Index

Summary of Proposed Otway logging plans for 2001/2002 logging season

The Wood Utilisation Plans (WUP) for next years logging in the Otways are now available. They can be downloaded as an acrobat file (3.5 MB) off DNRE website under forestry/commercial forestry.

Submissions expressing concerns should be made to DNRE by 2nd March 2001. An invite for Public submissions was advertised in Saturday 3rd February in the Age public notices.

The DNRE has radically changed the WUP to avoid logging some of the politically contentious areas.

Summary

WATER CATCHMENTS
All proposed logging in and around the West Barwon catchment has been deferred to 2002/2003. Only one contingency coup remains. All new logging roads and road upgrades have been put on hold including the new Clearwater road in the West Barwon catchment until the 2002/2003 logging season. This is a major back down. This Summer there was eight coups and one new logging road to be done in the West Barwon dam area. DNRE negotiated with OREN not to log these areas and in return OREN would not support blockades. It remains to be seen if DNRE will stick to the agreement over the last months of the logging season

All road upgrades in the Geelong catchments have been put on hold to 2002/2003.

We believe that the DNRE is hoping it will rain over the next few winters to fill the West Barwon dam. This wait and see strategy would wait for the public to forget about the water issue over the next few years before commencing logging in catchments.

Lots of new coups in the lower rainfall end of the Geelong catchment behind Lorne (Pennyroyal) have appeared. These coups have a woodchip to sawlog ratio of more that 3 to 1.

MIDDLE SPUR is on for next Summer and a coup next to it. Middle Spur is where loggers attacked conservationists last April in Geelong's water supply catchment.

The Gellibrand catchment is still being logged as usual. New logging roads are planned behind the Warrnambool closed catchment (Arkins Creek) next Summer. There are areas behind the Arkins Creek closed catchment that have had little or no past logging history (Possible Old Growth). The Arkins Creek/ Carlisle area is also an important wildlife corridor that links the Carlisle State Park to the Otway State Forest.

TIGER QUOLL Special Management Zones (SMZ)

DNRE are proposing to defer logging in all Otway Tiger Quoll SMZ until 2002/2004. This will give time for the Flora and Fauna Action statements to be completed and SMZ plans for quolls to be drafted up

RILEY"S RIDGE

Riley's is in a SMZ and logging has now been deferred until 2002/2004. This is to put some distance between the 6 month protest camp (Nov 1999 to April 2000) and recent political heat. One coup at Riley's Ridge South has been deleted from the WUP for now

SABINE FALLS

DNRE is proposing to defer logging at Sabine to the 2002/2003 logging season. Obviously Sabine is too hot for now and is being deferred. The Second coup at Sabine Saddle has been deleted from the WUP for now.

TRIPLET FALLS

Again this area is too controversial and logging and has been deferred to 2003/2004. However a Blackwood coup near by is still proposed for next summer.

GLASGOW FALLS

Lots of logging is planned around Glasgow Falls next summer. This is close to Lavers Hill and the Great Ocean Road.

CLEARWATER. AIRE RIVER (Rain Forest Area)

Old growth ash forest in the Clearwater has been put up to be logged next summer. Also Calder Ridge has been put back on for 2003/2004. Some coups in the Aire river have been deleted but others have been put back on. A new coup at No.nine ridge is on for next summer.

WYE RIVER/ KENNETT RIVER

Proposed logging not until 2002/2003. This area is too much trouble for DNRE because of the Wye River Action group. It is interesting to note that Premier Steve Bracks holiday house is not far away.

CUMBERLAND RIVER/Curtis Track

The coups at Curtis track are back on for next summer. This is where
conservationists kicked DNRE and the loggers out last March with lots of arrests and tree sits. This area is still close (15km) to Wye River and Premier Steve Bracks holiday house.

SUMMARY

DNRE is trying to avoid politically contentions areas for the next few
years. However DNRE are not so worried about areas where conservationists have put up a fight with tree sits and blockades. DNRE may be anticipating the blockaders/protesters will not come back. Other areas with broad community concern such as the West Barwon dam, Sabine falls, Triplet Falls and Riley's Ridge are being avoided for now by DNRE.

What can I do?

As many people as possible should put submissions into DNRE comment or suggesting amendment to the WUPS. DNRE constantly claim they get little or no public comment and that the lack of public comment indicates it is OK to log the Otways. Submissions expressing concerns should be made to DNRE by 2nd March 2001