Six months after an historic agreement was signed on logging in the Strzelecki Ranges, conservationists say Grand Ridge Plantations has broken the agreement.
Friends of the Earth land use researcher Anthony Amis said agreed logging buffers for cool temperate rainforest had been ignored, the logging company had entered coupes before mapping had been carried out and also claimed that some rainforest had "gone missing" from maps handed to the State Government by the logging company.
"They've entered coupes where they were supposed to give buffers of 60 metres and 100 metres, we've measured some as low as low as five and 10 metres," Mr Amis said.
"We believe Hancocks (parent company of Grand Ridge Plantations) went into coupes before the agreed process had been set up.
"They're eager to get the Traralgon branch of the Department of Sustainability and Environment to manage the project ... but the agreement was the Trust for Nature would manage it.
"We're not off to a very good start."
Mr Amis also clmaimed by entering areas to log without community agreement, the company had breached conditions it agreed to by obtaining a Forest Stewardship Certification.
Grand Ridge has a decades-long contract with Reflex paper manufacturer the Maryvale Mill, with controls on the ethics of its supply.
However mill supply chain general manager Julian Mathers said even if Grand Ridge lost its certification it would continue to supply the mill.
"We have a long term agreement with Grand Ridge, it doesn't specifically have FSC as a component," he said.
"However it is something we value - yes it is."
Grand Ridge may also log some native forest as part of the agreement to save high conservation area the "Cores and Links".
The Gippsland Times tried several times to interview a senior Grand Ridge figure before going to print.
February 2007: Morwell River catchment/Strzelecki Ranges. One of the first coupes logged after an historic Memorandum of Understanding was signed by Hancock, the Victorian Government, Trust for Nature and the Strzelecki Forest Community Group in October 2006. Under the MoU Hancock were supposed to leave rainforest buffers of 60 metres and 100 metres in the Morwell River Catchment. At this coupe, buffers have been found at some locations to be zero metres. This is a major step backwards by Hancock, yet the company remains certified by FSC. Why? Almost all of the bare earth in this photo is in fact cool temperate rainforest buffer. For other updates on this fiasco also see; December 2006 and January 2007. This would be a breach of the code of forest practices if this occurred in state forests.
February 2007: Morwell River catchment/Strzelecki Ranges. At this location cool temperate rainforest species were found about 10 metres from where logging had taken place. What happened to the other 50 metres of buffer? It was of course logged.
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February 2007: Morwell River catchment/Strzelecki Ranges. Blackwoods have been logged within rainforest buffers at this location. Where have the logs gone?
February 2007: Morwell River catchment/Strzelecki Ranges. Myrtle Beech in foreground with recent clearfell in background. After logging the site is supposed to be added to the Strzelecki reserve system. By logging rainforest buffers Hancock may now have to replant the buffers with rainforest species at considerable cost to the company.
February 2007: Morwell River catchment/Strzelecki Ranges. Almost all of the cleared land in this photo is in fact cool temperate rainforest buffer. Logging on the left hand side of this image had come within 0 and 10m of rainforest. A measuring tape measured 50 metres across to the other edge of the logging coupe (right side). This means that almost none of this coupe should have even been logged yet Hancock did so.
February 2007: Morwell River catchment/Strzelecki Ranges. A member of Friends of Gippsland Bush indicating where cool temperate rainforest indicator species were located. Note logging in foreground.
February 2007: Morwell River catchment/Strzelecki Ranges. Cool temperate rainforest species also found at this location. What happened to the buffer. Hancock logged it of course and FSC remain mute!
February 2007: Morwell River catchment/Strzelecki Ranges. Measuring tape about 20 metres from rainforest species.
February 2007: Morwell River catchment/Strzelecki Ranges. All of the logging in this photo breaches the MoU.
February 2007: Morwell River catchment/Strzelecki Ranges. Almost all of the logging in this photo breaches the MoU, however to get access to this portion of the coupe, rainforest buffers were logged so that logging machinery could gain access to the site.
February 2007: Morwell River catchment/Strzelecki Ranges. This was a cool temperate rainforest buffer!
February 2007: Morwell River catchment/Strzelecki Ranges. Mountain Grey Gum impacted by logging, prime koala feed tree, but koala sightings are infrequent these days.
February 2007: Morwell River catchment/Strzelecki Ranges. Logs left to split on log landing. If Hancock are so desperate for wood why are these logs wasted after logging?
February 14 2007: Morwell River catchment/Strzelecki Ranges. Local community reps, FSC Auditors and Smartwood discussing issues regarding cores and links roading rainforest buffers and logging.
February 14 2007: Morwell River catchment/Strzelecki Ranges. The new logging 'highway' punched into the cores and links reserve by Hancock.
February 14 2007: Morwell River catchment/Strzelecki Ranges. The new log truck turning circle inside the Cores and Links Reserve. Hancock had promised not to push the road through further than where the cars are parked in this image. Another broken promise?
February 14 2007: Morwell River catchment/Strzelecki Ranges. Tree root balls bulldozed on the edge of rainforest buffers inside the Cores and Links Reserve.
February 14 2007: Morwell River catchment/Strzelecki Ranges. Highly erodable new roading inside the cores and links reserve. Road construction refuse bulldozed into gully. What happens when the drought breaks?
February 14 2007: Morwell River catchment/Strzelecki Ranges. Head of gully with new logging highway. One can only imagine the erosion potential of this road, especially after the drought breaks.
February 2007: Merrimans Creek Catchment/Strzelecki Ranges. Callignee Estate Road. More logging refuse left after logging.
February 2007: Merrimans Creek Catchment/Strzelecki Ranges. Callignee Estate Road.
February 2007: Merrimans Creek Catchment/Strzelecki Ranges. Callignee Estate Road. Roadside buffer at this location has been logged. This stump was measured to be 9 metres from the centre of the road. The crown owns many roadside buffers in the Strzeleckis and removal of such trees in the past by Hancock has created the company some headaches in recent times.
February 2007: Flynns Creek Catchment/Strzelecki Ranges. Large scale pine logging will continue in this catchment over the next year.
February 2007: Webster Hill Plantation/Gellibrand River Catchment Otway Ranges. Logging in this pine plantation is taking place in close proximity to the Gellibrand River. The Gellibrand supplies 50,000 people with drinking water. Herbicides used post logging could be an issue.
February 2007: Webster Hill Plantation/Gellibrand River Catchment Otway Ranges. Creek ford over the Gellibrand.
February 2007: Webster Hill Plantation/Gellibrand River Catchment Otway Ranges. Plantations in close proximity to Gellibrand River.
February 2007: Webster Hill Plantation/Gellibrand River Catchment Otway Ranges. Plantations in close proximity to Gellibrand River.