On June 6 this year, the Victorian Government approved the logging of the Goolengook forest in East Gippsland. Logging in this area was allowed through the provisions of the East Gippsland Regional Forest Agreement, a document jointly signed by the Victorian and Commonwealth Government early in 1997. As a consequence of this agreement. areas such as Goolengook - despite demonstrating very high conservation values -will be clearfell logged and then woodchipped.
Then an 5 very good reasons why Goolengook shouldn't be logged:
1. ln preparation for clearfelling operations, a road was gouged through the Heritage listed Goolengook River.
2. The road was built to allow woodchippers access to a National Site of Rainforest Significance. These temperate rainforests, which have developed through 40 million years of evolution, were recognised by the State Governments own scientists as 'offering the best opportunity in Victoria for the protection of cool temperate rainforests, warm temperate rainforest and overlap rainforest in 3 adjacent and intact catchments.'
3. The status of the rainforest areas in the vicinity of the clearfelling will be threatened by the post logging regeneration burn. Rainforests are extremely sensitive to fire.
4. The Goolengook forest provides valuable, undisturbed habitat for at least three endangered species, the critically endangered Tiger (Spotted) Quoll the Long Footed Potoroo and the Sooty Owl.
5. The Australian Heritage Commission identified that these forests contain significant Old Growth values.
"Biological values immense, exceeding those of virtually all other forests
studied . . . endangered plants, birds, and unique rainforest communities,
all within a closed and largely undisturbed catchment" -- State Government
Block Report - Goolengook - 1991.