Strzelecki Ranges November 2004 - Middle Creek Catchment/Link Letters Road: On October 29 2004 Hancock proudly announced with Trust for Nature and the Nature Conservancy the 'Cores and Linkages' proposal which would supposedly set aside 9000 hectares of forest in the Strzelecki Ranges. This 9000 hectares of high conservation value forest would be purchased back over time from the company and then set aside in reserves. The 9000 hectares was supposed to be placed under logging moratorium. Less than one month after this 'historic' announcement, Hancock Watch has found that Hancock have been 'secretly' logging inside the nominated 'Cores and Links' area.
This photo was taken off Link Letters Road and was clearly earmarked for protection by the Cores and Links proposal. Hancock's Manager of the Eucalypt Estate in the Strzeleckis decided to log a core area less than one month after the historic announcement. What does this say about a company that will lure the public into believing it would protect its forest estate from logging and less than a couple of weeks later log some of the same forest estate! Did Hancock in Melbourne know about this logging? Did Hancock Natural Resource Group in the US support this logging? If not then why was this area logged?
In June 2004, the FSC certifier Smartwood conducted an audit of Hancock's operations in the Strzelecki Ranges. Hancock was issused with a new Corrective Action Request relating to the Cores and Links which was;
CAR-2004: GRP shall postpone plantation harvesting operations from the proposed Cores and Links identified in the Biodiversity Study until the process required under Condition 9.1.1 is complete, and/or there is broad stakeholder input on the specific precautions/strategies that should be put in place so that any harvesting which occurs in the proposed Cores and Links will maintain high conservation values.
Why didn't Hancock follow this CAR which was issued in late 2004?
Strzelecki Ranges November 2004 - Middle Creek Catchment: Another photo of the recently logged Core area supposed to be protected. What other areas within the Cores and Links have been earmarked for logging by Hancock? Has the public, Trust for Nature and Nature Conservancy been duped by Hancock? What does this say about Hancock's commitment to the principles of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)?
Strzelecki Ranges November 2004 - Middle Creek Catchment: This is a copy of a Grand Ridge Plantation (Hancock) map of the Cores and Linkage areas. The area marked in red is the area recently logged by Hancock and shown in the photos above. The areas marked with green dashes and green lines are areas within the Cores and Linkages. The yellow is GRP planned hardwood harvest 2004/5. Note that there are other areas inside the Cores and Linkages earmarked for logging this year. If this is what the company is planning this year, what other areas will be earmarked for clearfelling in the following years?
Strzelecki Ranges November 2004 - College Creek Catchment looking south: One of the most important cool temperate rainforest catchments in Victoria.
Strzelecki Ranges November 2004 - Middle Creek Catchment: More clearfelling in the Cores and Links area off Link Letters Road. Logs in this photo are earmarked for the PaperlinX owned Maryvale Pulp mill.
Strzelecki Ranges November 2004 - Morwell River Catchment. This photo shows native forest listed on the National Estate. It also lies within the Cores and Links agreement and is part of the Gunyah Gunyah Rainforest Reserve. Hancock's Manager of the Eucalypt Estate in the Strzeleckis has recently applied for permits to log this forest, in order to get access to plantations south of this area. The community are certainly not impressed with this development and if this area is logged Hancock will provoke widespread disgust in the region. Is this really what the Forest Stewardship Council supports? Why is the Hancock's Manager of the Eucalypt Estate allowed to get away with such provocative behaviour? Do Hancock in Melbourne know about this planned logging? Do Hancock Natural Resource Group in the US support this logging? If not then why is this area planned to be logged?
Strzelecki Ranges November 2004 - Morwell River Catchment. This is a photo of Gunyah Shortcut Road. The quality of this Hancock controlled road is atrocious. The reason why Hancock want to log in the Gunyah Gunyah rainforest reserve is because they do not want to pay $10000+ to mend and upgrade the atrocious Gunyah Shortcut Road. Several kilometres of roading is in very poor shape on this road, a result of lack of maintenance on behalf of Hancock and the actions of 4WD's.
