Victorian Green's Forest Policy

2. Native Forest

2.1 Background
Victoria's native forests contain some of the most biologically diverse forest systems on earth. When Europeans arrived, Victoria contained the worlds' tallest trees. The forests are ancient, with Gondwana remnants surviving massive climate changes over long periods. Quite simply, they are ancient, dramatic, and beautiful.

Victoria's native forests have suffered greatly as a result of felling for timber and clearing for agriculture. Continued destruction of old growth forests, rainforests, threatened species habitat and other high conservation value forests, through the practice of clear-felling, threatens the long-term survival of our native forest ecosystems.

We envisage the establishment of a significantly expanded reserve system based primarily around the remaining public native forests.
We understand that existing plantations can immediately provide all hardwood and softwood timber requirements (ref. Agriculture policy #'s 1.4.1, 1.4.2, 2.2.3, 2.2.4, 2.2.5, 3.1.5)

2.2 Principles
The Victorian Greens believe that:
2.2.1 The protection of indigenous biological diversity and the maintenance of ecological integrity are the paramount priorities for managing our native forests.

2.3 Goals
The Greens will:
2.3.1 To protect our remaining native forests, and manage them to restore and preserve their environmental values.
2.3.2 To establish a significantly expanded reserve system based primarily around remaining publicly owned native forests;
2.3.3 To ensure that land use surrounding these reserves will protect the ecological integrity of these core areas, and act as a buffer from weed and feral animal invasion and other threatening processes.
2.3.4 A viable alternative wood products industry based on private plantations and farm forestry that is independent of native forests. (See also Agriculture/Alternative wood fibre policy).

2.4 Short Term Targets
2.4.1 Exclude all logging from native forests, including re-growth forests. (With a period of time required for East Gippsland to move logging out of defined regrowth areas, while alternatives are established.) Note: refer to specific platform as developed by the East Gippsland Branch.
2.4.2 Immediately end logging in all high conservation value native forests, including old growth forests, rainforests, water catchments, sites of biological significance and threatened species habitat, and remnant vegetation areas.
2.4.3 Immediately end wood chipping from native forests.
2.4.4 Immediately cease the practice of clearfell logging on public land.
2.4.5 Immediately end the renewal of long term timber harvesting (logging) licences;
2.4.6 Provide adjustment packages for workers and businesses displaced from native forest logging, and provide alternative employment options through community and regional development;
2.4.7 Reflecting an ecological priority, place the management of all public lands under the jurisdiction of flora and fauna experts within an Environment department, separate, and overseeing, from resource management departments.
2.4.8 Ensure the complete transparency and competitive neutrality of all commercial activities related to native forest use;
2.4.9 Strengthen, implement, and enforce, the
* Code of Forest Practices,
* Flora and Fauna Guarantee act,
* Heritage Rivers act, and
* Wildlife act.
and provide individuals and organisations a right to take legal actions where these laws are breached.
2.4.10 Immediately ban fire wood collection on public land, and institute a firewood industry based on plantation establishment on private land close to areas of most firewood demand.
2.4.11 Immediately ban the export of tree ferns.
2.4.12 Immediately ban burning of native forest for power.
2.4.13 Comprehensively review and manage appropriate recreational forest use.

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