Native logging in Victoria to end 2030: 96,000ha to be locked up immediately
The Andrews Government is phasing out native timber harvesting by 2030, but has locked loggers out of another 96,000ha.
VICTORIA’S timber industry will lose access to at least 96,000ha of native forest from today.
The move is part of Premier Daniel Andrews’ longer-term strategy to totally phase out native timber harvesting by 2030.
The industry will be locked out of 96,000ha as part of the government’s Greater Glider Action Statement, to protect the vulnerable species.
The loss comes on top of VicForest notifying the industrty earlier this year it would no longer harvest 90,000ha of old growth forest.
The Government has set aside $120 million to assist timber contractors and mills with the loss of access to native forests, with part of funds going towards establishing an estimated 50,000ha of new plantations in a bid to offset the loss.
Industry sources said rumours had been circulating for weeks, but they were only given details in the hours leading up to this morning’s announcement.
Mr Andrews and his Agriculture Minister Jaclyn Symes made the announcement at an Alberton nursery owned by plantation giant HPV, owned by Australian, Canadian and US superannuation and investment funds.
“This industry is going through a transition. It means it’s not good enough for us to merely cross our fingers and hope for the best,” Mr Andrews said. “We need a plan to support workers and support jobs.”
Mr Andrews and Ms Symes also announced an end to harvesting of old growth forest.
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It is understood that VicForests will continue to meet all its existing contractual agreements as well as new agreements being struck to see out the next decade.
Funding for the 50,000ha of plantations will be allocated to plantings on crown and private land, with the engagement of private plantation companies.
Current legislation requires the government to continue supplying native timber woodchips to Australian Paper’s Maryvale Mill — one of the Latrobe Valley’s biggest employers — until 2030.
However the government expects AP to move away from native timber to plantation supplies over the next 30 years to maintain its 1000-strong workforce.
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