Victory claimed

BOTH sides of the logging abyss are claiming victory from two recent motions by Murrindindi Council which give qualified support of the logging industry.
The council will invite Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke on a tour of the Toolangi Forest’s Leadbeater’s Possum habitat with a view to him gaining a better understanding of the local ecosystem and the role logging plays in the economic sustainability of the shire.
Deputy Mayor Chris Healy said at the 27 August council meeting the council was supportive of the logging industry and the economic impacts it provided the shire, but was also concerned about the longer term sustainability of state forests and the protection of endangered and unique habitat.
The final resolution qualified recognition of the environmental, economic and social benefits saying “For these benefits to be realised the council supports forest management practices that sustain the long-term health and biodiversity of the forest and respect the needs of the shire’s local communities. To this end the Murrindindi Shire Council opposes logging in State Forest in the Murrindindi Shire which reduces the visual appeal of significant landscapes and vistas and/or adversely impacts threatened species or ecological communities.”
Friends of Forestry claimed the motion as a significant victory saying it recognised that timber harvesting in local state forest was about responsible forest management practice and had left the door open to on-going discussion between the industry and the council to satisfy their requirements.
FOF committee member Kersten Gentle said the group welcomed the invitation and would also be pleased to see the current Minister for Forestry, Joe Ludwig join the tour to celebrate the achievements of the Regional Forestry Agreements which she said were a world-class process recognising the social economic and environmental benefits of the forests.
Environment groups however say the detail is in the caveats.
Steve Meacher, Toolangi resident and chair of Healesville Environment Watch said he was one of the proponents of the idea to get the minister to Toolangi.
“The idea is to get the minister down so he can see how little habitat is left for the Leadbeater’s Possum and the effect of clearfelling it,” he said.
He said the Murrindindi Council’s motion came with significant and clear caveats.
“It says they oppose logging where it negatively impacts on vistas and on threatened species,” he said.
“It’s not like it’s a motion that says we support clearfell logging in native forest.”