LOGGING WITHIN RAINFOREST SITES OF SIGNIFICANCE SPOTLIGHT ON THE ACHERON VALLEY [NATIONAL RSOS CH6: ACHERON]

Dear Premier, Ministers and Treasurer; Lisa Neville Premier Agriculture Minister Environment Minister Treasurer [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] VicForests’ Logging within Rainforest Sites of Significance: Spotlight on the Acheron Valley In in 2015 the logging of our State Forests, which is diminishing biodiversity through its impacts on threatened species' habitat as well as degrading remnant natural landscapes through fragmentation and depletion of critical ecological elements, is not supported by the majority of the broader Victorian community as responsible management of a precious and revered public asset. In this context, it is clear that the logging of Rainforest Sites of Significance does not meet community standards and Victorians would certainly expect this practice to be a relic of the past. THE ACHERON VALLEY URGENT: FOR IMMEDIATE ACTION Logging is currently recommencing within VicForests’ coupes 309-508-0018, 309-509-0002 and 309- 509-0003 in one of Victoria’s National Rainforest Sites of Significance (RSOS). This site is in the Acheron Valley to the north of Warburton and the east of Healesville in the Central Highlands of Victoria near .

This site supports and is intended to protect rainforest stands that have been recognised as having the highest significance in Victoria and indeed nationally. This assessment was made commencing in 1990 by the then Victorian Environment and Natural Resources departments.

The table below details the amount of logging that has been undertaken since 1990 and the amount of logging that is planned on VicForests’ current 2015 Timber Release Plan. There are currently 23 coupes scheduled to be logged or already logged within (or substantially overlapping) RSOS CH6: Acheron.

These coupes are: 309-009-0006, 309-011-0006, 309-012-0007, 309-012-0008, 309-509-0001, 309-509-0002, 309-509-0003, 309-509-0004, 309-510-0003, 309-511-0005, 309-511-0008, 309-511-0010, 309-512-0001, 309-512-0002, 309-512-0004, 309-512-0005, 309-512-0006, 309-512-0007, 309-512-0008, 309-513-0002, 309-513-0003, 309-513-0005, and 309-511-0007.

Rainforest Site Total Area Prior Logging History Scheduled Logging Cumulative Scheduled & Prior of Significance of RSOS since 1990 in RSOS (VicForests 2015-TRP) in RSOS Logging History since 1990 in RSOS ID Nam e ha % ha % ha % ha % CH6 Acheron 3608 100% 402 11% 730 20% 940 26% Table 1. Summary of planned and prior logging in the Rainforest Site of Significance RSOS CH6: Acheron 12 of these coupes have been logged or logged in part from 2004, since VicForests’ inception. Almost all of these coupes were logged within the last 5 years, including some in 2014-15. Most of this logging has occurred following the catastrophic bush fires of 2009 that also burnt some areas of RSOS CH6: Acheron at varied intensities and very large forest areas adjacent to this site at very high intensities. (For further context see the map of the Acheron Valley on the following page) Each of the Premier, Environment and Agriculture Ministers and the Treasurer, with their respective responsibilities for managing Victoria’s biodiversity and State Forests must immediately bring an end to the logging of the Acheron Valley’s National Rainforest Site of Significance that is currently re-commencing within VicForests’ logging coupes 309-508-0018, 309-509-0002 and 309- 509-0003 and ensure that VicForests conduct no further logging within this Rainforest Site of Significance including immediately removing coupe 309-512-0001 from imminent logging plans. 1/5 2/5 VICTORIA'S RAINFOREST SITES OF SIGNIFICANCE

What is Happening

Across Victoria there are 190 Rainforest Sites of Significance (RSOS). At least 100 of these RSOS's have had logging within them to varying degrees since their initial conception by the Department in 1990.

On VicForests' current Timber Release Plan there are 350 coupes whose spatial distribution “overlap” RSOS, representing 7,356 hectares scheduled to be logged in areas of Rainforest Sites of Significance.

This current scheduled logging will add to the prior history of logging within Rainforest Sites of Significance. Since 1990 this logging has occurred over 8,928 hectares bringing the cumulative total area (adding the prior logging history to the current scheduled logging coupes) to 15,398 ha logged. (A summary of this information is provided in the table of Appendix A to this report)

The Value of Rainforest Sites of Significance

All rainforest in Victoria is rare, occupying only the most protected niches still able to support these ecological communities the very constitution of which is a unique preservation of biological diversity.

Rainforest Sites of Significance have been designed to protect Victoria's most significant areas of rainforest through their intention to provide protection to the watershed encompassing the rainforest stands in order that they have the best chance of survival, continued development and replenishment.

