samantha in the press

Yarra Ranges Council wants to ban the feeding of cockatoos in the Dandenong Ranges in bid to stop property damage
by Emily Webb
Free Press Leader
27 Feb 2013

Yarra Ranges Council opposes moves by Puffing Billy operators to allow permit exemptions for new building work
by Emily Webb
Free Press Leader
27 Feb 2013

Eastern Transport Coalition blames an oversight for leaving two Monash level crossings out of budget submission
by Tim Michell
Waverley Leader
26 Feb 2013

VicForests happy to talk with Yarra Ranges Council about move to area after ethical paper pledge retraction
by Kimberley Seedy
Lilydale Leader
25 Feb 2013

Belgrave residents this week can have their say this week on plans for a multi-purpose community space
by Emily Webb
Free Press Leader
24 Feb 2013

council submissions - container deposits & timber release plan

report from the roundtable - 24 apr

As part of council's committment to open and transparent governance we have started to report back via our formal meeting process submissions we have made.

This time round submissions for noting included our submission to:

1. The Standing Council on Environment and Water regarding Packaging Impacts Consultation Regulation Impact Statement
2. VicForests on proposed changes to the 2011-2016 timber release plan.

The first submission highlighted the benefits to Yarra Ranges Council of a Container Deposit Scheme to reduce waste to landfill and the associated costs to council. Yarra Ranges Council has long supported the concept of a Container Deposit Scheme as a way to reduce litter in the environment, reduce the cost of waste management, provide opportunities for community groups to raise income, better reuse resources, increase recycling rates and decrease waste to landfill.

The second submission (to VicForests) highlighted council's concerns, previously detailed in our submission last year (click here for details). They include issues around logging in water catchments, impacts on local tourism and economy, impacts on the environment, quality of ecological assessments, retention of habitat trees, protection of threatened species habitat and regeneration of logged coupes. It is worth noting no changes were made in relation to any submissions made by stakeholders last time round, I suspect it will be the same outcome this time round.

If you'd like to look at either of council's submissions click here for a copy.

my environment -v- vicforests, week one

I've been watching the progress of the MyEnvironment -v- VicForests at the Melbourne Supreme Court with great interest.

The case is testing whether logging operations of VicForests are in compliance with state laws, focussing on three logging coupes in the Toolangi State Forest (Freddo, Gunbarrel and South Col).

Day one and two saw opening statements from both MyEnvironment and VicForests.

Day three saw Justice Robert Osborn and the legal teams visit the coupes in question out in the Toolangi State Forest.

Day four and five saw Prof David Lindenmayer, eminent expert on Leadbeater's Possum take the stand.

After the 2009 bushfires and decades of industrial logging, the unburnt remnant Ash forests now contain the last viable population of the endangered Leadbeater's Possum, along with a large host of other threatened flora and fauna. In his evidence Prof Lindenmayer stated that only 1.16% of the forest remains unburnt or unlogged, there's not much that hasn't been effected by disturbance.

During his cross examination Prof Lindenmayer continued to state the importance of tree hollows in which Leadbeater's Possum spend 75% of their time. His cross examination finished with confirmation that in assessing the Toolangi coupes considerations had been based on hollow bearing trees, occurence of Leadbeater's Possum, added risk of extinction if the coupes were logged, the presence of "Zone 1A" habitat and the impacts of coupe edge effects on the persistence of animals.

VicForests did not make any challenge to the veracity of the underlying data contained in Prof Lindenmayer's report. This week in court it's expected that arguments about the economic impact of logging will be explored.

If you'd like to read more about the case, transcripts are available on the MyEnvironment website, here.

Late last year FSC certification was removed from products coming from these forests because VicForests failed to demonstrate compliance with the principles of biodiversity management.

The primary recipient of wood from the Central Highlands is Nippon Paper Ltd. According to the 2010 URS Treasury Report, Nippon does not pay full costs of production so tax payers are subsidising the wood stream.

Victoria has legislated to guarantee wood to Nippon so the State Government, in a bid to access new resources, are now planning to log parks, water catchments and special protection zones to fulfill the contract.

VicForests argue that they should be allowed to log habitat to keep the industry alive. Whilst resource mapping shows that little forest is left outside special protection zones and buffer strips containing endangered species. The current State Government is proposing 20 year contracts to guarantee industry stability.

I've been in these forests many times, they are magnificent, teeming with life, the most biodiverse of any forest in the country. Far too precious to lose to woodchips for paper production.

day one, saving sylvia creek

Today saw the commencement of a landmark court case for the environment and our endangered faunal emblem, the Leadbeater's Possum, in the trial for MyEnvironment Inc -v- VicForests.

Pictured here: Sarah Rees, Director of MyEnvironment and myself a the Supreme Court.

I, along with many others, went to the Supreme Court to watch proceedings on day one. I was joined by many locals and keen environmentalists. Court room 6 was so full that it was standing room only until Justice Osborn kindly ordered more chairs so everyone could sit down.

The legal team for MyEnvironment put forward a compelling outline of their case, citing numerous breaches of the legislative frameworks that are in place to protect endangered species.

To read more on the background on the logging issue in Toolangi visit my blog (17 July 2011) and here (28 Aug 2011).

