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The blockade was set up five years ago in a campaign to add 5000 hectares of Goolengook to the Errinundra National Park. Conservationists say the area, 40 per cent of which is already protected in reserves, contains old-growth forest with five nationally endangered flora and fauna species and a rare mix rainforest communities.
The blockade was broken to give loggers access to four coupes totalling 90 hectares.
But sources said the Environment and Conservation Minister, Sherryl Garbutt, would increase environmental protection by doubling buffers to 200 metres on either side of the Goolengook, Arte, Bemm and Errinundra rivers.
The change would protect an additional 1020 hectares. The move will reinstate buffer widths required under the Heritage Rivers Act.
A spokesman for Ms Garbutt refused to confirm the changes, saying there would be an announcement on heritage rivers soon. He said the minister would consider expanding the park if conservation groups identified reserves suitable for swapping.
Jill Redwood, of Concerned Residents for East Gippsland, said the offer was like exchanging one political prisoner for another to be executed. She said reserves equalling Goolengook in timber values would have equally high conservation values.
Two people were arrested when the Goolengook protest camp was cleared
in a dawn raid yesterday and a fort blocking the road was cleared.
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