As of 7 November 2019, no more ancient trees in Victoria will be logged. This an incredible moment!
The Victorian Government has announced an immediate end to old-growth logging in Victoria, and an end to native forest logging by 2030. Your petition signatures, submissions, conversations and donations have literally helped save big old trees. You’ve helped safeguard clean air, fresh water and beautiful forests for all of us and for future generations.
Thanks to a remarkable movement-wide campaign of sustained pressure over many decades, 90,000 hectares of Victorian old growth forest is now protected – that's an area bigger than Singapore! These are forests that have never been logged, never seen a chainsaw. Now, they never will.
In more good news, an additional 96,000 hectares of forest has been protected as habitat for the vulnerable Greater Glider, meaning this cute possum with big fluffy ears – has a much better chance of avoiding extinction.
Greater Glider. Photo: Stephanie Jackson.
But the news is bittersweet. Logging will continue in many other areas for another ten years, most notably in the Mountain Ash forests of the Central Highlands – home to the critically endangered Leadbeater’s possum. Ten more years of logging is far too long for our forests and wildlife and the transition into plantation logging simply can’t come soon enough.
Still, the end of old growth logging is a moment worthy of celebration and recognition. Protecting these incredible forests wouldn’t have happened without the tireless work of our friends and partners across the environment movement, and the volunteer forest activists who’ve given so much to this campaign. And it’s just as much thanks to you and your commitment to nature protection, too.
The ancient trees in our old growth forests were standing long before Europeans colonised this country and now, they’ll be standing long into the future.
It’s a privilege to stand tall – tall as big old trees – with you.
P.S. At the federal level, ACF are actively campaigning for strong laws to protect forests, rivers, reefs and wildlife right across Australia. We have a big opportunity before us now that the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act (our national environment law) is up for a once-in-a-decade review. Stay tuned!
