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victoria's forest wars: goolengook forest and the otways ranges by Alex Burns (alex@disinfo.com) - August 05, 2001 |
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| Could East Gippsland's Goolengook Forest, and south-west Victoria's Otways Ranges become Australia's next environmental flashpoint? At risk is the future of remnants of ancient rain forests over 100 million years old (home to both cold and warm temperate rainforest species), which are under pressure due to continued old growth logging. A 1991 scientific report which described the area as "the most biologically significant reserve system in Australia," was ignored by the former conservative Victorian state government, who allowed logging to proceed in 1992, and retaliated by slashing the number of scientists in the Department of Natural Resources and Environment (DNRE). Aboriginal communities who had assisted heritage listing of Goolengook as a Site of Significance have also been ignored by the state government, who allowed logging to continue on June 1997's World Environment Day), and slashed the protected reserves to a quarter of their original size. Several multinational corporations hover in the background who are ruthlessly pursuing profits, failing to tell Australian employees, forestry workers, or the public the whole truth about their dealings. Industry front groups with names such as Timber Towns further manipulate and distort existing community consultation procedures. Despite heritage listings, the conservative state government had used retrospective legislation to make logging legal. The resulting flash-point between loggers and environmental activists made major news headlines, and provoked an outcry from musicians such as Paul Kelly and Vince Jones, and international environmental icons including Peter Garrett and Bob Brown. Now angry forest loggers are turning to violence to express their frustration at the gridlock which has existed since November 1996. On 21 February 2000, a group of fifty loggers descended on Goolengook Forest activists, assaulting them and an independent media crew. On 26 March 26 2000, the Apollo Bay Music Festival suffered a black-out which was blamed on environmental activists, who retorted that the incident had all the hall-marks of a dirty tricks campaign. On April 2nd, 2000, a group of protesting consructionists were attacked by fifteen loggers, and ten people were injured. For an international audience increasingly suffering from 'compassion fatigue', what is the significance of the Otways Ranges and Goolengook campaigns? The worn-out 'fear' drawcard - whether it be the threat of faceless multinational corporations or global ecocide - sparks increasing disinterest from a publich which just changes the channel or surfs to a web-site that doesn't confront your conscience. The Otways Ranges and Goolengook Forest activists have pro-actively used the Internet to document abuses and spread information, including in-depth analyses of timber industry propaganda techniques. Also relevant is the overt linking of old growth logging destruction with unforseen emergent effects such as rapidly declining water catchment areas, which environmentalists contend have affected the water supplies of Geelong, a working class satellite city near Melbourne. Residents who have faced recent water shortages have reacted to labyrinth Regional Forest Agreement sessions with increasing bewilderment and anger. But don't just trust what we say: study the issue in-depth from all angles, including community, forestry industry, government, and scientific viewpoints. Could this be the last chance for you to see the beauty of an eco-system that is home to many endangered species? |
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Otways Ranges Environmental Network Save The Otways The Conservation Alliance GreenNet Australia Friends of the Earth: International TimberSeek Forestry Australia: National Association Of Forest Industries Environment Australia Online Timber Industry Propaganda Techniques Boycott Woodchipping: Consumer Investment Campaign Manual Green Pages West Regional Forest Agreement Home Page Riley's Ridge: Otway Ranges Campaigns: Kleenex Boycott Growing a Sustainable, Profitable Tomorrow The Forest Letter Watch |
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