Nature's Voice edition 5
Welcome to the July-August edition of Nature's Voice, the VNPA's ebulletin and newsletter. Delivered quarterly, Nature's Voice arrives as an easy-to-read email and aims to keep you on top of important nature conservation issues throughout Victoria. You can now also read Nature's Voice online as an ebook. And if you haven't already signed up to receive Nature's Voice please take the opportunity to do so now by joining our
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Edition 5, July-August 2010
VNPA makes waves on marine parks
With federal and state elections looming, the politically charged atmosphere is leading to opportunistic spin by some anti-park lobby groups and political supporters.
A number of people have used leaked information from a soon-to-be released report to inflame debate about greater safeguards for our marine environment.
Government breaks duck shooting promise
Conservation groups have condemned a decision by the State Government to allow recreational shooting of native waterbirds in the new Murray River Park.
A letter obtained by the VNPA under Freedom of Information laws confirms that the Victorian Government will allow native waterbird shooting in large areas of the new park.
Central Victorian forests opened up to woodchipping?
The VNPA and local groups are alarmed at a Brumby Government decision that opens the door to woodchipping of state forests in central Victoria.
An allocation order giving VicForests previously-denied access to timber from central and western Victorian forests was posted on the DSE website without any public consultation.
All work and some play for red gum rangers
Five Traditional Aboriginal Owners began work in May as rangers on Yorta Yorta Country in Victoria's new River Red Gum parks.
The new Indigenous ranger team is part of an initiative that is the first of its kind in Victoria.
Anger at government plan to abolish VEAC
The future of planning for the protection of Victoria's native plants and animals is under threat by a decision to abolish the independent Victorian Environmental Assessment Council.
A coalition of 20 environment groups called on the Brumby Government to abandon plans to abolish the highly respected council.
Remnant native vegetation paper released
The Victorian Environmental Assessment Council (VEAC) has released a comprehensive Discussion Paper on remnant native vegetation in Victoria.
VEAC is looking at native vegetation on public land outside of Victoria's largely-intact landscapes and how it can best be managed to improve ecological linkages.
Sustainable firewood future for Victoria
The VNPA wants to see the use of native forests for firewood production replaced with firewood from sustainable tree plantations on previously cleared land.
The plan would include incentives to landholders to invest in agro-forestry, which would bring multiple benefits in tackling salinity, improving biodiversity and storing carbon.
GetUp forests campaign
Advocacy group GetUp believes that a truly transformative moment is opening up in the 30-year struggle to protect Australia's native forests.
It says the forestry industry is ready to sit down with the conservation movement to talk about a transition to a more sustainable future.
Park plans released for Kinglake and Devilbend
Parks Victoria has released a Management Plan for Devilbend Natural Features Reserve between Hastings and Mornington.
It has also released a draft management plan for Kinglake National Park, 98% of which was burnt on Black Saturday last year.
Bay of Islands oil search could lead to drilling
A decision to allow petroleum exploration in Victoria's Bay of Islands Coastal Park sets a dangerous precedent for further gas and oil exploration within the state's national parks.
The Bay of Islands Coastal Park protects 950 hectares of fragile coastal vegetation and unique wildlife, as well as offshore islands and rock stacks.
Fisheries officers vital for marine protection
A statewide shortage of fisheries officers is putting Victoria's marine protection at risk, the Community and Public Sector Union says.
It has led to a jump in fisheries crime, and marine environments are becoming increasingly vulnerable to over-fishing, plunder of endangered species, and pest and disease outbreaks.
Victoria's marine areas need greater protection
In the past eight years six new land national parks have been created in Victoria, but no new marine national parks, Associate Professor Geoff Wescott of Deakin University says in a letter to the VNPA.
He writes that while Victoria got off to a good start with its new marine national parks and sanctuaries in 2002, very little has happened since in marine protection.
Free entry to Victoria's parks
All entry fees to Victoria's parks were abolished from Thursday 1 July onwards.
Tell us what you think about this decision, and how our parks should be funded.
New staff members bolster VNPA team
VNPA members and staff were very sorry to farewell marine campaigner Paige Shaw recently, who has now returned to her native Canada.
However, we are also happy to welcome two new members to the marine team.
Bushland destroyed for Peninsula freeway
Valuable bushland is being bulldozed around Frankston for the environmentally destructive and unnecessary Peninsula Link freeway.
Bulldozers have already destroyed woodland habitat and are about to move into a rare example of Grassy Woodland.
'Wild Walks' in Victoria's parks a questionable idea
Parks Victoria and tourism interests are proposing a new 148km north-south multi-day walk through the Grampians.
Starting at Mt Stapylton, the walk would traverse the Mt Difficult and Mt William ranges, finishing at Dunkeld.
Thanks for giving us your input
Sixty members and supporters turned out for our education workshop and Special General Meeting on Saturday 19 June.
Last year the VNPA established a working group to develop our Community Education and Engagement Strategy, and the workshop was held to get feedback on the group's progress so far.
Small Parks project launched in Castlemaine
Forecast storms failed to put a damper on the spirits of more than 80 people who came to the launch of our Small Parks project in Castlemaine last month.
The project has identified 20 high conservation value areas of public land in Central Victoria that could be better managed or are not protected in Victoria's reserve system.
NatureWatch news
NatureWatch involves volunteers in gathering data on our natural environment to help with management.
Some great new monitoring opportunities are coming up, including the chance to search for threatened grassland species such as the Striped Legless Lizard, Plains Yam Daisy and Grassland Copper Butterfly.
Read the latest NatureWatch newsletter
Announcements
> AGM and Council nominations
> Thanks for your support!
Activities
> Grow West, Sunday 18 July
> Project Hindmarsh, 14-15 August