Goolengook incorporated into new National Park

The Victorian Government officially finally launched on Friday the new East Gippsland National Park. Most significantly it contains the Goolengook Forest, an area where logging protestors maintained an inspiring five year blockade between 1997-2002. The government had announced the inclusion of Goolengook into national park four years ago, leading forest campaigners to accuse the government of "recycling" its announcements but acknowledged the new park was at least "a star". Jill Redwood from the Environment East Gippsland stated

“The protection of Yalmy’s forests and Goolengook’s magnificent old growth and rainforest is very welcome, despite Goolengook’s heart having been logged out.”

However she went on:

“The areas have taken four years to be finalised, while DSE accommodated the logging industry’s demands over this election promise. Meanwhile thousands of hectares of old growth and mature forests were clearfelled in the interim. Like an extinct species, they will never return.”

“This includes forests at Brown Mountain, which had recognised old growth values and supported endangered wildlife. If the government didn’t consider Brown Mountain ‘significant old growth’ it shows how many other equally magnificent forests have been condemned to clearfelling.”

Read full statement here

The Age was the only mainstream media to cover the event with the story Uneasy truce carved from log war which included the laughable statement from the Victorian Association of Forest Industries that this announcement will cause more forests to be chopped down in Indonesia!