the campaign trail - 17 nov

I'm running in the upcoming state election in the upper house seat of Eastern Metropolitan. It's getting to the pointy end now with election day on 29 November, if you'd like to help the campaign email me on samantha.dunn@vic.greens.org.au.

 It's been another busy week on the campaign trail. This week includes updates on:

- Greens campaigning on the phone, at railway stations, local shopping centres across Eastern Metro and of course packing booth kits for the start of prepoll

Molly Rose, one of our canine team members in
Eastern Metro, casting a careful eye over our booth
kits for prepolling.

- The Greens want a Fair price for Solar
- The Greens are the only party that support a Great Forest National Park and protecting the habitat of Leadbeater's Possum
- Eastern Metro Greens, now on facebook - like 'em
- Greens launch new ad, watch and help us share
- Put a twibbon on your twitter profile

Great to have Greens Candidate for Caulfield, TimBaxter,
help with the Eastern Metro phonebank.

- The Greens - no more inappropriate donations to political campaigns
- The Greens will protect retirees
- The Greens will give real power to IBAC to investigate and tackle political corruption
- Investing in a healthy community
- The Greens plan for supported housing
- Statewide campaign is launched by Senator Christine Milne and Greg Barber

- Greens support Public Transport Rally, you can trust the Greens to stop the East West Tollway

- Greens: Giving more certainty to Renewables in Victoria
- Eastern Metro campaign events, can you help, find out more here
- Greens release statewide how to vote card


You can keep up to date with campaign news on
facebook - Samantha Dunn EasternMetropolitan
  or
twitter - @greens4eastmet 

to volunteer or donate

web - Samantha Dunn, Candidate for Eastern Metropolitan

the campaign trail - 15 sep

I'm running in the upcoming state election in the upper house seat of Eastern Metropolitan. It's been another busy week on the campaign trail. This week includes updates on:

- Greens kickstart Doncaster Rail
- Greens announce election commitment: Victorian Family Violence Action Plan
- Tour of the Toolangi forests with Bob Brown and Ellen Sandell
- Phonebanking with the Maroondah Knox Greens
- Greens want a Fair go for Solar Savers

A logging coupe is a devastating sight,
only the Greens will stand up for
our forests, biodiversity and Victoria's
very own Leadbeater's Possum.

You can keep up to date with campaign news on:

facebook - Samantha Dunn EasternMetropolitan
  or
twitter - @greens4eastmet 

to volunteer or donate

web - Samantha Dunn, Candidate for Eastern Metropolitan

the campaign trail - 8 sep

I'm running in the upcoming state election in the upper house seat of Eastern Metropolitan. It's been another busy week on the campaign trail. This week includes updates on:

- Threatened Species Day - a visit to Toolangi with Greens Leader, Senator Christine Milne, and Victorian Senator Janet Rice
- Greens call for inquiry into Crown license extension
- Greens support Knox Council's call for action on Rowville Rail
- Greens will phase out gambling, alcohol and junk food advertising on public transport and billboards
- I sign the TAFE4ALL pledge
- Old parties block misconduct reform
- Filling the missing tram links  
- Greens say school autonomy going too far - schools need more support
- Be part of the phonebank action in Maroondah Knox
- Campaigning at the Warrandyte Market
- Manningham Greens campaign at the DART 

You can keep up to date with campaign news on:

facebook - Samantha Dunn EasternMetropolitan

  or
twitter - @greens4eastmet 

to volunteer or donate

web - Samantha Dunn, Candidate for Eastern Metropolitan

leadbeaters possum still threatened

Despite much focus on Victoria’s state faunal emblem, the Leadbeater’s Possum, it’s still under threat, listed as endangered and nominated for consideration as critically endangered.

The two key threats to its ongoing existence are logging and fire. Sadly it’s habitat continues to be logged in Victoria. Most recently a coupe (Rusty in Toolangi) containing 101 hollow bearing trees, habitat critical for the ongoing survival of Leadbeater’s Possum, is being logged to supply woodchip (80%), pallet wood (17%) and a tiny 3% highgrade timber.

