12 councils now oppose logging in melbourne's catchments

Great news to hear this week that the Boroondara and Nillumbik Councils have joined with Yarra Ranges in opposing logging in Melbourne's water catchments.

Back in November 2007 I moved a motion to oppose logging of our catchments after concerns about logging in the Armstrong and Cement Creek were raised by a local environmental group, the Central Highlands Alliance. Both of these regions are well within the boundaries of the Shire of Yarra Ranges.

Little did I know that the issue would take hold through the local government sector. Water is a key focus, we see our state government spending billions of dollars on new water infrastructure and yet they continue to allow logging of our water catchments. Studies have shown that the value of water production in our catchments far outweighs that of logging.

Cambarville, a logging coupe near Melbourne's water catchments, how can this be sustainable?





The government is re-examining the value of water versus wood in a project it calls The Wood and Water Project. I am a member of the Sustainability Assessment Stakeholder Reference Group for the project. I have some serious concerns about this project in particular the fact that there is no option to cease logging in 2009/10 as part of the assessment regimes being considered. I was so concerned that that in May I moved a motion to write (to various politicians, DSE bureaucrats and consultants) detailing the case for including as part of the assessments for the Wood and Water Project the option of ceasing logging in Melbourne's water catchments by 2009/10 and including reference to the 8 councils who have recently opposed logging in Melbourne's water catchments.

It is imperative that the option of ceasing logging by 2009/10 is included as one of the regimes for sustainability assessment. I was very concerned that all the suggested regimes did not consider an immediate end to logging of Melbourne's water catchments, with 2030 being the regime with the earliest cessation of logging being assessed. Our water catchments cannot cope with another 22 years of logging, not if we want to harvest water from them.

The municipalities now opposing logging in Melbourne's water catchments represent a population of over 1.4 million Melbourne residents. There is a growing groundswell of concern about logging of our catchments in a time of critical water shortage, with grave concerns about biodiversity and climate change too.

Yarra Ranges is still waiting for a response to our request, if the government is genuine about the Wood and Water Project it will include the cease logging by 09/10 option, if it isn’t included I question the value of the project.

It is foolhardy to continue the practice of logging in our water catchments. Eleven other municipalities agree with Yarra Ranges. I hope you’re listing Mr Brumby, Mr Holding and Mr Jennings.

yarra ranges deliver message on logging

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Yesterday the people of Warburton presented the Premier with a recycled cardboard forest with messages from across the Yarra Ranges community concerned about logging of Melbourne's water catchments.

The people went to Parliament to highlight the plight of Melbourne's water catchments.

The forest 'grew' on the steps of Parliament and a 30 metre scroll was unfurled with even more messages to the Premier urging him to stop the logging of our catchments.

"Dear Mr Brumby, Our community wants logging in water catchments to stop, this is the will of the people. Cr Samantha Dunn, Shire of Yarra Ranges."

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There is no doubt the momentum on this issue is growing. The people of Melbourne need to know their catchments are being compromised by logging activities. I congratulate the Warburton community for bringing their message to the city.

Water is precious, we cannot afford to further compromise supply by logging our catchments.

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Me and Colleen Hartland (Greens MLC for the Western Metropolitan region) enjoying the forest scene on the steps of Parliament. "

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Today in Parliament, Greg Barber (Greens MLC for the Northern Metropolitan Region), applauded the seven councils who oppose logging in catchments "I commend those municipalities that have joined together to oppose logging in Melbourne’s mountain forest water catchments, led by Cr Samantha Dunn of the Shire of Yarra Ranges. Seven councils have joined this push — the Shire of Yarra Ranges, Bayside City Council, Whitehorse City Council, Moreland City Council, Port Phillip City Council, Yarra City Council and Knox City Council — representing 800 000 Melburnians."

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To read the full statement on hansard visit http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/downloadhansard/pdf/Council/Feb-Jun%202008/Council%20Feb-Jun%202008%20Daily%2015%20April%202008.pdf

forest comes to parliament 15th April

Yarra Ranges community plants forest on parliament steps

Yarra Ranges residents and children will deliver a bleak warning to the Brumby government about logging in water catchments on Tuesday by ‘planting’ a five metre forest on the steps of State Parliament.

The forest, made from recycled paper and leaves measuring five metres in width and standing up to three metres high, has been constructed by Yarra Ranges community members concerned about logging in catchment areas and will be planted on the steps of Parliament House at 11am on Tuesday the 15th April.

The action has been planned to highlight the plight of Melbourne’s water catchment areas.

Trees are essential to the health of our water catchments and help increase water flow to catchments. As we watch the effects of climate change and severe drought conditions on our environment, we want the Brumby government to know the Yarra Ranges community is not happy about logging in our catchment areas.

