Sylvia Creek blockade update

The report below is from Don Butcher, a campaigner involved in the campaign to save Sylvia Creek from logging in the Toolangi State Forest east of Melbourne. This campaign has been going for more than a month and involved ten arrests so far.

Some of the community actions so far.

Community protests at Sylvia Creek

The first two photos from Monday 8th August show the ongoing stand off with Department of Sustainability & Envionment (DSE) officers at a line 50 m from the gates of the public safety zone - these DSE officers have the powers to arrest. Channel 9 reporter and camera filmed on this day. We have been threatened with arrest crossing this line. We have had a few arrests thus far.

The DSE are supposed to be protecting the biodiversity and habitat values of the forest, their own fauna records have recorded Leadbeater’s possum near the coupes And we strongly believe this amazing animal - the State faunal emblem is in the coupe.

August 13th Gathering

We are local people from Toolangi, Healesville and the broader region
This is a photo from last Saturday morning (Aug 13) of some of our concerned locals, we had a similar turn out of different folk on the Sunday for a 10 am photo. These are real people - some lost houses on Black Saturday, defended their properties or fought in local fire brigades. One couple still recovering from the Black Saturday fires were further distressed to have trees felled close to their home only months after the fire.

August 17th Protest

Protestors gathered on Wednesday 17th August at the site of the coupe and later at the VicForests office in Healesville to demand Sylvia Creek coupes be saved.

Public Meetings

Two recent meetings at the CJ Dennis hall in Toolangi have been attended by 70 concerned people, and a third meeting on Thursday night (Aug 11) was attended by over 120 people, local media, local radio, Local and State politicians. Yes, Channel 9 news on Monday night (Aug 8) was pretty disappointing; to our surprise we had no coverage. A silly story about mobile phones by John Burgess was given precedence ... we couldn’t believe it.

Why we need to save Sylvia Creek

I have thrown myself into this campaign - falling in love with the landscape practically on my doorstep just 20 minutes up the road. Being a part of the habitat surveys I am getting to know the forest by leaving the dirt roads and walking in it. The next image to me powerfully states our case, the extent of Feb 2009 fires. And what is so upsetting to this community is the fact that following these fires, VicForests have not taken the precautionary approach - but effectively ramped up their ʻharvestʼ. A harvest I would liken more akin to mining! As demonstrated by logs being shipped to China in containers: - http://www.abc.net.au/news/video/2011/06/10/3241404.htm

The Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) are letting these forests down! A toothless tiger! A rubber stamp for VicForests mismanagement of high conservation value forests. As demonstrated by East Gippslandʼs Brown Mountain case, no disrespect to the Long-footed Potoroo this green refuge is the habitat for the State faunal emblem -Leadbeaterʼs possum, of which around 50% of its habitat was burnt by February 2009 fires. This animal needs intervention or support if its to be saved from extinction.
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This is the forest that survived Black Saturday! The green refuge!

http://advocacy.britannica.com/blog/advocacy/2009/11/the-australian-“black-saturday”-bushfires-of-2009/

The green refuge is just to Toolangi’s east in the middle of the two fires – a survivor! The Kilmore fire to the west and the Murindindi fire to the east! This survivor is a watershed for the Yea River which flows into the Goulburn River, such an important river for Victoria's agriculture, and its irrigated farms. At a more local level Sylvia creek effectively flows through Toolangi as it joins the Yea River.

The VicForest pre-logging survey
The VicForests pre logging survey is inadequate, in terms of both flora and fauna, a local environment group has engaged an environmental consultant to effectivley do it for them. Confirming this is a multi aged forest! Not simply ʻ39 regrowthʼ as the acting Premier Louise Asher announced at the beginning of our campaign.

This is exactly the same situation at Brown Mountain in East Gippsland, an inadequate pre-logging survey, seemingly VicForests has not learned. VicForests still owe the court case fees to Jill Redwood of Environment East Gippsland (EEG) over the groups discovery of the Long-footed Potoroo in a logging coupe. Jill Redwood won the court case and VicForest owe her the legal fees - still.
Confirming our environmental consultants work VicForests excluded an area from the coupe as the following map from VicForests shows.

This area was excluded following field work by the consultant we engaged, hence a local environment group pre-empted VicForests pre-logging survey. This excluded area is shown by the hashed lines at middle of the map. Sadly this is ʻminutes to midnight stuffʼ! The area excluded was identified by the consultant during one walk through the forest identifying large trees of suitable habitat for Leadbeaters possum (i.e. just a few hours work), not a comprehensive survey.