 

There’s been a long history of efforts to protect this species. In 2012, the much respected Professor David Lindenmayer, Australia’s foremost expert on the Leadbeater’s Possum (LBP) and their habitat with 30 years’ experience and research, quit the LBP Recovery Team stating that the Victorian government was “managing the Leadbeater’s Possum into extinction.”
 

Toolangi locals and those concerned further afield
are campaigning to highlight logging and its
contribution to extinction, this banner will be
adjusted every week to reflect how many people
have been following the issue online, last Sunday
the number of people exceeded 1.1million.

Prof David Lindenmayer remains one of the critical voices in the fight for the Leadbeater’s Possum and the Central Highlands of Victoria. Despite the ongoing work and focus of many the Leadbeater’s Possum remains under threat.

In the lead up to the Victorian State Election there has been an enormous advocacy campaign to see the creation of a Great Forest National Park, Prof David Lindenmayer said of the park “The Great Forests National Park is an investment for the long-term because it will secure Melbourne's domestic water supply catchments, a suite of new economic opportunities for the region will roll-out, and the state's faunal emblem, the Leadbeater's Possum, among others, will be brought back from the brink of extinction.”

 

Greens Senator Janet rice visited Toolangi late last year.

In September, 2013, The Greens announced their support for the Great Forest National Park and called on broader support for the creation of the park. They said “The Victorian state government is logging some of the Leadbeater's Possum's last remaining habitat, in Victoria's Central Highlands. This logging is driving this endangered animal to extinction. With fewer than 1000 remaining, we need a National Park to ensure they are protected.”
 

In the recent submissions, as part of the Leadbeater’s Possum Advisory Group (LPAG) consultations, 70% of submissions recommended the creation of a Great Forest National Park as a course of action. Other issues raised as part of the LPAG submissions included:

· The need to secure habitat for Leadbeater’s Possum now and into the future, and to ensure this habitat has connectivity and a distribution of age classes.

· A call for the end of clearfall timber harvesting. There is an opinion that timber harvesting should be migrated to plantations.
· Protection of Leadbeater’s Possum colonies was a strong theme throughout the submissions. In line with the position adopted by the leading scientist on the species, Professor David Lindenmayer, many submissions adopted either all his recommendations or variations on those recommendations.
· Address forestry prescriptions to secure environmental benefits – particularly the protection of old growth forest and the need to ensure the recruitment of the next generation of old growth.
· Lack of information and transparency – a call for an end to the (perceived) subsidisation of VicForests, clarity on the sustainability of native timber harvest and the economic impacts/benefits of native timber harvest.

The recommendations from the LPAG are disappointing, but given the terms of reference were framed 'supporting the recovery of the Leadbeater's Possum while maintaining a sustainable timber industry', it’s not surprising.

Recommendations contained will still impact on the long term survival of the species, with Prof Lindenmayer stating “I think it’ll buy the Leadbeater’s Possum maybe five, at most ten years. The possum might survive 25, 30 years from now, instead of 15 to 20 years, (but) this is about 10 per cent of what is needed.” Prof Lindenmayer said the report had ignored the 31 years of science he had contributed on the possum and the ecology of the Central Highlands forests.
 

The Friends of Leadbeater’s Possum labelled the LPAG recommendations as mediocre and have detailed their response to the 13 LPAG recommendations here.

 I’ve got a long history of the issues around logging and leadbeater’s on my blog, click here if you’d like to read some past stories.
 

Meanwhile the community continues to protest the logging in Toolangi and #saverusty is getting a lot of exposure on social media platforms as a way to highlight the plight of our forests and the wildlife that lives in them.  You can find out more about that campaign by searching #saverusty and don’t forget to sign up to support the GreatForest National Park too.

another extinction emergency looming

Last week I attended Extinction Emergency, an event hosted by Greens Senator RichardDi Natale about the increasing biodiversity crisis happening in Victoria's backyard, in the forests of the Central Highlands.


What an inspiring group of people, from left to right:
Tim Flannery, Prof David Lindenmayer, Bob Brown,
Sarah Rees, Adam Bandt and Janet Rice.

