Friday, November 17. 2006Labor to Protect Goolengook from LoggingI am pleased to support Labor's pledge to finally protect old growth forests in the Goolengook catchement from logging.
Four years ago with my colleague Glenyys Romanes I visited Goolengook. I came back determined to do what I could to help save it from further logging. If a Bracks Labor Government is re-elected this will happen under our national parks and forests policy. Other details below the fold. A re-elected Bracks Government will:
• Immediately protect the last significant stands of Victoria’s old growth forests that are currently available for logging, including the Goolengook Block. In total this will add almost 33,500 hectares of forest to the reserve system to be protected under the National Parks Act; • Create the Great Victorian Alpine National Park by adding 5000 hectares of State forest, currently available for logging, to link the Errinundra National Park to the Snowy River and Alpine National Parks; • Immediately add 2500 hectares of icon State Forest in East Gippsland, currently available for logging, to the National Parks and reserve system. This includes key rainforest stands, threatened species habitat and mature forest areas; • Create a new Cobboboonee National Park, and Forest Park outside Portland, protecting the habitat of the spot tailed quoll, southern brown bandicoot, long nosed potoroo and the powerful owl; • Create new Red Gum National and Forest Parks if recommended by the Victorian Environment Assessment Council; • Allocate $24.9 million over 4 years to expand the number of Park Rangers across Victoria by adding 15 new Park Rangers and continuing to fund the 50 new Park Rangers committed in 2002; and • Invest $10 million in the protection of heritage sites at Point Nepean, when the final 90 hectares is incorporated in the Point Nepean National Park. Commit $500,000 to create a new 1.5 km walking track linking London Bridge and the Quarantine Station. Trackbacks
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