Stump of Brown Mountain old growth tree logged in November 2008
News Australia 2009[]
- Endangered species discovered - call for halt to logging, Brown Mountain old growth forest, Victoria, Australia, January 28 [1]
Environment East Gippsland has called for an immediate halt to logging at Brown Mountain, following the discovery of endangered species in the controversial area on the Australia Day weekend. They have obtained legal advice that the area should be set aside from logging.
The discovery of threatened species in the controversial area of Brown Mountain in East Gippsland will now have to be confirmed by Government biologists this week. Under threat of arrest, volunteers carried out wildlife surveys in the old growth forests.
Both professional and amateur surveyors discovered the presence of the threatened Orbost Spiny Crayfish, the endangered Sooty and Powerful owls and a large population of Greater Gliders.
"The place is literally teaming with endangered species." said Jill Redwood from Environment East Gippsland.
"The government and logging industry knows it is one of the most diverse and wildlife rich sites remaining unprotected, but refused to identify these animals before they started cutting down their habitat. We had to prove it."
"Our legal advice is that the Minister has the power to halt logging while confirmation surveys are carried out. However, we have had no assurances from government that logging will cease meanwhile - destroying giant old owl and glider nesting trees every day it continues."
"The great tragedy with the crayfish is that VicForests have already bulldozed very close to its rainforest creek edge destroying much of the buffer zone needed to protect it's habitat."
"Before more threatened forest wildlife is destroyed the government must cease logging and cease arresting people for trying to protect these critical habitats."
News Australia October 2008[]
- Victorian government logs last significant stands of Brown Mountain old growth forest, October 29 [2]
The Brumby government continues to stall on delivering a stated election commitment to protect old-growth forests as bulldozers and chainsaws move in to the irreplaceable “Valley of the Giants” forest in East Gippsland.
Brown Mountain has been actively fought for since 1989 when 300 people were arrested trying to save these National Estate listed forests from being destroyed.
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Quotes[]
Luke Chamberlain, Forest Campaigner for The Wilderness Society said recently released science from the Australian National University showed Australia’s eucalypt forests store far more carbon than was previously thought.
“Premier Brumby is out of touch with the majority of Victorians”, says Peter Campbell, an IT consultant, who has helped map a wilderness walking track at Brown Mountain. “This logging sacrifices future tourism employment in our forests. It flies in the face of good government policy. It does not make good economic sense, regardless of the horrendous ecological damage it is doing.”
“If we care about future generations, we must act to protect our old growth forests”, said Tracey Callander, a concerned parent, actor and community worker. “Whilst Premier Brumby talks tough on climate change, behind the scenes he is cutting down some of the most carbon rich forests on Earth.”
“Premier Brumby is acting like a bull in a china shop”, said Vince De Simone, a lecturer and health professional. “Not only is protecting forests important for climate change, these forests are our water factories.[3]
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References
- ↑ Environment East Gippsland, Media release, January 28
- ↑ www.greenlivingpedia.org, Media release on Brown Mountain logging from environment groups, October 29
- ↑ www.greenlivingpedia.org, Media release for Suits for Forests action, December 2, 2008