"Far from being able to keep it 'all quiet on the forest front' the Minister's barring of the public from two popular forests in the Otways serves to link the people of western Victoria with their counterparts in East Gippsland where forest protests have begun once again in the much loved Goolengook rainforests, facing yet again, destruction by the woodchippers" said Geraldine Ryan of Environment Victoria.
"Environment Victoria, in supporting the actions of the locals today, believes that the woodchipping of the remaining native forests of the Otways is a totally outdated approach to these forests".
"Instead of destroying these forests for the quick cash of woodchip pulp far greater value is to be had in keeping them for their production of clean water and for the area's growing tourist industry" said Ms Wendy Radford, also of Environment Victoria.
"Tourists want to see whole ecosystems with their full quota of diversity
in both flora and fauna" she added.