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The arrests come after protesters yesterday tried to enter logging areas to stop the commencement of work after a five-year blockade of the forest was broken by police last week.
But the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) said the turnout for the forest protest in the remote area showed there was little public support for the action. CFMEU divisional secretary Michael O'Connor said only 50 people had shown up for this weekend's protest in the Goolengook forest.
"Those claiming that thousands would descend on East Gippsland to protest over the forest harvesting at Goolengook have shown that they have seriously overestimated the community support for their campaign," Mr O'Connor said today.
Campaigner Fiona York, from the Goongerah Environment Centre which is coordinating the action, said about 50 protesters tried to enter logging areas yesterday and 40 made the attempt today.
She said 18 protesters had been arrested and charged during protests at the Goolengook state forest in recent days. The 10 arrested today will be charged on summons for obstructing a lawful logging operation by trying to stop a truck from entering the logging area, she said.
A further 30 protesters, who had made the 15km walk to the logging areas, had their equipment - such as bedding, food and water bottles - confiscated. Ms York said there were about 100 police and Department of Natural Resources and Energy (DNRE) officers in the state forest to ensure the logging could go ahead. The Goolengook state forest has been the subject of long-running protests aimed at preventing logging in the old-growth forest.
Ms York said the DNRE was "in for the long haul" and had set up a catering truck and portable toilets inside the forest.
A DNRE spokeswoman said the department had only 23 enforcement officers in the area and would be scaling down tomorrow because "it has been so quiet".
By Royal Abbott
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