Logging in any areas of Rainforest Site of Significance catchment areas, on top of its direct impact on a rainforest stand, diminishes a RSOS's ability to safeguard rainforest stands from edge effects and fire, and ultimately the multiplying implications of increased stresses under altered climate scenarios.

The Law

Despite woefully inadequate legislation to protect all Rainforest Sites of Significance, the Rainforest Action Statement No 238 prepared under Section 19 of the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 (Vic) does state that “all sites of national significance for rainforest in Victoria will be protected within the comprehensive, adequate and representative reserve system”, at page 13.

Despite this clear statement within the Action Statement, successive Victorian Governments have failed to place all National Rainforest Sites of Significance within the reserve system. VicForests have contin- ued to plan and conduct logging within these highly controversial environments, such as that previously and imminently occurring within the Acheron National Rainforest Site of Significance CH6.

In 2012, logging within a National Rainforest Site of Significance in East resulted in Supreme Court litigation between Environment Inc, VicForests and the Secretary to the then De- partment of Sustainability and Environment. That case settled, with VicForests agreeing not to log within the coupe that triggered the Court case, as well as numerous other logging coupes scheduled in East Gippsland within National Sites of Significance for Rainforest.

The Victorian Government should urgently act to comply with the Rainforest Action Statement No 238 and immediately place all National Sites of Significance for Rainforest, including the Acheron Site CH6, within the reserve system.

Complete protection for all Rainforest Sites of Significance should be clearly and unequivocally man- dated via legislative reform.

3/5 What Must Be Done

Our organisations call on each of the Premier, Environment and Agriculture Ministers and the Treasurer, using their respective responsibilities for managing Victoria’s biodiversity and State Forests to:

• Immediately halt all logging planned within National Rainforest Sites of Significance and place these areas within the reserve system to comply with the Rainforest Action Statements No 238.

• Commence, in genuine consultation with relevant experts and environment groups, the drafting of appropriate legislation to fully protect all of Victoria's Rainforest Sites of Significance from current and future avoidable disturbances such as logging.

• Convene with relevant experts and environment groups to design and implement ways to restore areas of Victoria's Rainforest Sites of Significance that have already been degraded by logging to restore them to their full ecological potential.

Signed: Fauna and Flora Research Collective Inc. Goongerah Environment Centre

Warburton Environment My Environment Inc.

Healesville Environment Watch Inc. Environment East Gippsland Inc.

