Proposed TRP Overview and summary of concerns

Submission template

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Overview

After the "Black Saturday" fires in February 2009, VicForests applied for and was granted 3 amendments to the existing Timber Release Plan allowing many new logging coupes throughout Victoria, including Powelltown and bushfire affected parts of the Central Highlands around Marysville and Toolangi. Maps showing the locations of the approved coupes can be viewed and downloaded here -http://www.vicforests.com.au/central-highlands.htm  or scroll down for attachments.

Looking at the maps, it is immediately obvious that the level of logging in these areas is unsustainable. In the unburnt area around Toolangi, approximately 25% of the available forest now appears to be scheduled for logging in the next year or two. Around Marysville, the figure would be even higher, more like 40%. This makes no sense at all when these communities have already suffered appalling levels of destruction in the fires and the path to recovery is expected to be dependent on nature-based tourism ( Boston Consulting Group).

Marysville Economic Recovery Strategy

But for VicForests, it seems too much logging is never enough.

They are now applying for another 148 new coupes and road lines in the Central Highlands. Public comment is invited until 8th April (see attached). We have just over two weeks to make our feelings known on this appalling application. Maps showing the locations of the proposed coupes are available at -

http://www.vicforests.com.au/proposed-trp-amendments.htm

Note, however, that these maps show only the new coupes, omitting to show them alongside others previously approved and recently, or about to be, logged.

To show the approximate locations of some of the new coupes in context I have marked the Powelltown, Marysville and Toolangi maps with red ovals (attached).

Reasons why you may choose to comment on the application for new coupes include -

• The level of logging in these areas is already excessive and locally unsustainable,

• The Monitoring Annual Harvesting Report  shows that in the Central region there is an 87% backlog in coupe regeneration after harvesting plus a significant number of coupes that are overdue for stocking surveys by DSE; unless successful regeneration is keeping pace with logging the activity is not sustainable and no further coupes should be approved while such a massive backlog exists.

  There is no evidence that effort is being put in to fix the back log. This graph from VicForests 2009 Annual sustainability report shows the gap between their regeneration commitment (the green line) and their actual area handed back.

• As shown in the MAHP Report , supervision of industry activity is under-resourced and inadequate and there is little or no evidence of improvement,

• There is evidence this application is based solely on commercial imperatives without consideration of sustainability,

  The reason for the suggested amendments is for commercial obligations

• The areas affected have not been properly surveyed before, and certainly not after, the 2009 fires and therefore the extent of the damage to wildlife, including endangered species such as the Leadbeater's Possum, are unknown
• The national Comprehensive, Adequate and Representative (CAR) Reserve System for Forests in Australia is out of date and has not been reviewed since the 2009 fires; new coupes should not be approved until this work has been carried out,

• The first Five Yearly Review of Victoria’s Regional Forest Agreements is currently underway; again new coupes should not be considered until the review is published,

• As shown on the maps some of the proposed coupes appear to include designated Special Protection Zones, where logging is not permitted, (see attachments bottom of the page)

  The maps as they currently exist appear to over ride special protection zones - the detail is not good enough but the special protection zones are circling the special protection zones and adjacent to them. From experience and evidence on the ground heavy machinery goes through these areas and regeneration burns regularly escape into these zones.

• After the devastating 2009 fires the forests need to be allowed to recover naturally as far as possible, without the compounding effects of further disturbance,

  After the 1939 fires there is a lot of evidence that leaving them provided future habitat for hollow dependent species.

• Because the forests will be central to attracting nature-based tourism, further logging will damage the economic recovery of fire-affected communities, From the Boston report for Marysville recovery report . There are issues with public safety zones around logging which makes it illegal to be driving some roads around Marysville. Log trucks on the road are also dangerous.

• The water yield of the forests, which sustains many of our communities, will already be diminished in quantity and quality by the damage done in the fires and losses will be exacerbated for decades by additional logging,

  There are many studies  that show that a few years after clear fell logging that water run off is reduced by up to 50% and does not recover to pre logged volumes for up to 150 years.
  

  
• This drying effect also has an impact on fuel and fire since the wet forests dry out from high density regrowing native forest that look more like plantations.

•  Logging of wet forests has the potential to increase their susceptibility to more fires in the future ( see - Article  ) at a time when climate change is also increasing the frequency and severity of fires,

  Reference Lindenmayers work

• Successful regeneration of logged coupes cannot be guaranteed, especially as climate change reduces the quantity and reliability of rainfall, resulting in germination and establishment failures becoming more common,

• As efforts to mitigate climate change, including a price on carbon, are introduced, forests will have greater value in the near future as carbon sinks and stores than as woodchips.

  Transformation of Landscape - we have the right to walk into the central highlands and find old growth and wet forest and rain forest. Older trees are more resistant to bushfires. 300 year old trees survive many bushfires. The logging industry is transforming these forests into highly flammable single aged "plantations". We need ecologically mature forests to protect our biodiversity and community from fire events.

Submissions

Comments are to be submitted to VicForests in writing or by email to vfs.admin@vicforests.com.au .By the 8th of April 2010

We encourage you to submit online to save paper or use 100% post consumer waste recycled paper.

You might also consider copying its comments to some or all of the following -

 Mr Greg Wilson, Secretary, DSE

 Mr Kevin Love , DSE Deputy Secretary, Public Land Stewardship and Biodiversity

 The Hon. Gavin Jennings MP , Minister for Environment and Climate Change

 Mr Michael Crutchfield MP , Parliamentary Secretary for Water & Environment

 Mr Ben Hardman MP , Member for Seymour