ACTION NEWS
12-02-06
UPDATE 13-2
- The police have enforced an exclusion zone around the coupe; there are still three people inside, one in a tree sit, two on lock-ons, and police are currently removing them.
- Another 10 people are just outside the exclusion area and intend to stay on in the area.
- The camp, once re-established will need extra tarps, large water bottles and AA batteries. FoE can help with car-pooling 03 9419 8700.
Media release Friday 10 February 2006
Royston blockade restarts with treesit and community walk-in
Environmentalists have returned this morning to block logging operations in an area of extremely high conservation value north east of Melbourne. One activist is perched on a platform in an old growth tree, and a community walk-in of local residents is expected to arrive at the coupe at midday in order to show support for the blockade.
The site, on the Royston Range, next to Lake Mountain ski resort and only 90 minutes from Melbourne, is home to large stands of rainforest, old growth forest, and Victoria’s endangered faunal emblem, the Leadbeaters Possum. Planned logging operations have been contested for several years.
According to Sarah Rees of the Central Highlands Alliance, “The case to protect the Royston from woodchipping is irrefutable. The logging is also a slap in the face of the region’s tourism industry. These coupes will severely impact the last remaining undisturbed scenic lookouts along the Lake Mountain Ski Resort Trails, working against the intentions of the Alpine Resort 2020 Strategy”. “It is appalling that the destruction of old trees and rainforest is occurring right now on Melbourne’s doorstep. For two years we have pleaded with the Bracks’ government not to destroy this area. Now that logging has started, we have no choice but to stop the destruction ourselves.” “It’s time for the Government to be held to account.” said TCHA Spokesperson Sarah Rees.
Sarah Rees- Mobile: 0438 368870 office: 5962 3461 sarah@tcha.org.au
Photos available
In the Forest: Mobile 0408 667 100
Background information available at: http://www.tcha.org.au/RoystonMtBullfight.htm
23-1-06
Forest action campaign to end old growth logging continues in East Gippsland
Media Report 1 Media Report 2 Media Report 3 Media Report 4 Media Report 5
Goongerah Environment Centre Office (GECO)
Sixty protesters halt logging Sixty people from across Australia and the world have stopped logging in three logging coupes in East Gippsland. The logging coupes are all on the eastern side of the Errinundra Plateau and contain old growth forest and rainforest. They are all adjacent to reserved forest.
28-1-04
Actions now occuring in
Central Highlands and East Gippsland
Media Release
Monday 8 December 2003
Tree platform halts logging road in East Gippsland
This morning, in East Gippsland, 15 conservationists are stopping a logging road from being pushed into the Ellery forest, 40km north east of Orbost. They have attached a 35 metre high tree platform to roading > machinery, preventing further roading into untouched old growth forest.
This protest action is being supported by traditional land owners of East Gippsland, the Bidwali, who are concerned about the increasing rate of old growth forest destruction through out the region.
"This new road is allowing the logging of seven coupes, or 200 ha, of old growth forest. It is also encouraging weeds and feral animals in to the surrounding protected areas,' said Billy Dain, spokesperson for the Goongerah Environment Centre.
The road runs close to a Special Protection Zone (SPZ) which contains endangered animals such as the Spot tail Quoll, Long footed Potoroo, Masked Owl and Sooty Owl.
Conservationists are also concerned about the massive erosion problem the road has caused, which has become a common occurrence on government forestry roads. The Goongerah Environment Centre has a list of roading breaches from all over East Gippsland mostly concerned with erosion into waterways.
"Although it is great that the Environment Protection Authority are finally independently auditing logging coupes in East Gippsland, roading on the other hand is not monitored by anyone apart from volunteer conservationists," he continued.
"It would be far better practice if the government spent this money on maintaining the roads that already exist, especially for fire access and in National Parks, instead of badly building yet more roads with the sole purpose of facilitating destruction of old growth forest," he concluded.
For more information: Billy Dain Goongerah Environment Centre 03 51540156 geco@green.net.au
15-7-03
9-3-03
Southern Bunyip coupe on the Chancellor Spur (about one hour east of Melbourne) is now being logged, despite the information given by the DSE (old NRE) that a cultural/historical survey had to be conducted before any logging operations could be undertaken.
The DSE is set to refuse an urgent request by UBAG (Upper Bunyip Action Group) for a moratorium. Nigel Brennan (senior forester for the area) has confirmed that about 20% of the coupe has already been logged, and that contractors might well be out there over all three days of this long weekend.
If anyone can join UBAG to go out and do "walk ins" at the coupe, please let Bob Thompson know as soon as possible on 9702 1017
UBAG members will be up at the coupe with a photographer tomorrow - meeting at the Russell Park near the Gembrook Station at 10 am. They are at a critical point in their campaign and need as many community members to support them in the active defence of the forest in the 350 Upper Bunyip Block over then coming week.
6-3-03
Forest Network are kicking into the year with a series of actions. Our first action was at Paperlinx. There will be no details here for the moment, you'll have to get along to the meetings if you want to get involved.
"Meet at 312 smith street, 7 am Friday (7th March) morning and we'll transport you to an action outside a multinational logging company. Our last action (10 days back) got good radio coverage on commercial stations and page 3 in the local paper. We've got 3 actions planned over the next 3 weeks. Get off yr arses and get active! You should be back in Collingwood by 11am. No arrests or heavy stuff is planned."
6-1-03
The East Gippsland Summer of Action kicks of on the 10th Jan (next Friday).
A weekend intensive will be held in Goongerah, followed by actions/activities to promote and save our old growth forests.
WHERE : Meet at GECO (Bonang Hwy, 70 km north of Orbost) on the 10th. Call 51 540 156 or 51 540 111 for directions. Call us for car pooling. An RMIT bus may come if numbers can fill it - call DANIEL to book : 9754 1642. You can get a public bus from Melb as far as Orbost. We can arrange pick-up. Although it's a bit further from Melb than other forest areas, the forests urgently need your presence, enthusiasm and willingness to learn ! You are welcome to either stick around just for the weekend, or preferably longer, as the summer campaign develops.
BYO - tent, sleeping gear, food, sun & rain protection, personal first aid, small tarp, torch, day pack, water bottle, boots not thongs, musical instruments ! The weekend will include workshops in climbing, knot/rope skills, campaign history & planning, hair tubing(surveying for endangered mammals), bushwalks & trips to icon forests, scouting, map reading, GECO(the local environment centre) tours and much more.
Useful stuff to bring if poss - Cameras (stills/video), climbing gear, banner materials & paint (MUCH NEEDED), water containers, hemp or poly rope, spare film, batteries, jerry cans & spare fuel, Trangia, big tarps, toppo maps of "Goongerah-Ellery", and "Delegate", compass, laminating plastic, TEA STRAINERS (MUCH NEEDED FOR HAIR TUBING, GPS, gaffa tape, welding rods, dog chains, d-clips(small). PLEASE LEAVE DOGS AT HOME ! SEE y'all here. And remember, more high conservation value forests (including endangered species habitat, water catchments & old growth) will be logged this year in East Gippsland than in any other year in history !