The silent and devastating toll of people stealing wood from Victoria’s forests and parks has been revealed as public land authorities announce a crackdown on escalating illegal firewood take and habitat destruction threatening the survival of native wildlife and Aboriginal cultural heritage. Source: Corryong Courier, Timberbiz
In 2023 alone, firewood thieves damaged or destroyed more than 9,200 native trees or cleared roughly 462 hectares of public land in Victoria, with much of the stolen wood sold on to unsuspecting people by illegal firewood operators.
The ABC reports that data from the Victorian government’s Conservation Regulator shows the number of trees being cut down from protected forests each year could cover the MCG nearly 180 times over.
The Conservation Regulator has overseen 30 convictions for illegal firewood harvesting in the past two years. And in the same time frame, the regulator — along with Parks Victoria, and the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action — issued a total of 540 individual charges.
The Firewood Association Australia general manager Dane McGreevy told the ABC illegal operators had long plagued the sector, but he believed the issue was exacerbated by the closure of the state’s native timber harvesting industry.
“There’s now a hole in the market,” he said.
“Unfortunately, we’re in a real demand-driven market at the moment for firewood, especially sustainably harvested and sourced firewood.
“With the absence of a legal market, a black market will appear.”
Mr McGreevy told the ABC the black market sellers were causing frustration for those operating within the law, and were ripping off members of the public trying to buy wood in good faith.
In response, the Conservation Regulator and Parks Victoria has launched Taskforce Ironbark, a joint state-wide initiative targeting illegal commercial firewood removal from public land and empowering Victorian firewood consumers to make choices which help protect our forests and native wildlife.
“With winter here and factors like rising living pressures and a lack of community awareness, the demand for cheap firewood is likely to increase, exacerbating illegal firewood theft and the destruction of vital habitat,” said Brady Childs, Taskforce Ironbark Manager.
“We have seen a rapid rise in firewood-related damage on public land and native trees are being stolen from Victoria’s forests and parks faster than they can be replaced, leaving our native birds, reptiles, and small mammals without crucial habitat.
“We formed Taskforce Ironbark to disrupt illegal commercial firewood operators and remind all Victorians they play an important role in preserving our forests and parks, protecting wildlife habitats and reducing the harm associated with firewood theft.
“When Victorians unintentionally buy illegally sourced firewood, often through online marketplaces, roadside stalls and word-of-mouth, they could also be inadvertently supporting the individuals and syndicates destroying native forests and wildlife habitat.”
To help buyers recognise reputable firewood sellers and tell if wood has been illegally sourced, they are encouraged to ask them:
Where does your wood come from? They should be able to detail where their wood was sourced.
Can I get a receipt? They should provide a tax receipt with a business name and ABN listed.
Why is the wood so cheap? If the firewood seems cheaper than similar nearby, ask them why.
Many of the trees targeted by thieves are large, old, slow-growing species that are unlikely to recover or be replenished in this generation or the next and their illegal felling directly risks the survival of some of our most threatened native species which rely on hollows in both standing and fallen trees for habitat.
Victoria is also rich with Aboriginal cultural heritage and only a small percentage of historical sites have been recorded.
“Firewood theft has serious potential to damage Aboriginal scarred trees and once gone, these important cultural representations and reminders of Indigenous land use practices are lost forever,” Mr Childs said.
Authorised Officers are conducting targeted patrols across public land and using intelligence-gathering methods, such as concealed cameras and community reports, to catch commercial firewood thieves.
Last year, the Conservation Regulator and Parks Victoria issued 130 infringement notices and laid more than 220 charges related to habitat destruction and the illegal cut and take of firewood from forests and parks.
In Victoria, it is illegal to cut and take timber from public land without authorisation and offenders face maximum penalties of more than $9,879 and/ or 12 months in prison for each charge. Chainsaws, trailers, and vehicles used in the offending can also be seized.
“Illegal firewood theft is devastating our local parks, forests, wildlife, and cultural heritage,” said Mark Breguet, Senior Manager Enforcement, Parks Victoria.
“With nearly 10,000 trees destroyed last year alone, the impact is far-reaching, threatening the survival of native species and damaging irreplaceable Aboriginal cultural sites.”
The community can help by reporting suspicious sellers or firewood theft from public land to 136 186.
For more information on responsible sourcing of firewood, visit: www.vic.gov.au/sourcing-firewood
