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Environmental Problems with
Forestry Giant

21 April 2025 - Strzelecki Ranges, Victoria

 An environmental audit of Hancock Victoria Plantations (HVP) forestry operations by Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) approved auditors in the Strzelecki Ranges has uncovered multiple serious non-conformances. Three non-conformances were found, sparking concerns over the company’s commitment to sustainable practices. The auditors have evoked the ‘Precautionary Principle,’ effectively halting operations at Fellas coupe until the issues are resolved.

The audit was conducted as part of the annual review which included a complaint from the Gippsland Forest Guardians (GFG). It revealed HVP had failed to meet critical standards designed to protect biodiversity, including the regeneration of native forests and preservation of threatened species. The audit found that the company planned to replace native species with pine trees, which is contrary to Principle 10 of the FSC Standard. This principle mandates that harvested sites must be regenerated to pre-harvest or more natural conditions, a requirement HVP had voluntarily agreed to when they signed up for certification under the FSC.

“Planting pines in the middle of this high conservation value area would cause irreparable damage to the rainforest and threatened species like the critically endangered Slender Tree-fern,” said Local Conservationist, Stuart Inchley, spokesperson for the Gippsland Forest Guardians. “The current plans threaten what is now recognised as the most important habitat for Slender Tree-fern in Australia. We welcome the auditors findings and urge HVP to adhere to the high sustainability standards required by the FSC.”

Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) is a globally recognised environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standard for the forestry industry, ensuring that certified organisations adhere to stringent sustainability and conservation practices.

The audit’s findings also highlighted procedural gaps in HVP’s approach to protecting rare and threatened species across their entire 240,000-hectare, including over 160,000 hectares of crown land. This has raised further concerns about the company’s overall commitment to maintaining environmental standards.

Local environmental groups are calling for strict enforcement of FSC principles, urging HVP to follow through on their promises to regenerate native species rather than replacing them with non-native pines.

View FSC Standards
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Turtons Creek Rainforest Survey Confirms National Significance

27 Feb 2025 

On Saturday Feb 22nd, an enthusiastic crowd gathered for a fascinating presentation by Karl Just and Dylan Osler, two of Victoria’s most highly regarded botanists and ecologists. The pair shared their findings from a comprehensive rainforest assessment of the Turtons Creek area, conducted across over 1,000 acres of protected forest, including three Trust for Nature properties and the Turtons Creek Scenic Reserve.

Covering 12 kilometres of rainforest gullies, the survey recorded rainforest extent and condition, threatened species, and other significant ecological aspects. Their findings confirmed the area’s national significance, with over 400 Slender Tree-ferns discovered confirming this area as Australia's stronghold for the critically endangered Slender tree-fern.

Ecologist Karl Just said:

"This is the largest population of the Slender tree-fern, Cyathea cunninghamii ever documented in Australia, where previously the largest population documented was 200 adult plants within the Tarra-Bulga National Park to the east. This area in Turtons creek is of national significance."

Another exciting discovery was the endangered Netted brake fern, found in the Strzelecki Ranges for only the second time, the first was back in 1975 and the endangered Brown’s mitre-moss was a new recorded for the Strzelecki ranges.

The event attracted 80 attendees, including neighbours, representatives of community groups, with councillors Mayor John Schelling and Deputy Mayor Sarah Gilligan among the group. The presentation sparked some great discussions with many people expressing concern about HVP forestry operations and the impacts to our threatened species and rainforest communities.

The survey was made possible through funding from the Wettenhall Environment Trust and the Friends of Turtons Creek, with support from the Tarwin River Forest, Gippsland Threatened Species Action Group, and Gippsland Forest Guardians.

The collaborative effort highlighted the dedication of local conservationists working to protect vital rainforest habitats for endangered species such as the Slender Tree-fern Gang-gang Cockatoos, Pilotbirds, Blue-winged Parrots, and the Strzelecki Burrowing and South Gippsland Spiny Crayfish.

Watch Karls presentation on YouTube

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