Latest News
Forest refuges under threat from logging by the Andrews Government
February 23, 2021
A new report showing analysis of maps and data from the 2019/20 Black Summer bushfires has revealed the significant areas of unburnt forests critical for bushfire affected wildlife are set to be logged by the Victorian Government. The report titled After the Fires: protecting...
Read MoreTree-sit protests in Melbourne's CBD and East Gippsland call for protection of forests
February 22, 2021
A tree-sit has been set up in Melbourne's CBD in solidarity with ongoing protests in Errinundra, East Gippsland. For four weeks a blockade has stopped logging in East Gippsland. Search and rescue police have already arrived to arrest the tree-sitter bringing the issue to...
Read MoreForest protest halts logging for a second week!
February 12, 2021
For two weeks logging has been halted in a precious area of forests in Errinundra. For 11 days an East Gippsland local stayed up a tree-sit to stop machines from coming in, they were arrested a few days ago, along with another person occupying...
Read MoreTree-sit halts logging on the Errinundra Plateau
February 01, 2021
Protesters are occupying an area of forest about to be logged on the Errinundra Plateau in East Gippsland. One local community member has taken residence in a tree-sit suspended 40 metres up a giant Eucalypt tree to halt destruction of the area. The tree-sit...
Read More2020 Wrap up
December 22, 2020
It's been a rough and challenging year, with lots of ups and down. We watched forests where we've been campaigning for protection for decades turn to ashes. The fires devastated communities across East Gippsland and wiped out forests and wildlife. But in the face...
Read MoreBidewell-Maap Traditional Owners speak out against logging through Bidewell Reserve
December 15, 2020
JULY 2021 UPDATE: The Victorian government are set to remove the coupes scheduled in and adjacent to Bidewell reserve! Bidwell-Maap Traditional Owners have written a letter to the Victorian government condemning logging planned in the Bidewell reserve near the Errinundra Plateau. There are two...
Read MoreCitizen scientists find high density of Yellow-bellied Gliders halting destruction of forests!
December 14, 2020
Logging has stopped in old growth forests in the Colquhoun after citizen scientists from GECO, Gippsland Environment Group, and Friends of Bats and Habitat Gippsland found a high density of Yellow-bellied Gliders. Thanks to the actions of citizen scientists and people taking action and...
Read MoreGovernment says logging in East Gippsland should stop but stalls on forest protections
December 08, 2020
The state and federal governments have finally agreed to conduct a Major Event Review into the impacts of the 2019/2020 bushfires, but a confidential document obtained by GECO through Freedom of Information reveals the Environment Department has already told state-owned VicForests to postpone all...
Read MoreOld growth forest case heats up, Department's witness admits their tool is faulty
December 07, 2020
Last month community group Fauna and Flora Research Collective (FFRC) were back in court for two days for the second trial of their old growth forest court case. The last two days are scheduled for next week and Environmental Justice Australia (EJA) who are...
Read MoreEnvironment Department fails to put in proper rainforest protections on Mt Jersey
November 04, 2020
GECO citizen scientists have discovered the Environment Department has failed to put in proper buffers for an area of cool-temperate rainforest on Mt Jersey in East Gippsland currently being logged. Rainforest stands are meant to be given a 100m Special Protection Zone (SPZ) buffer,...
Read MoreLocals speak out against logging in recovering forests on Mt Jersey
October 29, 2020
"Today myself and a bunch of locals have come up to Mt Jersey to highlight something that the Victorian Government doesn't want you to see. And it is that old growth forests are still being logged and destroyed in Victoria." Powerful words and footage...
Read MoreContact Jaclyn Symes
October 21, 2020
Minister Jaclyn Symes, who's responsible for VicForests, is pushing to change laws to remove the democratic right for community groups to take legal action against VicForests. Despite the horrific black Summer bushfires, and the Federal Court ruling VicForests broke the law, she's backing VicForests'...
Read MoreEmail the Minister, her Department has failed to protect forests and wildlife
October 17, 2020
The Department has failed to put in the proper protections for a Large Brown Tree Frog detection on Mt Jersey. We're sick of the Department failing to regulate the rogue loggers, they need to charge VicForests and start acting to protect forests and wildlife,...
Read MoreNew species of rare frog discovered, logging threatens its survival on Mt Jersey
October 17, 2020
The Large Brown Tree Frog, Litoria littlejohni, endemic to south-eastern Australia has been split into 2 species, now Litoria littlejohni and newly named Litoria watsoni, halving its distribution and population. But state-owned logging company VicForests is currently logging just over 200m away from a...
Read MoreVicForests once again fails to get the green tick
October 08, 2020
Government owned logging agency VicForests have finally released the results of their 2019 Forest Stewardship Council audit, revealing they've failed to achieve FSC certification. This is the fifth try to get the green tick, the audit report reveals major non-conformances for failure to protect...
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