September 2013 Updates
"Regenerating sections of the Strzelecki Ranges have again
been cleared in a move environmental groups fear could set back the area's recovery
by decades.
As part of a 2008 deal to return 8000 hectares of high conservation
bushland known as the 'cores and links' back to public ownership, Hancock Victoria
Plantations was granted permission by the State Government to conduct a one-off
harvests of 1500ha.
According to Friends of the Earth and Friends of the Gippsland
Bush, areas in the Strzeleckis totalling 10 hectares, cleared about four years
ago as part of the one-off harvest, were recovering well with a mix of re-planted
trees and natural regeneration.
But HVP has returned to clear the areas once again, because
the sites did not meet strict revegetation guidelines set by the Department
of Environment and Primary Industries as part of the buyback deal.
"The department says it wants 300 eucalypts per hectare which
is a totally unrealistic expectation that cannot ever be met," Friends of the
Gippsland Bush member Susie Zent said.
Ms Zent said she feared the 750ha of land yet to be harvested
under the 'one-off' arrangement could also be cleared multiple times as a result
of DEPI's "fanciful standards", significantly delaying the area's final handover
and conservation.
"If the number of eucalypts per hectare are not met, then those
areas will not be signed off on and added to the reserve system," she said.
The botanist who conducted research into the conservation value
of the cores and links more than a decade ago, Stephen Mueck said the number
of trees required by DEPI was appropriate for a timber plantation, but not for
an area that would now be preserved. He said the re-clearing of the sites could
significantly damage their ability to produce a strong understorey.
"The more frequently you disturb a site, the more you have
an impact on what species can return," Mr Mueck said.
A DEPI statement said the area requiring re-clearing was only
3ha. It said the department required between 150 to 250 stems per hectare for
adequate revegetation, depending on the forest type.
"This forest is dominated by mountain ash trees that do not
generally regenerate naturally and it has been necessary for HVP to plant the
trees," the statement read.
"At some locations the mountain ash trees have not survived
and clearing and replanting is required to ensure a forest is re-established.
See your ad here "HVP has successfully regenerated forest across the overwhelming
majority of the harvested area," the statement read.
The 8000ha that make up the 'cores and links' are recognised
as critical buffers which help conserve the 'core' cool and temperate rainforests
and maintain 'links' between the Gunyah Gunyah Rainforest and Tarra Bulga National
Park.
As part of the buyback deal, the government agreed to permanently
protect 20,000ha of sensitive native forest in the Strzeleckis, including the
cores and links, along with an extra 15,000ha."
September 2013 Strzelecki Ranges/College Creek. Recently
destroyed natural regeneration inside Cores and Links Rainforest Reserve. Not
only did the community have to endure logging this catchment, despite a 2006
agreement ensuring that the catchment would be protected, now Hancock is coming
back into the area and destroying what was naturally regenerating. This site
was logged in June 2009, so the regen and replantings
are at least 51 months old. The area in green shown in this photo is what the
recently destroyed regeneration would have looked like. Regeneration standards
signed by Hancock with the Department of Sustainability and Environment for
logged areas with the Cores and Links in 2012, mean that if a certain number
of eucalypts (300?) per hectare are not met, then the areas can't be signed
off on and added to the reserve system. The number of eucalypts per hectare
is set too high and was never supported by the community, who supported some
eucalpyt replantings - but not to the amount that was eventually signed off
on by the company and the Victorian Government in 2012. The community also wanted
the logged areas to regenerate naturally without further interference/interventions
by the company. If the number of eucalypts stems per hectare was less than 300
then the community would have been satisifed in the knowledge that if left alone,
in time, the logged areas would again start to resemble natural forests.
September 2013 Strzelecki Ranges/College Creek. Approximately 4 hecatres
of 4 year old regeneration and replantings get destroyed at College Creek.
New plantings have occurred, but what a waste of time and resources, when
the site was regenerating naturally anyway. Such interventions also set back
regeneration by a number of years (in this case four years). Perhaps $1000/ha+
would be required to carry out this work. 1500ha of logged land is contained
within the Cores and Links Reserve, meaning that potentially the entire 1500ha
could have to be bulldozed and replanted if the regeneration standards are
not met. Who on earth signed such ridiculous regeneration standards which
could end up costing Hancock millions of dollars, when almost all of the cores
and links would have regenerated naturally without such hamfisted interventions.
(One of the "genius's" responsible for this sham has since left
the company and is now working in South
Australia). Such is the ethical shortcomings of corporate "professional"
life, where atrocious decisions are not properly accounted for and can even
be rewarded by promotions or work opportunities elesewhere. The community
have been warning Hancock against unrealistic regeneration standards since
2006. The commuunity yet again have been ignored and now it will end up costing
the company potentially millions.
