Friends of the Earth has been focusing on threats to the higher elevation forests of north east Victoria for the last three years. With the welcome announcement that native forest logging will end in the east of the state on January 1, 2024, our focus will now be largely on ensuring all ecosystems in the region are protected from the impacts of climate change.

In the case of snow gum woodlands, this means gaining a better understanding of the state of these systems, and how they are being impacted by more frequent fire and dieback caused by the Longicorn beetle. As part of this process FoE has been leading a series of guided walks and citizen science fieldtrips to a range of areas in the Victorian high country.

The next trip will be in early March 2024, to see the recovering snow gum woodlands on the north western edge of the Bogong High Plains. These forests have been negatively impacted by repeat wildfires, leading to widespread distribution of ‘ghost forests’: areas of burnt and dead woodlands with dense thick and highly flammable regrowth, and localised ecological collapse.

This walk will be car camping, based at Pretty Valley on the Bogong High Plains (accessible by 2WD dirt road from Falls Creek). The saturday is a big day of walking (roughly 7 hours round trip) to visit Mt Fainter and the ghost forests from Pretty Valley. You will need a good level of fitness to do this walk.

We will also offer an easier walk (almost 4 hours, but at a more leisurely pace) to visit snow gum forests in the Tawonga huts area. Walking for both trips are on defined paths, over undulating terrain.

Dates: March 8, 9, and 10.

The trip will require a 3 day weekend:

• Drive up on Friday
• Walk to the Fainters on Saturday
• Head home on Sunday

You will need to bring all your camping gear and food.

If you rsvp for this free event, we will send full details in early 2024.

Sixty Victorian grassroots community organisations and ENGO's have written to Premier Jacinta Allan and Treasurer Tim Pallas to urge them to abolish state-owned logging business VicForests.

A new report has been co-published by The Tree Projects and Victorian Forest Alliance. It details the carbon emissions from Victoria’s forestry sector. Written by Dr Jennifer Sanger, ecologist from The Tree Projects, this report has been adapted from a similar report released in June 2022 about Tasmania’s forests, Tasmania’s Forest Carbon: From emissions disaster to climate solution.

The findings of this report reveal the impact of logging to the climate and it provides the government with a real opportunity to act on the findings of the report.

On Sunday the 2nd of October, surveys were carried out over 12 areas scheduled for logging, across 6 locations from Toolangi, Black Range near Taggerty, Warburton in the Central Highlands, Alberton West in Gippsland, Colquhoun State Forest in East Gippsland, and Wombat State Forest in the Central West.

60 Greater Gliders were found across the state. Many of these areas will now be temporarily protected by the Kinglake Friends of Forest, Environment East Gippsland and Gippsland Environment Group court case.

The Greens have announced their plan to end native forest logging in Victoria. This is a plan that is in line with an urgent need for transitioning regional communities away from an industry operating at a loss to the taxpayer and a significant cost to the environment. It will see Victoria’s forests protected for climate, water and First Nations culture.

Localisation and community resilience in a time of transition.

The Friends of the Earth Melbourne campaign coordinating and organising team took a trip together for a few days last week, to the country of the Brataualung clan of the Gunaikurnai people in South Gippsland, staying in cosy quarters thanks to a kind and generous volunteer FoE member. 

The Victorian environment minister’s office has refused to extend public consultation on alarming changes that would significantly deregulate logging in Victoria’s native forests and undermine community legal challenges to perceived illegal logging. 

Join us for an urgent webinar with local environment groups as we break down some of the more insidious parts of the code changes and outline the urgent threat to our precious threatened species and ecosystems.

Wednesday, July 28.

Local residents near the Yarram region in South Gippsland have recently been dismayed that their beloved local forest, Alberton West State Forest, has been earmarked by VicForests for logging. Local residents have protested the impending destruction this week.

Alberton West State Forest in the Hedley Range is dominated by large stands of Bluegum and Yellow Stringybark.