Media Releases 2014

VicForests has welcomed the news that Latrobe City Council’s Wood Adoption Policy has been unanimously adopted by councillors at a Council meeting last night.

VicForests CEO, Robert Green, said the unanimous support of the Policy by the Council was a fantastic endorsement of the local timber industry. (More)

VicForests’ Community Support Program has assisted the Nindi-Ngujarn Ngarigo Monero Aboriginal Corporation capture the history of one of the most well-known Indigenous families in East Gippsland. (More)

All commercial timber harvesting in Victoria is now managed through one organisation following the transfer of responsibility for managing small scale harvesting licences from DEPI to VicForests. (More)

VicForests has taken a further step towards seeking FSC® Controlled Wood certification with the release of updated drafts of its Forest Management Plan and High Conservation Management Strategy. (More)

Both documents are now available for public comment -www.vicforests.com.au/consultation-opportunities

VicForests has partnered with leading universities to obtain Australian Research Council (ARC) Linkage Project grants for two collaborative biodiversity research projects.

VicForests’ General Manager Stakeholders and Planning, Nathan Trushell, said the research would work towards developing new models and techniques to assist the long-term survival of threatened species such as the Leadbeater’s Possum. (More)

VicForests has provided funding to a number of community groups and services including health and education initiatives across East Gippsland.

Orbost based Moogji Aboriginal Corporation (MAC), who provide a range of health services for the region, has received funding through VicForests’ annual Community Support Program. (More)

VicForests has posted a profit of $3.4 million for the 2013/14 Financial Year.

CEO, Robert Green, announced the details of the positive financial result following the tabling of VicForests’ Annual Report in Parliament today.

“Returning a profit of $3.4 million is one of a number of achievements which were part of a successful 2013/14 year for VicForests,” Mr Green said. (More)

VicForests has provided funding to Alexandra Primary School for a large garden project through its annual Community Support Program.

The Mountains to Rivers garden project has been a labour of love with input from students and parents of the school. (More)

VicForests has provided funding to Healesville Splitz and Flipz gymnastics group through its annual Community Support Program grant allocation.

Liz Langford, Regional Engagement Manager with VicForests who runs the Community Support Program, said the grant has enabled the purchase of much needed training equipment, "We visited a pre-tournament training session of the gymnasts and they were absolutely fantastic,” Ms Langford said. (More)

VicForests celebrates its ten year anniversary on August 1st with a reception at Parliament House in Melbourne.

VicForests’ CEO, Robert Green said the organisation had worked hard to deliver social, environmental and economic sustainability since being established in 2004 with the timber industry continuing to play a vital role in communities across regional Victoria. (More)

VicForests is protecting an additional area of forest as part of harvesting operations in the Toolangi State forest.

Nathan Trushell, VicForests’ General Manager, Stakeholders and Planning, said the coupe was a good example of how input from stakeholders is considered in planning harvesting operations. (More)

VicForests has announced today that it will be seeking Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) Controlled Wood certification.

The Controlled Wood standard provides evidence that wood has been controlled to ensure it is legally harvested, in accordance with traditional and civil rights, and does not threaten High Conservation Values or result in natural forest conversion to plantations. (More)

VicForests encourages all eligible community groups and services to make an application to this year’s Community Support Program, before its deadline at close of business Friday 13th June 2014. (More)

South East Fibre Exports (SEFE) has announced it will not be entering into a new contract with VicForests when its current agreement expires at the end of 2014.

VicForests’ CEO, Robert Green, said the decision means SEFE will no longer purchase timber from VicForests at the end of its current contract. (More)

VicForests is seeking information regarding the site of any Leadbeater’s Possum detection to assist in ensuring these sites are protected in line the recently released recommendations of the Leadbeater’s Possum Advisory Group. (More)

VicForests will transition away from widespread clearfell harvesting in forests which are home to the Leadbeater’s Possum, Victoria’s faunal emblem. 
 
The change was announced by the Minister for Agriculture and Food Security and the Minister for Environment and Climate Change following recommendations provided by the Leadbeater’s Possum Advisory Group, and will come into effect from July 1st. (More)

A Leadbeater’s Possum has been found in an area which underwent timber harvesting near Healesville in the late 1980s.

Local community members recently provided footage to VicForests showing Victoria’s faunal emblem emerging from an older, habitat tree located in 26 year old timber harvesting regrowth.

An audit conducted on behalf of the Department of Environment and Primary Industries (DEPI) published this week, has recommended the acceptance of 100 per cent of forest land regenerated by VicForests last year. (More)

VicForests has undergone an audit commissioned by the Department of Environment and Primary Industries, of timber harvesting and coupe closure, as part of its Forest Audit Program (FAP) activities for the 2012-13 financial year.(More)