in Relation to Central Highlands Forest Management Plan (CHFMP)

202.1 According to the CHFMP section 1.3 National Reserve Criteria - because of the old growth stand the coupe in question should be protected rather than being on the current Timber Release Plan (TRP)

203.1 According to the CHFMP field inspections should have been done and this has not taken place because the old growth forest and Leadbeaters habitat is on the current timber release plan.

203.2 According to the CHFMP the coupe in question on the current TRP should actually be a "Special protection zone"

203.3 The CHFMP states that "In accordance with the Action Statement, NRE aims to conserve Leadbeaters Possum over its know range" - there are currently two Leadbeaters monitoring sites close to the coupe and the coupe has now been identified as zone 1 A leadbeaters habitat so it should not be on the current TRP

Breach in Relation to Code of Forest Practice (CFP) Requirement

203.4 Planning a coupe in Leadbeaters zone 1a and old growth forest is in contradiction to section 2.2.2 Conservation of Biodiversity in the CFP particularly in relation to the precautionary principle

Breach in relation to Australian Forestry Standard (AFS) AS4708-2007

The following definitions are from the AFS standard:

203.5 In accordance with 4.3.2 of the AFS standard planning including identification and assessment should have taken place and this has clearly not taken place as the coupe has endangered species and old growth forest which are now in a coupe on the current TRP

203.6 In accordance with 4.3.2 of the AFS standard due to the occurrence of endangered species and old growth forest the forest manager should not be planning to convert the area to non forest cover as could be assumed by it being in a coupe on the current TRP

203.7 In accordance with 4.3.3 of the AFS standard putting a coupe on the current TRP that overlays habitat of endangered species that have a recovery plan is not appropriate

Breach in Relation to Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)

According to FSC the coupes in question are defined as high conservation value forests:

203.8 In accordance with section 9.1.2 for the FSC standard the forest managers should have assessed the area and marked the high conservation value on the map which is not the case since the area in question is on the current TRP and proposed to be logged.

Breach In Relation to Sustainable Forests (Timber) Act 2004 - SECT 5

203.9 In accordance with section 5 part 2 of the Sustainable Forest Act the decision making process that has allowed VicForest to put the areas mentioned in a coupe on the current TRP is in contradiction to the principles of ecologically sustainable development

<b>PART 2 SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT

Principles of ecologically sustainable development</b>

5. Principles of ecologically sustainable development



(1) In undertaking sustainable forest management in accordance with this Act,
regard is to be had to the principles of ecologically sustainable development
set out in this section.

(2) Ecologically sustainable development is development that improves the
total quality of life, both now and in the future, in a way that maintains the
ecological processes on which life depends.

(3) The objectives of ecologically sustainable development are-

to enhance individual and community well-being and welfare by
following a path of economic development that safeguards the welfare
of future generations;

to provide for equity within and between generations;

to protect biological diversity and maintain essential ecological
processes and life-support systems.

(4) The following are to be considered as guiding principles of ecologically
sustainable development-

that decision making processes should effectively integrate both
long-term and short-term economic, environmental, social and equity
considerations;

if there are threats of serious or irreversible environmental damage,
lack of full scientific certainty should not be used as a reason for
postponing measures to prevent environmental degradation;

the need to consider the global dimension of environmental impacts of
actions and policies;

the need to develop a strong, growing and diversified economy which
can enhance the capacity for environment protection;

the need to maintain and enhance international competitiveness in an
environmentally sound manner;

the need to adopt cost effective and flexible policy instruments such
as improved valuation, pricing and incentive mechanisms;

the need to facilitate community involvement in decisions and actions
on issues that affect the community.

Response:

TBA

Outcome:  

Description: TBA

Penalty Points awarded: TBA