Ecological Blog

The Strzeleckis are unique forests which are a mosaic of old growth including rainforest, reforestation/plantings, plantations and regenerating forests. The public forests of the Strzeleckis have been excluded from public land planning processes which set aside comprehensive and adequate reserves. The Strzeleckis have the least amount of land set aside in any forested region of Victoria. The minimum for public land is 15% of the original vegetation while the Strzeleckis has only 2% protected in Parks and Reserves. The Strzeleckis have most recently been identified as one of the most important regions for the sequestration of carbon, which occurs at much higher rates than previously considered, creating an even more pressing reason to secure their preservation.

The starting point for the issue was that there should be no harvest of timber in the Cores and Links. The Cores and Links are key sites linking Gunyah Gunyah Reserve in the West to Tarra Bulga National Park in the East. There are 5 core areas, Gunyah, College Creek, Jack...

Tags: hancock victorian plantations, logging, rainforest, strzeleckis

Environment and Climate Change Minister Gavin Jennings and HVP’s CEO Linda Sewell claimed that under the agreement, native forests across HVP’s entire estate in Gippsland’s Strzelecki Ranges would be protected.

But no mapping has been provided to back up their claims. Both finalised the legal agreement, after reaching a secret in-principle agreement in May.

The agreement ignores the Government's 2006 election commitment to protect the 8000 hectare Cores and Links’ area and create a reserve to be managed by the Trust for Nature.

Mr Jennings tried to put a positive spin on the deal saying “It will result in the immediate protection of the native forest in the Cores and Links and the eventual protection of all areas of the Cores and Links.

“1500 hectares of plantation areas within the Cores and Links will be subject to a one-off harvest, with those areas progressively regenerated and placed into public reserves and protection over the next 20 years.”

Unfortunatelty the deal means that native forest in areas such as College Creek will be trashed and turned into wood chips...

Tags: hancock, logging, rainforest, strzelecki

The political nonsense about the timing of a carbon trading scheme and the economic impacts on businesses is a complete furphy. No doubt added costs will increase costs to consumers - but added costs on businesses will be minimal as long as there is parity in the marketplace.

As a country, we really need to get our act together and understand what we are importing. Food is allowed in even though it may be grown and packaged in conditions which would see Australian producers hauled before the courts - yet it's on supermarket shelves every day. The same is probably true of many other commodities.

There's no need to get hot and bothered about how much a carbon trading scheme will cost the Australian economy whether we implement a system in 2010 or 2012 even if we are ahead of our trading partners.  Whack on import duties on any goods from countries which don't match or better the program we have in place here.  How simple is that!

It's certainly not 'pie in the sky' - in Europe, the French government, says the European Unon should impose special import duties on products made in third countries with lax climate change regimes.  Go for it!

Tags: carbon trading

Running a car on water may seem like a pipedream - but  water is just a mix of hydrogen and oxygen and the ability to separate them has been known for many years.

An electronic manual is available to show how the process works and how it can be built into any existing vehicle as a fuel source which can cut fuel costs by 40% or more and reduce emissions.

The Freeranger Egg farm is looking at converting its vehicles to run on water as a way of making the farm even more sustainable. For more info email the farm at freeranger@dcsi.net.au or talk to them at one of the Farmers' Markets they attend - Churchill Island, Inverloch, Cardinia Ranges or Korumburra.

Tags: hydrogen fuel, low catr emissions

Rally told Minister 'caved in'

to logging company

video of the rally is on You Tube at http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=ICycJXAS-J8 

A community rally called to look at Strzelecki rainforest under threat from an agreement between the Victorian Government and Hancock Victorian Plantations was told on Sunday that Environment Minister Gavin Jennings had 'caved in' to company demands.

Ms Susie Zent, President of Friends of Gippsland Bush told almost 100 locals who had gathered to look at some of the forest which is now earmarked for woodchipping that “the Minister simply caved in rather than hold out for better deal.

