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Cobboboonee Community Forest
This petition was published by Cobboboonee Community Forest Group on Mar 26, 2007
We strongly oppose the extension of the Lower Glenelg National Park to include any or all of the Cobboboonee State Forest, for the following reasons:
1. The Cobboboonee State Forest has been well managed by DSE in the past. It is not a pristine old growth forest, but an environment modified by forestry practices. It does house many important plant and animal species as a result of good management practices used in the past by DSE officers.
2. There are no significant threatening processes present in the forest that will affect biodiversity. There has been no significant logging for 10 years and existing legislation prevents this practice from recommencing. The current DSE has an effective fire management plan. Failure to follow this plan by Parks Victoria managers in the future will threaten the survival of the biodiversity and neighbouring properties.
3. The DSE managers have established good relationships with all users of the forest areas. Traditional recreational usage has been environmentally acceptable and lead to a connection to the forest by the population. We already have a large National Parks in the district that cater for passive recreation and preserve local flora and fauna. Annexation of the Cobbobonee will upset the balance of differing use patterns that local people have enjoyed for generations, with little or no environmental advantage.
4. Traditional fire wood collection practices have allowed a cheap fuel source for those people not serviced by natural gas, especially pensioners and the less well off in the community. This will be phased out if the State Forest is no longer under DSE administration.
5. The community feels as though they have NOT been consulted about the declaration of National Park status for the Cobboboonee. The DSE had run a prolonged community consultation process during the formulation of the Portland-Horsham forest management plan. The Minister’s announcement of National Park status 1 week before the recent election is like a bolt from the blue.
We would prefer to adopt the Portland-Horsham 10 year plan, and at the end of that period hold a referendum of Shire residents to determine our forest’s future. What has happened smacks of electioneering tactics to attract the Green vote and ignores the residents’ best interests.
1. The Cobboboonee State Forest has been well managed by DSE in the past. It is not a pristine old growth forest, but an environment modified by forestry practices. It does house many important plant and animal species as a result of good management practices used in the past by DSE officers.
2. There are no significant threatening processes present in the forest that will affect biodiversity. There has been no significant logging for 10 years and existing legislation prevents this practice from recommencing. The current DSE has an effective fire management plan. Failure to follow this plan by Parks Victoria managers in the future will threaten the survival of the biodiversity and neighbouring properties.
3. The DSE managers have established good relationships with all users of the forest areas. Traditional recreational usage has been environmentally acceptable and lead to a connection to the forest by the population. We already have a large National Parks in the district that cater for passive recreation and preserve local flora and fauna. Annexation of the Cobbobonee will upset the balance of differing use patterns that local people have enjoyed for generations, with little or no environmental advantage.
4. Traditional fire wood collection practices have allowed a cheap fuel source for those people not serviced by natural gas, especially pensioners and the less well off in the community. This will be phased out if the State Forest is no longer under DSE administration.
5. The community feels as though they have NOT been consulted about the declaration of National Park status for the Cobboboonee. The DSE had run a prolonged community consultation process during the formulation of the Portland-Horsham forest management plan. The Minister’s announcement of National Park status 1 week before the recent election is like a bolt from the blue.
We would prefer to adopt the Portland-Horsham 10 year plan, and at the end of that period hold a referendum of Shire residents to determine our forest’s future. What has happened smacks of electioneering tactics to attract the Green vote and ignores the residents’ best interests.
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