The event saw a range of inspiring speakers talk to a packed RMIT Storey Hall about the crisis our State faunal emblem, the Leadbeater's Possum, is facing due to lack of habitat. 

Speakers also outlined a vision for the future, one that is good for jobs, good for the environment, good for climate change, good for water supply and good for biodiversity, the creation of the Great Forest National Park spanning the forests of the Central Highlands of Victoria.

Tim Flannery spoke about the extinction crisis in this country and said it was the eleventh hour for the Leadbeater's Possum, concerned that we will be the last generation to see this species alive. He went on to say that if we do act we can prevent decline of species.

Professor David Lindenmayer has been studying
the Leadbeater's Possum for over three decades.
He says we need to start rethink the management
of public assets for the public good.
for the public good

Prof David Lindenmayer, renowned expert on Leadbeater's Possum, said the plight of the possum was emblematic of the failure of government policy and legislation to protect a species and that industrial scale logging was setting the possum on a path to extinction. He talked about  the Mountain Ash forests of the Central Highlands and their carbon carrying capacity, these are the most carbon dense forests in the world (read more here).   He went on to highlight that only 1.16% of old growth Mountain Ash forest is left, whilst only 0.37% of Alpine Ash forest remains and we continue to log our water catchments explaining in detail the enormous pressure our forests are under.

He talked about the science that shows that logging makes these forests more fire prone and how critical it is to have old trees left in the forests to provide habitat for Leadbeater's Possum (among other species). He raised concerns about logging and the prescriptions that guide not only how but how much gets logged and the urgent need for them to change.

Professor Lindenmayer explained the creation of a Great Forest National Park would address the lack of habitat available to the Leadbeater's Possum as the current reserve system in place is not nearly enough to ensure the survival of the species.  Prof Lindenmayer went on to talk about the wealth of opportunities a Great Forest National Park would create. 

Next up was Bob Brown, long time campaigner and advocate for the environment, now heading up the Bob Brown Foundation, an organisation which aims to help front-line environmentalists wherever they face the imminent destruction of Australia’s wild and scenic heritage. Bob spoke of the magnificence of these forests only an hour or so from Melbourne.  He spoke with great passion about the world's tallest flowering tree, the mountain ash, and the opportunity for the Leadbeater's Possum and a Great Forest National Park if 4 million Melburnians got behind it.

Adam Bandt, Greens MP (and candidate) for Melbourne announced that the Greens were 100% behind the push to create a Great Forest National Park.

Sarah Rees, Healesville based environmentalist and Director of My Environment, spoke of how critical it was to diversify the local economy of the region.  She went on to say that MyEnvironment are in talks with the local timber industry to talk about transition plans out of the industry and into new jobs.

The Kalatha Giant walk in Toolangi is a great example of ecotourism in these magnificent forests, imagine the potential with the Great Forest National Park.  

Part of the Extinction Emergency included vox pop
interviews by Rob Gell. I talked to Rob about my concerns
about diminishing habitat for endangered species in
Yarra Ranges.

It was a great event, with these inspirational speakers highlighting a vision for the future that protects not only the environment and habitat of a range of species including threatened species like Leadbeater's Possum and the Powerful Owl, but has benefits for water supply to Melbourne and carbon storage as a way to mitigate climate change.

I encourage you to have a look at the Great Forest National Park website and start to talk to friends, family, work colleagues and politicians about the issues, it's the only way we'll ever see the change we want to see. I also encourage you to visit these magnificent forests, they are truly special places and far too precious to lose to logging.

samantha in the media

Extinction Emergency: Save our forests
The Australian Greens
Aug 2013

Council debt to hit $50million
by Jesse Graham
Mail Newspapers
20 Aug 2013

samantha in the media

3MDR Roundabout
Interview with Graham Beal

Yarra Ranges Council rejects plan to fine people who feed cockatoos on private land
by Emily Webb
Free Press Leader
29 May 2013

Track works get back to nature
by Russell Bennett
Mail Newspapers
28 May 2013

world expert on leadbeaters to brief yarra ranges councillors

I was delighted that my councillor colleagues agreed to an invitation by Professor David Lindenmayer to brief us. Prof Lindenmayer is world expert on Victoria's State Faunal Emblem, the Leadbeater's Possum, having studied them for over 30 years.
Most recently Prof Lindenmayer wrote to the Prime Minister highlighting his concerns around the management of the forests that are home to Leadbeater's Possum.

