Council’s log of claims

LOCAL government is leading the political stand against logging on Mt St Leonard.
Both Murrindindi and Yarra Ranges councils are lobbying the State Government to stop logging on the mountain, supporting environment and tourism industry players who say it will destroy the environment which is the life-blood of the region.
Cr Jeanette McRae said while Yarra Ranges Council was supportive of the forest industry, it had no place in the region’s native forests.
Addressing the Our Disappearing Forests meeting in Healesville last week Cr McRae said the 2009 fires had damaged so much of the region’s forests, it was time to take a stand on the clear-fell logging which was destroying the environment.
Cr Samantha Dunn said claims the timber industry was a key driver of Yarra Ranges’ economy didn’t stand up to scrutiny.
“There is no doubt when you look at the economic data Yarra Ranges’ key industry sectors are manufacturing, property and business, retail, education, agriculture and construction,” she said.
“Tourism is also a key driver. It doesn’t have a classification of its own, but it influences manufacturing, agriculture and accommodation, cafes and restraurants and it is another significant contributor to the local economy.
Cr Dunn said current figures showed tourism was worth $381 million to the shire.
Cr Sally Abbott Smith from Murrindindi said her council also regarded tourism as the big economic driver.
“Our tourism is nature-based,” she said. We lost so much of that with the fires, when the environment is already stressed, to sustain biodiversity we have to keep these remnant pieces that have been spared the fire.
At State level Seymour MP Ben Hardman met with Healesville Environment Watch Inc. on Friday and said he would be representing their views to the government as the local member. He said he also had had discussions with VicForests on logging issues. “VicForests basically say to me their job is to work within the areas they have a right to log and that are not protected by special protection zones, and that they do that,” he said.
Mr Hardman said ultimately the decisions on logging came down to the DSE and to state and federal government legislation.