Our message is simple – logging in our water catchments puts Melbourne’s water supply at risk. We want Mr Brumby to listen to our concerns and take action to ensure our forests and water supply are protected now.

The recycled paper forest was a collaboration of hundreds of community members from both the Yarra Ranges region and other parts of the state.

The recycled paper forest will leave by truck from the Upper Yarra Arts Centre in Warburton on Tuesday, 15 April at 9am before arriving at State Parliament at 11am. I look forward to seeing all concerned on the steps of Parliament.

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Me and Cr Monika Keane with the recycled forest at the Mad Hatter's Tree Party in Warburton (March, 2008).

report from the round table 8/4

Thought I'd start a new regular entry in my blog about council meetings, this week I'm going to focus on a section of our meetings called reports from delegates (this is a section where councillors report back on their activities for the last two weeks), read on to find out more....

SELBY CFA - 2nd April

I had the great pleasure of presiding over the elections at the Selby CFA AGM. This year saw the longstanding Captain of the brigade, Neville Oldham, retire. Neville was Captain for 14 years, a record at Selby CFA. The strength and cohesiveness of the brigade is a great credit to his leadership over the years.

It was great to see two women contesting the position of Captain, Sandra Jenkins won on the night, my congratulations to Sandra, I look forward to working with Sandra in the future.

MAV SEAG - 3rd April

Also known as the Municipal Association of Victoria Strategic Environment Advisory Group. I attended a meeting of this group whose role it is to discuss a range of issues in relation to local government and the environment.

Of particular note was a presentation by Associate Professor Brian Finlayson who presented detailed information on the impact of logging in Melbourne's water catchments. The information confirmed Yarra Ranges stance to opppose logging in our catchments. There is no doubt that logging effects water yield - dramatically.

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VLGA Forum - 3rd April

Also known as the Victorian Local Government Association. I attended a forum focussing on logging in Melbourne's water catchments. This issue is really gaining traction in the local government sector - read my last blog entry for more info on this one.

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Leader Newspaper Public Transport Forum - 7th April

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I attended a forum for a campaign Leader Newspaper is running to improve public transport in the Upper Yarra corridor.

Many of the issues faced by the Upper Yarra community are very similar to those in the Dandenong Ranges who do not live close to Belgrave station. It is very clear what our community needs is a well connected and frequent public transport service, this is critical to address social isolation, climate change and peak oil. Lets hope those in power are listening.

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North South Pipeline Hearings - 8th April

The panel hearings are currently underway in Yering (Yarra Valley) in relation to the Project Impact Statement (PIA) for the North South (Sugarloaf Interconnector) Pipeline. There are so many concerns in relation to this project it's difficult to know where to start (I've done a separate blog entry with more info). I attended the Shire presentation on Tuesday 8th April where the staff did a great job detailing our concerns.

logging in catchments - 7 councils oppose

It was great to hear that the sixth council has joined with Yarra Ranges to oppose logging in Melbourne's water catchments. The momentum on this issue grows as more people become aware of the impact of logging on water yield, let alone biodiversity, carbon sequestration and climate change.

We all recognise that it is poor water policy to continue to log in Melbourne's precious water catchments. The seven councils who have passed resolutions opposing logging in catchments represent over 800,000 Melburnians.

The Melbourne Water Catchment Network have designed a map that allows users to click on local government areas in Melbourne and easily read the no logging motions passed by councils. I encourage you to have a look by visiting http://melbournecatchments.org/.

Here I am at the Mad Hatter's Tree Party in Warburton (a community event) writing our family's message on the "scroll from the heart", to be presented to the Premier, John Brumby.

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"Dear Mr Brumby, the earth is an amazing provider, she provides us with everything we need to survive. Our forests provide us with air, water and precious biodiversity. These ecological services are provided for free and we couldn't survive without them. Continuing to log our forests puts our very survival at risk. Our forests are precious places and must be conserved and expanded. Please stop logging our native forests now, our children's children will thank you."

the logging petition

The issue of logging continues to grow across the upper yarra region of the shire, as a response to community concerns a petition has been developed.

The petition reads....

Protect Melbourne’s water catchments from logging to protect our precious water supplies long into the future.
We the undersigned draw to the attention of the Legislative Assembly of Victoria that logging of high conservation forest is occurring at the Armstrong Creek Catchment.
We the people, are outraged that at a time when Victoria is experiencing its most severe drought, logging of this catchment is reducing our water supply.
We are equally concerned at the fact that logging of this catchment is destroying the habitat of Victoria’s endangered faunal species, the Leadbeaters Possum.
We therefore call on the Victorian Government to immediately cease logging of the Armstrong, Thomson, Cement, McMahons and Starvation Catchments.

