LOGGING IN GIPPSLAND FORESTS

There are two main types of work being done to conserve and protect the East Gippsland Forests. The government is one kind who place legislation’s and bring in other laws to help protect the forests but also continue the forest industry in a controlled suitable manner. The other kind is the environmental groups that fight to stop the logging industry and protect the forest, most using non-violent methods to get their message across.

A local group in Gippsland called CROEG, Concerned Residents of East Gippsland, are the only group working solely for the protection of Victoria’s last and largest area of ancient forest. For over 15 years this group has worked to protect the East Gippsland Forests. They are a volunteer non-profit organisation and continue to gather information on the local timber industry to send vital information to Melbourne and Canberra.

Protesters constantly fight against the destruction of the Gippsland forest. An example of this was on June 13 of last year, when 39 activists were arrested after attempting to stop clear falling of wilderness quality old growth forests in East Gippsland (Cameron, 1998).

Mass protests in both the old growth forests and Melbourne have resulted in many hundreds of arrests, a national park declared at Errinundra, and a state-federal East Gippsland Forest Agreement in 1989 which imposed a six-month logging moratorium and allocated $10 million to investigate logging alternatives.

The government has placed the RFA, East Gippsland Regional Forest Agreement, to help as a conservation measure. This act was placed to ensure that the forest’s resources were used properly in a controlled manner, although many on both sides of this issue believe it does not work and is unfair.