05 November 2015

4/5 APPENDIX A - Rainforest Sites of Significance [RSOS]; Scheduled Logging (VicForests' Timber Release Plan [TRP]); Logging History since 1990 [LASTLOG25] Prior Logging Scheduled Logging Cumulative Scheduled and Total Area Rainforest Site of Significance History since (VicForests 2015- Prior Logging History Of RSOS 1990 in RSOS TRP) in RSOS since 1990 in RSOS* # ID Nam e ha % ha % ha % ha % 1 CH1 Kalatha Creek 898 100% 260 29% 172 19% 382 43% 2 CH2 1594 100% 195 12% 295 19% 435 27% 3 CH4 3401 100% 131 4% 9 0% 140 4% 4 CH5 Hermitage Creek 276 100% 0 0% 49 18% 49 18% 5 CH6 Acheron 3608 100% 402 11% 730 20% 940 26% 6 CH8 Federation Range (Mount Bullfight) 422 100% 29 7% 91 22% 119 28% 7 CH9 Federation Range, Torbreck River South 1265 100% 113 9% 97 8% 191 15% 8 CH11 Mount St Leonard 911 100% 4 0% 1 0% 5 1% 9 CH13 4207 100% 1 0% 15 0% 15 0% 10 CH16 Britannia Creek 1701 100% 11 1% 785 46% 792 47% 11 CH17 Cement Creek 2444 100% 0 0% 190 8% 190 8% 12 CH18 O'Shannassy 13171 100% 23 0% 3 0% 26 0% 13 CH19 Starvation Creek 1367 100% 561 41% 151 11% 679 50% 14 CH20 McMahons Creek 931 100% 200 21% 124 13% 291 31% 15 CH21 Cum berland 3996 100% 187 5% 58 1% 214 5% 16 CH23 Upper 3405 100% 335 10% 141 4% 462 14% 17 CH24 Tarago 1672 100% 599 36% 173 10% 718 43% 18 CH25 Pioneer Creek - Seven Acre Creek 1642 100% 274 17% 38 2% 298 18% 19 CH26 Big Creek 348 100% 2 1% 129 37% 129 37% 20 CH27 Ada 1867 100% 238 13% 233 12% 452 24% 21 CH29 Myrrhee Creek 707 100% 79 11% 43 6% 117 17% 22 CH31 Eastern Tyers 1337 100% 162 12% 3 0% 163 12% 23 CH32 Middle Tyers 152 100% 23 15% 6 4% 26 17% 24 CH33 South Cascade Creek 1433 100% 208 15% 75 5% 274 19% 25 CH34 Little Boy Creek 138 100% 39 28% 1 0% 40 29% 26 CH37 Mt Useful 6624 100% 141 2% 293 4% 410 6% 27 CH38 Spring Creek 998 100% 0 0% 1 0% 1 0% 28 CH39 Growlers Creek 97 100% 31 32% 11 11% 37 38% 29 EG7 Wentw orth 590 100% 240 41% 70 12% 275 47% 30 EG8 Melw ood 1338 100% 0 0% 20 2% 21 2% 31 EG11 Fairy Dell 1233 100% 0 0% 20 2% 20 2% 32 EG14 Wilkinson Creek 1734 100% 530 31% 86 5% 610 35% 33 EG15 Ah Chow Creek, Timbarra Gorge 2475 100% 107 4% 198 8% 271 11% 34 EG29 Murrindal 227 100% 0 0% 3 1% 3 1% 35 EG31 Mellick Munjie - Eaglehawke Creek 1571 100% 18 1% 417 27% 434 28% 36 EG33 Jackson's Crossing 563 100% 1 0% 13 2% 14 3% 37 EG42 Mt Buck 1338 100% 256 19% 186 14% 393 29% 38 EG45 Little Yalmy River 261 100% 19 7% 5 2% 24 9% 39 EG50 Dyer Creek 64 100% 8 12% 16 24% 23 36% 40 EG52 Murrungowar 897 100% 155 17% 66 7% 210 23% 41 EG53 Headwaters, Sardine Ck/Jack Roads 75 100% 0 0% 1 1% 1 1% 42 EG57 Martins Creek 5587 100% 45 1% 40 1% 84 2% 43 EG62 Low er Bem m 5160 100% 726 14% 594 12% 1279 25% 44 EG63 Bem m River 2672 100% 174 6% 3 0% 176 7% 45 EG65 Pheasant Creek 282 100% 21 7% 128 45% 137 49% 46 EG68 Little 552 100% 232 42% 110 20% 318 58% 47 EG69 Arte River Falls 121 100% 27 22% 41 34% 59 49% 48 EG70 Glen Arte 1266 100% 111 9% 92 7% 203 16% 49 EG71 Mt Tanglefoot 329 100% 37 11% 11 3% 47 14% 50 EG72 Little Goolengook 2097 100% 34 2% 3 0% 36 2% 51 EG76 Kanuka Creek (South Branch) 396 100% 46 12% 28 7% 73 18% 52 EG78 Cobb Hill 1867 100% 1 0% 44 2% 45 2% 53 EG80 Goonmirk Rocks 936 100% 18 2% 4 0% 22 2% 54 EG83 Bungywarr Creek 2162 100% 649 30% 53 2% 680 31% 55 EG85 Hensleigh - Far Creek 2621 100% 545 21% 163 6% 699 27% 56 EG86 Three Sisters 822 100% 24 3% 56 7% 80 10% 57 EG87 Serpentine Creek 1031 100% 187 18% 173 17% 356 34% 58 EG90 Pyramid Creek - Tonghi Swamp 488 100% 61 12% 96 20% 136 28% 59 EG91 Upper Tonghi (Tonghi Jungle - Waldron Mtn) 2309 100% 223 10% 205 9% 428 19% 60 EG96 Log Bridge Creek 1007 100% 0 0% 117 12% 117 12% 61 EG101 Brown Creek (Future Trail) 293 100% 33 11% 15 5% 42 14% 62 EG102 Brown Creek ( Road) 292 100% 80 27% 3 1% 83 29% 63 EG103 Mt Future 230 100% 1 0% 10 4% 11 5% 64 EG107 Mt Drum m er 4033 100% 68 2% 330 8% 378 9% 65 EG113 Royd Creek 642 100% 0 0% 1 0% 1 0% 66 EG114 Genoa 924 100% 1 0% 2 0% 2 0% 67 EG119 Little River - west of New Binns Rd 283 100% 0 0% 2 1% 2 1% 5/5 68 EG120 Dowell Creek 1224 100% 0 0% 10 1% 10 1% Summary of 68 selected Rainforest Sites Of Significance: 112604 100% 8928 8% 7355 7% 15398 14% * Note: The cumulativ e area includes the area scheduled f or logging on the 2015 TRP in addition to the areas of prior logging history since 1990 outside the current TRP area