July 2002 Updates
1: Marathon Road Briagalong June 2002: Destruction of remnant vegetation by developer of land sold by Grand Ridge Plantations Pty Ltd/Hancock (For more information see May 2002 updates). This quality land of high conservation significance was supposedly protected under 1997 8 point agreement between Friends of Gippsland Bush and Amcor.
Marathon Road block as taken by Google Earth - Early 07. Several hectares of native vegetation have been cleared from this site.
2: Marathon Road Briagalong June 2002: Bulldozed vegetation across drainage line in high conservation value land sold by Hancock to developer in breach of 1997 8 point agreement.
3: Marathon Road Briagalong June 2002: Burnt remains of eucalypts cleared by developer. These trees were supposedly protected by an 8 point agreement agreed to by Friends of Gippsland Bush and Amcor in March 1997. This kind of result is a sad inditement on lack of trust between negotiating parties.
4: Marathon Road Briagalong June 2002: Excavation for dam construction in land of high conservation significance. How much more land will be bulldozed at this site and others sold by Hancock to land developers?
5: Strzelecki Ranges Feb 2002: Ryton Junction feeding into Albert River. Destruction of native vegetation by Grand Ridge Plantations Pty Ltd.
6: Strzelecki Ranges May 2002: Opposite track 13. Huge earth movement - excessive access tracks. Removal of all buffers with no coupe markings visible. Appalling job by Grand Ridge Plantations Pty Ltd/Hancock.
7: Strzelecki Ranges May 2002: Good coupe at the top of Jeeralang West Road. Decent filters and buffers. This is an example of Grand Ridge Plantations acting responsibly.
8: Noojee Plantations June 2002-LEGL93-118: Clearance of pine plantations within a few metres of permanently flowing Class 1 Stream - Icy Creek in Latrobe River catchment. 30 metre buffers (minimum) of indigenous species need to be re-estabished at this location - the area must not be regrown with pine. Hancock Watch counted numerous Silver Wattles destroyed at this site showing destruction of buffer zones under the guise of supposed responsible forest stewardship.
9: Noojee Plantations June 2002-LEGL93-118: Absolutely sub-standard roading and lack of waterways protection observed at this location. This site was one of the worst ever witnessed by Hancock Watch with breaches to the Code of Forest Practice at many locations. This operation is a major setback for Hancock wanting to attain sustainable forest management standards..
10: Noojee Plantations June 2002-LEGL93-118: Bulldozers operating in drainage lines. The gentleman in the photo is pointing to a culvert. Whoever was responsible for this logging atrocity needs to retire ASAP! This plantation is a logging abomination!
11: Noojee Plantations June 2002-LEGL93-118: Absolutely sub-standard roading in this plantation with no evidence of culverts or drains. In a letter from Baw Baw Shire Council to Friends of the Earth Melbourne dated 24 June 2002 it states; “I inspected the site with Peter McEwan - Senior Forestry Officer with the Department of Natural Resources and Environment. From this inspection we identified a number of breaches to the Code of Forest Practice. . . I have written to the company involved and asked for an explantation as to why the Code of Forest Practice has not been adhered to and proposed rectification works. . . In addition I intend to write to the Catchment Management Authority for their comments in relation to the impact on the waterway from the proposed works”.
12. Otway Ranges June 2002-LEGL93-48 - Webster Hill Plantation: Incineration of tributary of Lardner Creek East Branch after pine logging. Note chainsawed silver wattle which was living prior to this burn.
13. Otway Ranges June 2002-LEGL93-48: Webster Hill Plantation: Incineration of headwaters of Lardner Creek East Branch tributary. Note obvious destruction of buffers. This is sub-standard logging practice and does not deserve FSC certification.
14. Otway Ranges June 2002:LEGL93-48 - Webster Hill Plantation: Chainsawed Silver Wattle probably killed when plantation was put to the torch. Any chance of riparian vegetation establishing itself has been eliminated in this poor example of supposedly sustainable logging in the headwaters of Lardner Creek East Branch.
15. Otway Ranges June 2002 - LEGL93-48: Webster Hill Plantation: Incineration of logging debris inside creek gully of Lardner Creek East Branch. According to Cornish 1989 “Windrow burning in streams and drainage lines is likely to allow considerable quantities of ash to be washed into streams during rain, resulting in possible short term eutrophication of the stream and in a permanent loss of nutrient capital from the site”.
16. Otway Ranges June 2002 - Webster Hill Plantation LEGL93-48: Good view of logging debris torched inside Lardner Creek East Branch tributary.
17. Otway Ranges June 2002 - Webster Hill Plantation-LEGL93-48: This is the devastated headwaters of a creek that feeds into the Gellibrand River. The best Blackfish stream in mainland Australia.
18. Otway Ranges June 2002 - Webster Hill Plantation LEGL93-48: Remnant trees along Lardner Creek East Branch tributary after regeneration fire. Note that many of the smaller trees probably killed outright by the fire.