So called ‘salvage’ logging has commenced in the fire damaged forests of eastern Victoria. Logging is underway in up to 3,500 hectares of fire-affected Alpine Ash forest, even before proper assessment of bushfire damage to forests and wildlife—like the Greater Glider—has been possible.

Although there will be a temporary ban on felling, of some unburnt forest areas that miraculously survived last spring and summer’s terrible bushfires—a measure made possible because of people like you standing up for wildlife—loss and fragmentation of habitat will continue. Together, we can change this.

Here’s how: a Major Event Review of logging operations in Victoria's fire-affected forests must happen urgently. The recently renewed Victorian Regional Forest Agreements (RFAs) contain a special new ‘trigger’ that means in the event of a major bushfire, a review can be conducted to analyse impacts on forests and threatened species and change logging practices.

The Federal Government’s responsibilities for threatened wildlife and ensuring ‘ecologically sustainable’ logging, are required under the RFAs. So, at a time when the Victorian Government is embarking on so-called salvage logging, it is vital Major Event Reviews are now undertaken. There’s no time to waste, as wildlife are suffering and we’re losing forests—fast.

Will you join thousands of others and write to Ministers Ley and Duniam today asking them to trigger Major Event Reviews in Victoria?

Logging bushfire affected forests is extremely damaging because it’s a doubling of the damage:

• First, the bushfires extensively burnt forests and habitat. Many plant and animal populations have suffered devastating declines. Forests and wildlife are vulnerable and can take decades or centuries to recover.
• Then, introducing heavy machinery and chainsaws into burnt sites crushes understory and ground plants struggling to recover from fire and increases the risk of soil, ash and sediment washing into streams and rivers. Threatened wildlife such as the Greater Glider, Sooty Owl and Smoky Mouse need these areas to recover to recolonise and survive into the future.

Yours for nature,

Richard
The Wilderness Society Team, Victoria

Help us to protect Australia's beautiful nature for generations to come.