OTWAY CONSERVATIONISTS HALT ILLEGAL LOGGING NEAR OTWAY RAINFOREST

Environment Minister Garbutt accused of Hypocrisy Over Rainforest Management

Friday 6th April 2001

Early this morning, 20 conservationists halted logging operations at Ciancio Creek near Lavers Hill in the Otway State Forest. The conservationists are angry over the lack of adequate buffers between the edge of the logging operation and stands of Cool Temperate Rainforest. Ciancio Creek has rainforest that is listed as National Significance in the Otway Forest Management Plan.

"The logging sanctioned by Environment Minister Sherryl Garbutt may be illegal under the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act due to the presence of a fungal disease called Myrtle Wilt. This disease threatens the survival of Cool Temperate Rainforest in the Otways", said spokesperson for the Otway Ranges Environment Network, Simon Birrell."

"Conservationists are demanding that buffers of 250-350 metres must be put around rainforest to protect them from logging that could elevate Myrtle Wilt."

"Myrtle Wilt is a fungal disease that causes Myrtle Beech trees to die. Beech trees are the primary canopy species for Cool Temperate Rainforest which is recognised as a threatened community in Victorian legislation. Although a naturally occurring phenomenon, the presence of Myrtle Wilt is increased by human disturbance, notably logging."

"Human activity which results in artificially elevated levels of myrtle wilt within Nothofagus dominated cool temperate rainforest" was gazetted into the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 on the 22nd December 2000. An Action Statement to prevent the spread of Myrtle Wilt is mandatory and must be done now to ensure adequate buffers are in place to protect rainforest from human activities such as logging practices. Conservationists believe that until there are adequate buffers, the clearfell logging at Ciancio is illegal."

"We are accusing Environment Minister Garbutt of complete hypocrisy regarding the protection of Victorian rainforest. When Garbutt was Shadow Minister, she made strong public statements in State Parliament identical to the arguments we are now putting forward to demand a halt in the logging at Ciancio."

"The State Parliament Hansard transcript from December 1996 clearly details Garbutt's firm criticism of her predecessor (Marie Tehan) for failing to protect rainforest from Myrtle Wilt. Garbutt said she would only take advice from scientists. Garbutt also said:

"in places where the Myrtle Wilt virus is present the recommendation is that there should be a buffer of up to 350 metres."

"Since coming to power, the Environment Minister has seemingly forgotten the significance of Myrtle Wilt, not just to the Otway rainforests but also to the regional economy. Due to the air dispersal nature of the Myrtle Wilt fungus, tourist attractions along the Great Ocean Road are threatened. Attractions such as Maits Rest in the Otway National Park receive hundreds of thousands of domestic and international tourists every year and are a vital component of the regional economy." Said Simon Birrell.

"The Regional Forest Agreement totally failed to consider the Myrtle Wilt issue when the Bracks Government signed it in March 2000."

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