Prof Lindenmayer reports to the PM that he has seen "increasingly poorly informed management of these forests that is akin to some of the worst I have seen anywhere in the world during his  32+ year research career. 

The Victorian Government is now well aware that 43% of the habitat of Leadbeater’s Possum was burned in the 2009 fires and our long-term research clearly shows that animals do not occur in burned forest (irrespective of fire severity)."

Adding to this is the large old tree crisis in these forests – a problem on which Prof Lindenmayer with the Fenner School of Environment and Society - the Australian National University have published widely with major papers in the world’s leading journal Science in 2012 as well as detailed peer-reviewed scientific articles in PLOS One (in 2012) and Conservation Letters (in 2013).

Yarra Ranges Councillors were briefed on the large old tree crisis by Prof Lindenmayer's research assistants earlier this year.

Prof Lindenmayer also reports that "in Victoria, less than 1.15% of the Mountain Ash forest is now old growth – a situation far worse than in Tasmania." He goes on to say, "Yet, extraordinarily, in the past few months, the Victorian Government has taken deliberate and calculated retrograde steps to water down the protection of Leadbeater’s Possum (see Department of Sustainability and Environment 2013).

There is no other way to interpret these recent actions than a deliberate attempt to drive an endangered species to extinction. Indeed, this would be the first time a government in a first-world (developed) nation has taken deliberate steps to drive a species to extinction. This is an issue about which we have widely researched and will soon publish a peer-reviewed scientific article."

"Given the parlous state of Leadbeater’s Possum, the tragically limited size of the old growth estate in Mountain Ash forests, and the current unwillingness of the Victorian Government to take appropriate measures to address these problems, my research team and I have taken the extraordinary step of publishing a new set of management prescriptions. These are specifically designed to minimize the risk of extinction of Leadbeater’s Possum. Unlike recent documents produced by the Victorian Government (e.g. the Survey Standards for Leadbeater’s Possum, approved in January 2013 – see Department of Sustainability and Environment 2013), the set of new prescriptions we have produced is based on the best and most up-to date peer-reviewed science. This is because my research team and I recognise the need for evidence-based management and evidence-based policy."

"It is critical that the new prescriptions are adopted as soon as possible. Indeed, the persistence of Leadbeater’s Possum has long been regarded as a true test case of ecologically sustainable forest management (dating back to the early 1990s; see Lindenmayer et al. 1990; Lindenmayer 1996). If the species continues to decline and goes extinct then there is no way that forestry operations in Victorian ash forests could be construed as being ecologically sustainable (read more at the Conversation here). This would, in turn, have massive negative implications for the certification of the native forest industry in Victoria – thereby locking in low prices for paper and timber products from publically-owned forests. I suggest it is time for significant reform of the Victorian forest industry..."

I thank Professor Lindenmayer for his ongoing efforts to save the Leadbeater's Possum, the development of "New Restoration Forest Management Prescriptions to Conserve Leadbeater’s Possum and Rebuild the Cover of Ecologically Mature Forest in the Central Highlands of Victoria" highlights that the available scientific information clearly indicates that new strategies based on the best available and most up-to-date science are urgently required. This prescription provides guidelines for a new approach to restoration forest management to better conserve Leadbeater’s Possum and rebuild the (ecologically) mature forest estate in the Central Highlands of Victoria.  

I look forward to Prof Lindenmayer's briefing, we are very privileged in Yarra Ranges to be home to the endangered Leadbeater's Possum, I'd like to think we'd do all we can to fight their extinction. 

Quotes reproduced with the permission of Prof David Lindenmayer.

 

Organisations fighting to protect Leadbeaters Possum

 

Please support the court case to save the home of the Leadbeater's Possum, donate what you can to My Environment.