If you would like a copy of the petition to distribute please email me on s.dunn@yarraranges.vic.gov.au

Please note petitions need to be returned by end of March, 2008

picnic for our water - armstrong catchment

Come and hear why our water catchments need protecting, how logging affects water quality, quantity and wildlife and what you can do to help.


The picnic is on Saturday 9th February from 11am to 3pm and will be located 5km East of the Lake Mountain turn off, on the Marysville Woods Point Road


Come and join the Wilderness Society, the Central Highlands Alliance, me (Councillor Samantha Dunn - Yarra Ranges) and others in support of the protection of Melbourne's water catchments from woodchipping.

Logging in water catchments impacts both on the quality and quantity of water coming from out catchments. Come and hear why we need to protect these catchments. Listen to experts discuss the impacts of logging on water and Leadbeater's Possum, Victoria's faunal emblem. Then join us on an easy walk into some of the most beautiful old forests in the Central Highlands to hear how you can help protect Melbourne's catchments.

Bring your picnic hamper, the kids and a rug - all welcome to attend

RSVP to: Vanessa Culliford : 9038 0803 or vanessa.culliford@wilderness.org.au

Melways reference 628 A3

If you need more info contact Vanessa Culliford (see details above)

If you'd like a flyer email me at s.dunn@yarraranges.vic.gov.au

Look forward to seeing you there.

logging in catchments - melbourne's water at risk

At the top of the Armstrong Catchment - Cambarville, on Sunday 16th December, where logging has already commenced.





















It's not just the forest that's at stake, it's thousands of litres of water loss in Melbourne's catchments.

The mainstream media picks up the story with the Herald Sun, Channel 7, 9 and 10 covering the issue.

HOT OFF THE PRESS.....
Tonight: Bayside City Council unanimously votes to support Yarra Ranges' positon of opposing logging of Melbourne’s water catchments.

logging in water catchments

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It was with great dismay that I learnt that the pristine Armstrong catchment in the Shire of Yarra Ranges is be logged in 2007/08 with a total of 4 coupes scheduled for clear felling. I was appalled to learn of this information which came to me via The Central Highlands Alliance, a group I have the greatest respect for.
It was at that point I decided to move a motion through council to publicly support a statement opposing logging in water catchments in Yarra Ranges.

These forests will be clear felled with only 20% of logs removed for sawlog timber; the rest is used for wood chipping.

We are told that regeneration is 100% and that makes this practice sustainable, the truth is that regeneration is between 30 and 60% (and this is based on the DNRE's own data). Regeneration implies that the forest will return to its former state but given clear fell rotations are in 80 year cycles it really means the destruction of diverse ecosystems and the fauna in them.


This is what's at stake: pristine forest in the Armstrong Catchment, image taken by me on a tour of Fire Breaks in August 2007.


There are numerous reports supporting the link between loss of water yield with logging of catchments. In a time where water security is paramount to continue logging threatens even further the supply of water and I question these actions seriously.





So on the 27th November 2007 I moved the following motion:

That Council supports a public statement opposing logging of water catchments in Yarra Ranges, and further that Council also makes representation to the Premier, the Minister of Environment and Minister of Water, and I propose that the statement is:

The Shire of Yarra Ranges does not support logging in water catchments.

Council recognises that:

1. Logging has a dramatic and detrimental effect on water yield in catchments.

2. Young re-growth trees need more water to grow thus releasing less water into catchments.

3. Logging reduces stream flow and yields to water catchments.

4. It takes 150 years for water yields to return to their pre logged status.

5. It is poor water policy to continue to log our water catchments.

6. Logging of water catchments adversely affects water quality through increasing sediment as does road construction through logging coupes.

We urge the government to consider a policy of no logging in water catchments.

I'm pleased to report that the motion was supported unanimously by council (Cr Ken Smith absent).


WHAT CAN YOU DO?
write to your local MP, the Premier, the Minister for Environment and the Minister for Water, the State Government wont know what you think if you don't write to them.

Local MPs
James Merlino (ALP) - james.merlino@parliament.vic.gov.au
Tammy Lobato (ALP) - tammy.lobato@parliament.vic.gov.au
Ben Hardman (ALP) - benedict.hardman@parliament.vic.gov.au
David Hodgett (Lib) - david.hodgett@parliament.vic.gov.au
Christine Fyffe (Lib) - christine.fyffe@parliament.vic.gov.au


The Premier - john.brumby@parliament.vic.gov.au
Minister for the Environment - gavin.jennings@parliament.vic.gov.au
Minister for Water - timothy.holding@parliament.vic.gov.au


















Thanks to the TCHA for the above image of Leadbeaters Possum and the following text:
Victoria’s Faunal Emblem- The Leadbeaters Possum: there are only 2000 left in the world and they are facing extinction due to logging and fire breaks in the Central Highlands of Victoria.