President of the Mountain Cattlemen’s Association, Bruce McCormack, said his organization had always supported the timber industry.
The Mountain Cattlemen’s Association of Victoria has hit back at claims its members want to see logging cease in Eastern Victoria’s High Country. Source: Timberbiz
“Claims that the MCAV have joined forces with two environmental groups calling for VicForests to surrender their right to log out of areas near Dinner Plain are blatantly incorrect,” MCAV president, Bruce McCormack, said.
“We are aware that some members of a grazing family are being quoted as supporting this move but would like to make it clear that those in question do not represent the views of the Mountain Cattlemen’s Association.
“They are not members and haven’t been for quite some time.”
The response comes after it was reported in The Age and the Sydney Morning Herald at the weekend that the Gippsland Environment Group and Environment East Gippsland had joined forces with “local graziers” to halt planned coupes along the Little Dargo River, claiming some 200-year-old trees in the area would be lost.
However, VicForests has confirmed that old-growth assessments are completed at every coupe with identified species excluded from harvesting. Furthermore, the coupes currently in question have not yet been scheduled for harvesting.
“It is understood that genuine old-growth forests are excluded from harvesting and the MCAV supports that policy,” Mr McCormack said.
“So, this feels like little more than a beat-up story, with romantic opening sentences that are designed to grab attention rather than relay in facts.
‘’Timber harvesting as conducted in Victoria is fully sustainable while supplying vital resources for the needs of Victorians.”
Already some involved with the MCAV, which has a large membership base spread across the country, have called for those involved to be expelled.
However, Mr McCormack said it was not relevant.
“These family members quoted are not part of the MCAV, and have not been for years,” he said.
“I am surprised by the move, given that these same two environmental groups are calling for grazing licenses to be voluntary rescinded and are supportive of other closures of public land – but I respect those involved as individuals, and they are allowed to have their own opinions – however, it is not the opinion of myself or the MCAV.
“Sustainable public land management has always been the cornerstone of the MCAV policy, and this will not change, and this includes timber harvesting.”
In a statement on Monday the MCAV noted it believed that:
- That native forest and plantation harvesting should continue in environmentally sound quantities, and that those quantities should be decided by a panel of credible and knowledgeable bush users, including from within the logging industry
- That additional State Government investment needs to be made to further promote and encourage new participation in the Victorian Farm Forestry sector
- That those within the forest industry continue to be actively recruited for their help in fighting bush fires
- That jobs within the timber industry be retained through the continuation of native timber, farm forestry and plantation harvesting; and
- That all timber that can be harvested locally, should be.
- The MCAV does not agree that:
- That native forest logging should be phased out unnecessarily
- That Blue Gum plantations are a suitable replacement for plantation hardwood
- That plantation timber is a suitable replacement for appearance grade timber, as preferred by the construction industry
- That now-mature trees planted as part of farm forestry be left unharvested
- That Australia’s demand for construction and appearance grade timber should be sourced from Asia where environmental regulations are far less stringent.