 

 

Friends of Leadbeater's Possum was established in 2004 to give a voice to these elusive forest animals. They hope to be able to help Leadbeater’s survive in the wild by encouraging conservation efforts, research programs and effective conservation strategies and policies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

leadbeater's possum - situation critical

Pam Miskin, President of the Friends of Leadbeaters Possum,
Eric Wilkinson who rediscovered the species in 1961 and
Cr Samantha Dunn, keen to continue to highlight the plight of our
state emblem, the Leadbeater's Possum.

It was great to get up into the forests in Camberville behind Melbourne's water catchments as part of the Leadbeater's Possum Awareness Week. Leadbeater’s Possum is Victoria’s State Faunal emblem. An endangered species with both State and National Recovery Programs in place. Endemic to Victoria, they exist nowhere else but the Central Highlands forests, Yellingbo Nature Conservation Reserve and alpine areas between Lake Mountain & Mt. Baw Baw. 

Dave Blair assists Prof David Lindenmayer with his
research work in the Central Highlands forests.

Friends of Leadbeater's Possum organised a walk and talk led by David Blair, scientific researcher for Professor David Lindenmayer, world expert on Leadbeater's Possum.

Eric Wilkinson has many a tale to tell about rediscovering
Leadbeater's Possum, including the challenges of
photographing his discovery with old bulb flash technology.

It was wonderful to hear from Eric Wilkinson, who rediscovered the possum in on the 3rd April, 1961. Eric retold his tales of exploring the region in his Hillman Minx as a 22 year old and his amazement that he had seen a Leadbeater's Possum, at the time, thought to have been extinct.

David Blair led the group on a walk through both intact, burnt and severely burned forests and explained the importance of large old trees to this species and the many threats to this species including fire and logging.

People came from near and far to learn more about
the Central Highlands forests, home to Leadbeater's Possum.

Population estimates for Leadbeater's Possum prior to the 2009 bushfires were around 2,000-2,500 individuals, post-fire estimates are at around 800. Approximately 40-50% of their prime habitat was lost in the fires whilst what is left is often logged, the legislation in place to protect the species, weak, currently being contested in the MyEnvironment v VicForests Supreme Court Appeal.

Even as part of his judgement Justice Robert Osborn said, "MyEnvironment has demonstrated a strong case for the overall review of the adequacy of the reserve system intended to protect LBP habitat within the Central Highlands Forest Management Area. The [2009] bushfires have materially changed the circumstances in which the existing system was planned and implemented and there is, on the evidence, an urgent need to review it".

The future of Leadbeater's Possum is dire, a recent article in New Matilda highlights the proposed watering down of legislation to protect this species, the Victorian State government has since backed away from these changes, highlighted in a story in today's Age.

Back in September last year, Prof David Lindenmayer resigned from the Leadbeater's Recovery Team in protest over policies which he said was managing the species into extinction. At the time Prof Lindenmayer said he could no longer work with "the most environmentally bankrupt administration". You can read more about it in this Age article.     

In the state of Victoria Leadbeater’s Possum is listed under the Victorian Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 as threatened.

In Australia Leadbeater’s Possum is listed under the Environment Protection & Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act 1999 as endangered.

The IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) Red List of Threatened Animals 1994 lists Leadbeater’s Possum as endangered.

Logging of the Mountain Ash forests in the Central Highlands for woodchips (paper production) has resulted in the loss of vast areas of Leadbeater’s Possum habitat. Prof Lindenmayer says our forests are being overcut, so there'll be no habitat left for Leadbeater's Possum into the future.

The fragmentation of suitable habitat by timber harvesting causes isolated small populations of animals, who are then unable to reach other colonies for breeding.

Other events, such as bushfires, disease, drought (climate change) and collapsing old habitat trees are also threatening processes for Leadbeater’s Possum.

It is a crisis and we have to ask ourselves as Victorians, do we accept watching on as this species, our state emblem, teeters on the brink of extinction.

If you'd like to help Friends of Leadbeater's Possum in their efforts you can find out more about them here. My congratulations to the group, it was sobering to learn more about the perilous situation Leadbeater's Possum are in and I'll be doing my utmost to continue to highlight their plight.