Ecological Survey Report released Friday August 19th 2011

This initial report from the consultant identifies 50 pre 1900 trees (VicForests own policy precludes them from cutting trees this age), and located 178 habitat trees in the two coupes. That's 178 homes for a species that lost half of it's habitat in the 2009 in the fires. The report identifies four defined areas of interest within the coupes totaling 29.3 Hectares, confirming the forest is of mixed age and critical for a Leadbeater’s possum future. In line with the Central Highlands Forest Management plan the report establishes the coupes contain Leadbeater’s Possum habitat areas of Zone 1A and 1B. Logging therefore should be stopped immediately!
Title of Ecological survey report "Gunbarrel Freddo Coupe Ecological Survey Report. 19 august 2011, Ecotopia, Jacques Cop"

I have been involved with the habitat surveys.
Acting Premier Louise Asher claimed these three logging coupes are ʻ... all 1939 regrowthʼ. Louise Asherʼs dismissal of this forest we find insulting, I personally have measured dozens of pre 1900 trees, and measured and recorded important dead trees standing (known as stags), potential Leadbeater’s possum homes.

Trees like this wonder above – with a girth of 999 cm (nearly 10 metres), or 3m diameter at 1.3m above ground (DBH) one of many awesome trees that would be left behind as a ʻHabitat tree’. Note: With the photo of this tree - it is important to state that the photo was taken after measurement, as the tape is in the wrong position for the official measurement.

This tree above with a girth of 763 cm, or 2.4m DBH, still living yet completely hollow. VicForests would leave this tree behind as a habitat tree (hence marked by the pink H), but for an old matriarch like this one, the spray painted H is an ominous sign - firstly the regeneration fire is a very dangerous time. Then, if the fire is survived it is a very lonely place for an old tree! Growing with no protection from the community of trees that was in place - effectively as a wind break, but more - a community of trees is a self contained climate, damp and cool. Metaphorically speaking – VicForests provides no palliative care for these elders!

Senescing (or dying) trees and stags - a note!
These are key components of this high conservation value forest - its the ʻhousing estateʼ for the iconic animals of the trees - Sooty Owl, Masked Owl, Powerful Owl, Greater glider, Sugar glider, Mountain Brushtail and Leadbeaterʼs possums. Walking in these three coupes to be logged, one notices they are filled with this primo housing estate, and I am instilled with a sense of wonder at the animals it contains. If VicForests and the DSE turn this forest into a giant tree farm this housing estate will only be found in the small special protection zones.

The following photo shows two stags in Gunbarrel coupe possibly home to the mysterious and enigmatic Leadbeaterʼs possum. I had thought the habitat trees and stags left would be some how looked after -however i am dismayed to learn they are treated as an afterthought, they might as well bulldoze them. Biodiversity finds little place in VicForests / DSE tree farm operation.

Reflex looses Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification
The current controversy over logging of Leadbeater’s Possum habitat at Sylvia Creek forest near Melbourne is a clear example of why timber from Victorian native forests doesn’t deserve a green tick,” said Healesville-based My Environment Inc. spokesperson Sarah Rees."This vindicates the hundreds of local conservationists across the state who have been fighting to protect their local native forests from being woodchipped to make Reflex Paper,” she added.

What can you do?

• Sign the ethical paper pledge
I urge you to sign the ethical paper pledge ethicalpaper.com.au and lobby to get as many of your employers as you can to sign also! Many places already avoid using reflex paper - so their pledge is easy :-)

• Come visit Toolangi State Forest, drive up Sylvia Creek Road and visit the Coupe -just 7.5 km up Sylvia Creek Road, be sure to visit Wirra Willa walk on the way also - cooltemperate rainforest - very beautiful. Take care on the road - its a good dirt road,weekdays be aware of log trucks.

• From MyEnvironment http://www.myenvironment.net.au/ watch this youtube video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8qOa0epeL0&feature=player_embedded#at=17

• Make a tax deductible donation to the to the ‘Save Silvia’ fund on MyEnvironment’s website, for ecological surveys, legal costs and education materials. http://www.myenvironment.net.au/index.php/me/Donate

Feel free to use the photographs in this article just acknowledge my name Don Butcher