Tomorrow will see VicForests put forward an outline of their case. Wednesday will see a site visit to the Toolangi State Forest by Justice Osborn. Thursday expert witnesses will be called for MyEnvironment, with continuation of the case on Friday.

council told to lift reflex ban

Readers will recall that at the council meeting on the 27th April, I moved the Ethical Paper Pledge motion which was supported by a majority vote of council. Council has since gone on to sign the pledge which is a public statement of commitment not to purchase paper with native forest content.

The signing of this pledge and it's implications has since been highlighted in an article in the Herald Sun.
Council told to lift ban on Reflex paper or lose new jobs
by Anne Wright
21 May 2011

In response Yarra Ranges Mayor, Cr Terry Avery issued this statement:

Ethical Paper Pledge
"Council's procurement policy supports sustainability, protection of the environment, corporate social responsibility and local community needs. We purchase copy paper in line with the procurement policy, it requires that paper is made in Australia to minimise 'paper miles' and our carbon footprint.

The paper Yarra Ranges purchases contains 80% recycled fibre and 20% plantation timber fibre, it contains no native forest content from any country.

Australian Paper supplies almost 100% of Council's paper and their Australian (TM) product line was chosen on its environmental credentials and alignment with our sustainable procurement commitments.

We purchase paper in accordance with the Ethical Paper Pledge and encourage other authorities to do likewise. We feel strongly that the pledge is an accurate reflection of our commitment to sustainability, protection of the environment, corporate social responsibility and local community needs as outlined in the procurement policy."

Relocation of VicForests' corporate offices
"Council is supportive in principle of a proposal to relocate the VicForests corporate headquarters to the Yarra Glen/Healesville area. As part of this approach, the CEO of Yarra Ranges Council has had meetings with Minister Walsh and the VicForests CEO to advance the project.

Such a partnership would demonstrate the commitment of State Government and Council to expand local employment bases, promote working closer to home, deliver recurrent operational savings and stimulate the local economy in areas directly affected by the February 2009 bushfires.

We are disappointed that Minister Walsh has chosen to establish a direct link between the two unrelated issues.

We certainly remain open to discussing the opportunities to partner with the State Government to relocate VicForests' corporate headquarters to Yarra Ranges."

yarra ranges submits to vicforest timber release plan

Yarra Ranges Council recently met with representatives of VicForests to talk about their current Timber Release Plan. As a result of talks Yarra Ranges prepared a submission to VicForests.

Council has a number of general concerns but some of our more specific concerns include:
Logging in Water Catchments - Council does not support any logging in closed or open water catchments, back in November 2007, I moved a motion to oppose logging in water catchments which was supported unanimously. There are 86 coupes proposed for water catchments in the current timber release plan.
Impact of Logging on Tourism, Local Economy and Environment - In June 2010 Cr McRae moved a motion calling for the immediate halt of logging on the Bicentennial Trail and Mt St Leonards due to significant adverse impacts on the local economy, tourism features and the environment. Council continues to be concerned about the siting of coupes in sensitive tourism areas and coupes that impact on the significant landscapes of the shire, our vistas are very important and need to be protected. It is council's view that at least 11 proposed coupes will impact on prominent tourism areas.
Quality of Ecological Assessments - council continues to be concerned about the level of ecological assessment of logging coupes. Council believes, given the ecological significance and sensitivity of many flora and fauna in Yarra Ranges, that comprehensive ecological assessments are required for each coupe prior to approval by a someone who has suitable and specific ecological qualifications.
Post Logging Ecological Assessments - council believes that there is little or no data on the cumulative ecological effect of logging on our forests and that as a matter of course assessments should be conducted 6 months after a regeneration burn to assess the cumulative effect on biodiversity and regeneration success.
Retention of Habitat Trees - council believes the logging industry should apply the same standard to the identification of habitat trees that applies in the state government's Native Vegetation Management Framework. That way habitat trees would be identified using the sound science that underpins the NVMF rather than use a subjective in the field assessment of what constitutes a habitat tree.
Protection of Threatened Species Habitat - The extent of the 2009 bushfires had significant impact on the habitat of threatened species, particularly Leadbeater's Possum. Council wants assurances that no new coupes will be granted that have the potential to destroy Special Protection Zone forest or any areas of Leadbeaters Possums' Permanent Reserve System or other areas previously set aside to conserve and secure forest biodiversity. There are currently 21 proposed coupes adjacent to SPZ or LPPRS forest.
Regeneration of Logged Coupes - Council is concerned about the rate of regeneration of logged coupes. It is abundantly clear from recent reports that regeneration rates fall well below what is required and there is a growing backlog of logged coupes requiring regeneration. Council does not support the approval of any new coupes in the region until VicForests can clearly demonstrate their capacity, budget and commitment to address the backlog of regeneration.

There are a number of other issues too, including movement of logging trucks at night and on Sundays (through tourist towns), landscape fragmentation and habitat connectivity, value of timber products (which in the main are low grade woodchips, not high grade timber veneers) and monitoring and reporting of forest management. It's a complex issue which continues to impact on the Shire in many ways.

Our forests are more important than ever, in combating climate change as carbon sinks, protecting water supply for greater Melbourne as well as biodiversity, it's important to protect and conserve what's left.