May 23 2012: FSC Audit Team and community members at one of the recent burn sites at College Creek. Hancock remain certified by Forest Stewardship Council certifier Smartwood since 2004, despite a litany of environmental problems as documented on this website. Is the FSC system truely accountable and sustainble? Noone from the community on this visit thought it was - FSC is just another layer of industry funded buffering that protects timber industry interests. Because FSC certifiers are paid for the companies that they are certifying this ensures certifer complicance to the company, not the environment.
May 12 - Strzelecki Ranges/College Creek. Another burnt out hollow tree. FSC certified. Hollows in eucalpyts take 120 years to form and provide vital fauna habitat.
May 12 - Strzelecki Ranges/College Creek. Another victim of stupid Hancock burns in rainforest reserve. FSC certified.
May 12 - Strzelecki Ranges/College Creek. Coals were deliberately left under the roots of this remnant old growth tree. Stupid or deliberate behaviour?
May 12 - Strzelecki Ranges/College Creek. The tree, whose roots were shown in the preceeding photo.
May 12 - Strzelecki Ranges/College Creek. Another stag burnt.
May 12 - Strzelecki Ranges/College Creek. Hollow bearing tree hundreds of years old deliberately torched inside rainforest reserve.
May 12 - Strzelecki Ranges/College Creek. More piles of logging debris burnt in rainforest buffers at College Creek. This one was in close location to the Australian mainland stronghold of Slender Fork Fern.
May 12 - Strzelecki Ranges/Traralgon Creek. This is classified as being plantation by Hancock and FSC.
May 12 - Strzelecki Ranges/College Creek. Looking into another cleared rainforest buffer, logged about one year ago. Smartwood has allowed Hancock to get away with unsustainable logging in close proximity to cool temperate rainforest for 8 years now. Despite experts advising Smartwood that such practices defy long term ecological sustainability.
May 12 - Strzelecki Ranges/Jack River (off Christies Road): Why would anyone site log dumps anywhere near one of the few remnant trees in this coupe and then incinerate the dump? This practice appears to the commonplace on Hancock lands.
May 12 - Strzelecki Ranges/Jack River ( off Christies Road): Another remant tree scorched. Why leave it remaining during logging when it will be incinerated post logging? Dozens of trees have suffered a similar fate over the past couple of months. How many more over the past decade?
May 12 - Strzelecki Ranges/College Creek: As revealed by Hancock Watch in April 2012, more old growth stags have been incinerated by Hancock in coupe burnoffs. This example is in Cores and Links Rainforest Reserve. Such ruthless practices remain condoned by Smartwood FSC certifiers. Off Graingers Road.
May 12 - Strzelecki Ranges/College Creek: More incinerated native vegetation in rainforest reserve. This area is now a reserve, why come in and burn what's left? Off Graingers Road.
May 12 - Strzelecki Ranges/College Creek: Remant old growth that has miraculously avoided the torch.
May 12 - Strzelecki Ranges/Albert River Catchment: FSC certified roading on Ward Road.
May 12 - Strzelecki Ranges/Albert River Catchment: Obvious sign of wet weather work. FSC certified roading in breach of Code of Forest Practices.
May 12 - Strzelecki Ranges/Albert River Catchment: Ward Road, a logging practices disgrace. Why are Hancock allowed to log in wet weather conditions?
May 12 - Strzelecki Ranges/Jack River Catchment (Pine Road): More examples of machinery operating in wet weather.
May 12 - Strzelecki Ranges/College Creek: Inappropriate roading batters collapsing in site of National Conservation Significance. This road has apparently been remediated.
May 12 - Strzelecki Ranges/Albert River - Ward Road. This photo taken two weeks after the previous photo after the road had been 'rehabilitated'.
May 12 - Strzelecki Ranges/Albert River - Ward Road. FSC certified roading in breach of Code of Forest Practices.
May 12 - Strzelecki Ranges/Thornhill Creek catchment (Latrobe River System). Parish Allotment 92 Warrigul. Planted out to pine by APM 30 years ago. Clearfelled by Hancock in 2012.
May 12 - Strzelecki Ranges/Vaggs Creek. Landslip on logging road after pines were clearfelled.
May 12 - Strzelecki Ranges/Jack River: Looking into recent logging from Pine Road.
May 12 - Strzelecki Ranges/Morris Creek. View looking west into year old pine plantation logging.