Expect to see some more action and photos soon......
Logging has started in old growth forest in Goongerah's water catchment, on Yalmy Road. The coupe is very steep and much of it is affected by snow damage, and so is dangerous to log.
The locals have been circulating a petition calling for an end to logging in their domestic water catchment. Approximately 80% of the community has signed the petition so far.
"We are lucky enough to have clean water in our creeks and rivers, something which is rare in the world these days. However, we are very concerned about the effect of logging on our water quality and water quantity. We rely on this for our drinking water. Why is our water less important than other areas, which have special prescriptions reducing logging in their domestic water catchment?" said spokesperson for the group, Fiona York.
Members of the community have called for a meeting with VicForests and the Department of Sustainability and Environment to request an end to logging in the water catchment.
For further information: Fiona York
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There has been a campaign over a number of years by local people who rely on domestic water from the Goongerah Creek and Brodribb Rivers to prevent logging in their catchment. Despite this, much of the forest in this water catchment is scheduled for logging. Local people have contacted the DSE and VicForests over this issue, yet the logging is continuing.
The area has been subject to heavy snow fall and contains many hanging branches. A tree faller was killed recently in a nearby logging coupe by a falling branch. For this reason many of the smaller trees are being pushed over by heavy machinery to clear a "safe" area around bigger trees, in order to protect the workers. This increases erosion risk. There is a great deal of pressure on contractors to fulfil their contracts in dangerous areas.
There are buffers as small as 5 metres on the smaller tributaries in the coupe, and the area is known as a high erosion risk. There are two bulldozers and one excavator working in the area. The run off into the water supply will be increased by this logging, as well as reducing the water yield.
Click here for past protests in Goongerah's water catchment