VicForests will move quickly to lodge an appeal now the Federal Court has finalised its Orders relating to the Friends of Leadbeater’s Possum case.

The orders made by the Court make it clear that the decision relates only to the small number of forest areas that were the subject of the proceeding. It was based on areas harvested between 2014 and early 2019. 

VicForests has now moved to a fundamentally different approach to harvesting that provides even greater protection for threatened species. This is in addition to the government setting aside extensive areas for biodiversity protection at the end of 2019, including 96,000 ha set aside last November as part of its Victorian Forestry plan. 

All timber harvesting and regeneration operations have and will continue to be conducted in accordance with Victoria’s strict environmental regulations and the State’s Forest Management Zoning scheme. VicForests’ operations are scrutinised by the Office of the Conservation Regulator and its strict regulatory guidelines ensure the protection of threatened flora and fauna.