Strzelecki Ranges November 2004 - Morwell River Catchment: This is a copy of a Grand Ridge Plantation (Hancock) map of the Cores and Linkage areas. The area marked in the red circle highlights the approximate area within the Gunyah Gunyah Rainforest Reserve and Core area that Hancock have applied for permits to log. The areas marked with green dashes and green lines and red patterns are areas within the Cores and Linkages. The yellow is GRP planned hardwood harvest 2004/5. Is the area in purple (supposed plantation inside the Cores and Links), just above the red circle, really what Hancock was wanting to get access to by opening this logging road?
Note that there are other areas inside the Cores and Linkages earmarked for logging this year. If this is what the company is planning this year, what other areas will be earmarked for clearfelling in the following years? Note also the area marked on Gray Gum Track. This area is marked as plantation when the following photos reveal that it is not plantation.
Mt. Grey Gum track is part of the Ryton Link which is theoretically not to be logged under the Trust for Nautre MOU. However GRP has demonstrated repeatedly as did their predecessors Australian Paper Plantations , that they are not to be trusted. Friends Of Gippsland Bush and the Gippsland community, are still waiting for comittments made under the 1997 8 point agreement and by the CEO of Hancock Victorian Plantations and GRP management, to be met (another MOU ignored).
Strzelecki Ranges November 2004 - Morwell River Catchment: Non-plantation Mountain Grey Gum earmaked for logging by Hancock on Gray Gum Track.
Strzelecki Ranges November 2004 - Morwell River Catchment: Non-plantation Mountain Grey Gum earmaked for logging by Hancock on Gray Gum Track.
Strzelecki Ranges November 2004 - Morwell River Catchment: Non-plantation Old Growth Mountain Grey Gum earmaked for logging by Hancock on Gray Gum Track.
November 2004: Strzelecki Koala (male). What is Hancock doing to protect this species? Where is the Australian Koala Foundation? Why are they stalling on a report that was supposed to be completed that would supposedly protect this species? For more information on the koala see here
Strzelecki Ranges November 2004 - Morwell River East Branch Catchment: Log dump placed within 20-30 metres of cool temperate rainforest of regional significance. This shows complete disregard for the risks associated with the long term survival prospects of cool temperate rainforest in the Strzeleckis. Why would you place a log dump here?
Strzelecki Ranges November 2004 - Morwell River East Branch Catchment: Log dump placed within 20-30 metres of cool temperate rainforest of regional significance.
Strzelecki Ranges November 2004 - Morwell River East Branch Catchment: Atrocious roading and working in wet weather has meant that native trees have been cut down at the head of this gully in order to stabilise the road. Many trees have been cut down on this roading section.
Strzelecki Ranges November 2004 - Morwell River East Branch Catchment: Cut down trees in very close vicinity to cool temperate rainforest.
Strzelecki Ranges November 2004 - Morwell River East Branch Catchment: Logged cool temperate rainforest buffer. Hancock showing disregard for protection of cool temperate rainforest of regional significance.
Strzelecki Ranges November 2004 - Morwell River East Branch Catchment: Cut down trees in very close vicinity to cool temperate rainforest.
Strzelecki Ranges November 2004 - Morwell River East Branch Catchment: Cut down trees into drainage line. This practice is a breach of the Code of Forest Practice.
Strzelecki Ranges November 2004 - Morwell River East Branch Catchment: Same section of roading in October 2004. Note that wet weather logging has been occurring and note that some trees had already been logged at this site.
Strzelecki Ranges October 2004 - Morwell River East Branch Catchment: Cool Temperate Rainforest with extremely limited buffers near logging road.
Strzelecki Ranges October 2004 - Merrimans Creek Catchment: Duffs Track, north of Mt Tassie - Retained habitat tree.