September 2013 Strzelecki Ranges/College Creek. Some of the piles of
native vegetation destroyed at this location. It even includes 4 year old
eucalypts, most likely planted by the company!
September 2013 Strzelecki Ranges/College Creek. 4 year old regeneration
and replantings get destroyed at College Creek. At this location probably
another 2-3ha's has bitten the dust.
September 2013 Strzelecki Ranges/College Creek. 4 year
old regeneration waiting to be bulldozed?
September 2013 Strzelecki Ranges/College Creek. 28 month
old regeneration. Site logged in April/May 2011 and
burnt in March/April 2012 - again delaying regeneration.
September 2013 Strzelecki Ranges/College Creek. This
area was spot sprayed in July 2012 supposedly to facilitate regeneration. It
is likely to be bulldozed/cleared in the near future as the eucalypt stems per
hectare remain low. The community still advises that the easiest option here
would be to continue to allow natural regeneration, which in time will allow
the area to resemble native forest. This site was logged during February/March
2010, making the regeneration about 3 1/2 years old.
September 2013 Strzelecki Ranges/College Creek. One
of the last coupes logged at College Creek in 2012, within 20 metres of rainforest.
September 2013 Strzelecki Ranges/Traralgon Creek. Widescale logging
is now occurring in close proximity to the Grand Ridge Road in the Traralgon
Creek and South Middle Creek catchments. Such logging undermines the tourist
potential of the region and is an unsightly eyesore.
September 2013 Strzelecki Ranges/South Middle Creek. Plantation 93-92
in close proximity to Cores and Links Rainforest Reserve. Yarram water supply
catchment gets the Hancock treatment. 24 year old Mountain Ash Plantation
gets the chop. Will this domestic water supply be replanted with potentially
toxic E.nitens.
South Middle Creek coupe located on boundary of cores and links rainforest
reserve - marked with yellow dot.
September 2013 Strzelecki Ranges/South Middle Creek. Headwaters of
Yarram's drinking water supply.
September 2013 Strzelecki Ranges/South Middle Creek. Another trashed
gully.
September 2013 Strzelecki Ranges/South Middle Creek. Headwaters of
Yarram's drinking water supply.
September 2013 Strzelecki Ranges/South Middle Creek. Headwaters of
Yarram's drinking water supply. Stand of Blackwood and possibly cool temeperate
rainforest.
September 2013 Strzelecki Ranges/Jack Creek. Good regeneration in the
Cores and Links Rainforest Reserve.
September 2013 Strzelecki Ranges/Smiths Creek. Recent logging in close
proximity to Smiths Creek rainforest.
September 2013 Strzelecki Ranges/Smiths Creek. Hundreds of hectares
of Smiths Creek have been converted to potentially toxic Shining Gum since
2006.
September 2013/Strzelecki Ranges: Jack River pines get eliminated -
possibly to be replanted with potentially
toxic E.nitens.
September 2013/Strzelecki Ranges: Plantation 93-97
~3km downstream of Yarram Drinking Water Supply, approximately 100ha of radiata
pine estabished in 1983, located in close proximity to the Tarra River. A
number of houses may pump water from the Tarra River downstream of this plantation.
September 2013/Strzelecki Ranges: Plantation 93-91,
pine logging in close proximity to Strzelecki Warm Temperate Rainforest.
September 2013/Strzelecki Ranges: Strzelecki Warm Temperate Rainforest
and prime Koala habitat on Yarram Morwell Road.
September 2013/Strzelecki Ranges: Plantation 93-94
being logged in Antonio Creek Catchment (Jack River Catchment). Also a likely
hotspot for Strzelecki Warm Temperate Rainforest. Approximately 1000ha of
pine plantations lie in the Antonio Creek catchment. Some of the catchment
is being replanted with potentially
toxic E.nitens.
September 2013/Strzelecki Ranges: Prime koala habitat and likely Strzelecki
Warm Temperate Rainforest site on Mascardris Road.
September 2013/Strzelecki Ranges: Dead Koala Whitelaws Track (Tarra
River Catchment).
September 2013/Strzelecki Ranges: Plantation
93-93 logging in Tarra River Catchment. About 40 hectares of native vegetation/koala
habitat is located in this plantation.
September 2013/Strzelecki Ranges: Middle Creek creek crossing.
September 2013/Strzelecki Ranges: Middle Creek creek crossing. How
are fish supposed to get over/around this?
September 2013/Strzelecki Ranges: Middle Creek replanting ex pine site
with E.viminalis, a koala feed tree.