By Lachlan Ellis<\/p>\n
State-owned logging company VicForests has been ordered to cease operations in part of a local forest indefinitely, after an endangered reptile species was discovered.<\/p>\n
An injunction against VicForests\u2019 work harvesting fallen trees in the \u2018Silver Queen\u2019 coupe in the Wombat State Forest was originally ordered in September by the Supreme Court, with that injunction ending on 31 October.<\/p>\n
But on Thursday 30 November, Justice Melinda Richards ordered VicForests and contractor Tiley Industries to stop any work in the Silver Queen coupe, after nine endangered mountain skinks were found in the area.<\/p>\n
The operations began in 2021, to clear trees that fell in the storm events that occurred in June and October that year.<\/p>\n
A VicForests spokesperson told the Moorabool News that the court proceedings \u201care presenting a significant barrier for us to collect windthrown timber in the Wombat State Forest\u201d.<\/p>\n
But environmental groups who have been protesting VicForests\u2019 operations in the forest, and calling for the legislation of a national park in the area, have called the decision a win.<\/p>\n
Gayle Osborne is the convenor of Wombat Forestcare \u2013 which has taken VicForests to court over its operations in the Wombat State Forest \u2013 said the group was \u201cvery pleased the injunction to halt the windfall harvesting\u201d is in place.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis shows how important it is to survey rigorously for all species. There has already been some salvage work on the coupe, and we do not know if some populations of the endangered skink have been destroyed by heavy machinery,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cMembers of Wombat Forestcare recently recorded a mountain skink only three kilometres from the logging coupe, so it is not surprising that they have been found on or near the site.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ms Osborne acknowledged that mountain skinks are \u201cquite a difficult species to survey for, as they are particularly well-camouflaged\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen disturbed [they] will disappear into a burrow and can take a very long time to re-emerge. Wombat Forestcare is also particularly concerned about the spotted hyacinth orchid (Dipodium pardalinum) an endangered species, which will emerge in January and February and is expected to be found on the site.\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Wombat Forestcare\u2019s Supreme Court case against VicForests alleged the company had not checked for owls, quolls, and reptiles in the Wombat State Forest in September, and has also expanded its case to allege breaches of species survey requirements in other western forests, including the Mount Cole, Pyrenees, Cobaw and Enfield forests.<\/p>\n
In September, VicForests barrister Fiona Hudgson said the company hadn\u2019t surveyed for reptiles or quolls because there was no evidence of them being found in the Silver Queen coupe, and that \u201cyou don\u2019t find them [mountain skinks] in this part of Victoria\u201d.<\/p>\n
The Supreme Court expects VicForests to undertake extensive surveys and to protect all species detected in the Wombat State Forest, with 25 flora species and 33 fauna species identified in Wombat Forestcare\u2019s claim against VicForests.<\/p>\n
The Court has not yet heard evidence from both parties, nor determined whether each species is likely to be present in the forest, or are at risk from windthrown timber removal or timber harvesting.<\/p>\n
The State Government announced that in 2021, part of the Wombat State Forest would become part of a new \u2018Wombat-Lerderderg National Park\u2019, but that national park has not yet been legislated.<\/p>\n
VicForests and Wombat Forestcare are expected to be back in court on 5 February next year for a directions hearing and trial date.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By Lachlan Ellis State-owned logging company VicForests has been ordered to cease operations in part of a local forest indefinitely, after an endangered reptile species was discovered. An injunction against VicForests\u2019 work harvesting fallen trees in the \u2018Silver Queen\u2019 coupe in the Wombat State Forest was originally ordered in September by the Supreme Court, with […]<\/p>\n