Strzelecki Ranges October 2004 - Tarra River Catchment: Diaper Track, with 40 m buffers on cool temperate rainforest.
Ballarat Region - November 2004 - Moorabool River Catchment. Recent spraying of plantations surrounding Korweinguboora Reservoir has apprarently recently occurred. Korweinguboora supplies the city of Geelong and outlieing towns with drinking water. Hancock Watch estimate that up to 4 tonnes of Hexazinone may be applied to this 1400 hectare plantation over the next few years. This photo shows a drainage line in a recently cut portion on the western side of the catchment. Much of Korweinguboora was originally swamp country. For more information on Korweinguboora see here.
Ballarat Region - November 2004 - Moorabool River Catchment. Gutted drainage line on eastern side of plantation at Korweinguboora. Where are the buffers zones at this location protecting the drainage line from the impacts of sediment and pesticides?
Ballarat Region - November 2004 - Moorabool River Catchment. Bulldozer tracks run through drainage line in the eastern part of the plantations surrounding Korweinguboora Reservoir. Korweinguboora supplies the people of Geelong with drinking water.
Ballarat Region - November 2004 - Moorabool River Catchment. Scale of clearfelling in Geelong's drinking water supply catchment. Hexazinone will be applied at this plantation at 3kg/ha. 1400 hectares of plantations lie in the drinking water catchment, meaning that up to 4 tonnes of Hexazinone may be used in land surrounding this reservoir over the next few years.
Strzelecki Ranges November 2004 - Middle Creek Catchment: Very poor creek crossing and dated drainage infrastructure on Middle Creek Road in a tributary of Middle Creek. Note culvert. The major cause of stream sedimentation is creek crossings.
Strzelecki Ranges November 2004 - Middle Creek Catchment: Weed infestation of gully. Weed control is a Hancock responsibility. Plantation owners can in many cases be seen as absentee landowners. In this case, proper weed management has not taken place for some years. These weeds can be a major problem for neighbouring properties. Use of herbicides to control weeds must not impact on waterways and downstream users of water. This means large management problems and responsibilities.
Strzelecki Ranges November 2004 - Middle Creek Catchment: Poor drainage on Middle Creek Road.
Strzelecki Ranges November 2004 - Middle Creek Catchment: Although Hancock take limited responsibility for spread of noxious weeds in this catchment, they have however sprayed & killed perfectly healthy Silver Wattles along several kilometres of this road. Why?
Strzelecki Ranges November 2004 - Middle Creek Catchment: Recent logging near Rd 41. Here is an example of slumping batters.
Strzelecki Ranges November 2004 - Middle Creek Catchment: Recent logging near Rd 41 has left this area looking like a quarry.
Strzelecki Ranges November 2004 - Middle Creek Catchment: Recent logging of roadside vegetation on Rd 40. Excuses for such logging are that trees overhanging the logging roads are safety hazards or that they keep the road shaded in times of wet weather, meaning that the roads take longer to dry out. Many trees have been killed at this location.
Strzelecki Ranges November 2004 - Middle Creek Catchment: Dam located off Link Letters Road, which has recently been sprayed with herbicides. Many native plants have been killed. Locals recall that this dam used be be alive with the sounds of frogs. Now it is largely silent.
Strzelecki Ranges November 2004 - Morwell River Catchment: Creek crossing on Morwell River Road that needs urgent work in order to stop excessive sedimentation.
Strzelecki Ranges November 2004 - Morwell River Catchment: Creek crossing on Gunyah Short Cut Road that needs urgent work in order to stop excessive sedimentation.
Strzelecki Ranges November 2004 - Morwell River Catchment: Impressive cool temperate rainforest in Morwell River catchment just off Gunyah Shortcut Raod.
Strzelecki Ranges November 2004 - Morwell River Catchment: Gunyah Shortcut Road. Atrocious drainage occurs along this road.