A community forum will be held in Boolara Memorial Hall on Sunday July 27 to plan the next steps.The flier for this event can be downloaded at http://www.fourthcrossingwildlife.com/stomp.pdf

“We don't know what the Government is buying for the $5.5 million it is giving the company, because the community was excluded from the final negotiations.

“They haven't even shown us the maps which tends to indicate that they have something to hide,” Ms Zent said.

Friends of the Earth forest campaigner Anthony Amis said the deal had been given dubious credibility with the endorsement of The Wilderness Society and the Victorian...

Tags: gavin jennings, hancock victorian plantations, strzelecki rainforest

Tags: bushfires, politicians, prescribed burns

While a variety of options are being considered to power the proposed desalination plant near Wonthaggi, it seems most likely that the plant will be powered by electricity generated in the La Trobe Valley (making a mockery of any State Government claims to being aware of the need to reduce carbon emissions).

Options such as wave and tidal power could provide the required electricity for the plant, as could a natural gas-fired generating facility. It's unlikely that wind generators could provide sufficient electricity to ensure continuous operation.

But the most likely outcome (if the desal plant goes ahead) is for an overhead power line to be constructed from the existing 220kV line at Tynong North, past Cora Lynn, Catani, Yannathan, Nyora, Woodleigh, Kernot, Almurta, Glen Forbes, Woolamai and down to the plant at the coast. 

It's not feasible for the transmission line to be underground so if this option is chosen, pylons will march down the Bass Valley.

Tags: desalination plant, pylons

Victoria's Environment Minister Gavin Jennings has responded to concerns that the recent Strzelecki Ranges 'cores and links' deal will lead to the fragmentation and destruction of sensitive rainforest.

Tags: cores and links, hancock victorian plantations, logging, rainforest, strzeleckis

Friends of the Earth believe that the 'deal' is a blatant ripoff. Forest campaigner Anthony Amis has put a few figures together. The 1500ha to be logged in the Cores & Links represents 7.5% of Hancock's hardwood and 22% of their ash. The 1500ha means 2.2 years worth of pulp to the AP mill at Maryvale.

The tragedy is that the supposed shortfall Hancock was banging on about could be a myth and there is no real need for any logging in the Cores & Links.

As of 2006 Hancock had 6772ha of mt ash. This was supposed to supply the mill until 2013 when the bluegum kicks in.

Logging at a rate of 600ha (with a volume of 500m3/ha) a year, to meet AP contracts from 2006 to 2013 means 4800ha of ash would have be logged. that leaves almost 2000ha not going into AP mill for pulp - maybe going to sawmills? That represents 1,000,000m3 of pulplogs (just over 3 years supply to the mill which could easily accomodate the hoa proposal)

As of 2006 hancock had 9442ha of bluegum. this was supposed to...

Tags: hancock, logging, strzelecki rainforest

The Victorian State Government has just revealed a deal with Hancock Victorian Plantations to pay $5.5 million to protect 20,000 ha of native forest in the Strzelecki Ranges.
The ink is hardly dry on the agreement announced by Environment Minister Gavin Jennings and Hancock CEO Linda Sewell and we have only seen the press release.  There hasn't been time to analyse the detail of the agreement and as the community was excluded from the negotiations it's likely there will some difficulties with new players not understanding the background. The community will need to look at it closely to see if it is likely to achieve the level of biodiversity protection required.

The announcement will permit 1500ha to be logged from the Cores and Links which is around 600ha more than would have been logged in the Reserve under the HoA.  It appears that College Creek, a site of National Conservation Significance, will not be protected under the deal.
One disturbing point is that Ms Sewell refers to the arrangement as an 'in principle agreement' with a final agreement expected to be signed around July.

The company's track record in honouring non-binding agreements is hardly inspiring. It signed an 8 point agreement, it signed a Memorandum of Understanding, it signed a...

Tags: hancock victorian plantations, rainforest, strzelecki forest