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The Regional Forestry Agreements were developed with widespread community consultation, enhanced by the government's establishment of two independent panels received more than 1400 submissions. Following this process, almost three-quarters of the Otways forests are now set aside in state and national parks, and other conservation reserves, and cannot be logged. The government has also established three regional forest reference groups - in the Otways, Midlands and East Gippsland.
The Otways hydrology study, the private forestry strategy, the timber pricing review and the enhanced development of the Statewide Forest Resource Inventory program also strengthen the government's forestry management.
And more than $5 million in grants and incentives were recently announced
to ensure plantation forestry continues to grow and provide complementary
timber supplies. Unfortunately, there has been scant reference, if any,
to these positive developments in The Age.
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