Cardinia Shire
Council Votes Against Logging the 350 Block!
The Cardinia
Shire, to the east of Melbourne, has made a bold decision to back
the arguments of the UBAG against further logging of the 350 Upper Bunyip
forestry block - the headwaters catchment of the Bunyip River - and
to seek
its addition to the Bunyip State Park.
On 19 August, 2002, the Council adopted their Environmental
Manager's Recommendation
and resolved:
- That taking into account submissions fromUpper
Bunyip Action Group and DNRE, Council resolve that:
- timber harvesting should not occur in
the Upper Bunyip 350 block due to impact on -
- native vegetation
- tourism
- Westernport catchment
- recreational needs of South East Melbourne
- The Upper Bunyip 350 block should be
annexed to the Bunyip State Park.
- That the Minister for Environment and Conservation
and local Members of Parliament be advised of Council's position.
The UBAG applauds Council's
intent in passing this resolution. Unfortunately, it contained
NOTHING requiring the Shire to take any further action beyond
advising certain people of Council's position.
At its General Council Meeting on 21 October,
a further motion was put by Cr David Nickell and carried, as follows:
Logging in Upper Bunyip Catchment area
Moved Cr. Nickell, seconded Cr. Owen.
THAT CARDINIA SHIRE WRITE TO THE SHIRE OF YARRA RANGES, LOCAL MEMBERS
AND CANDIDATES, THE WILDERNESS SOCIETY AND THE AUSTRALIAN CONSERVATION
FOUNDATION, TO SEEK URGENT SUPPORT FOR THE COUNCIL RESOLUTION IN OPPOSITION
TO LOGGING OPERATIONS IN THE UPPER BUNYIP CATCHMENT AREA.
Carried.
This is welcome "grist to the mill",
but again, there is not sufficient here to really drive this issue forward.
It is
up to the community to insist that the Shire give "teeth" to
this resolution!
The UBAG will insist that the new (2003-06) Council take this matter up
to the Victorian State Government, through the Member for Gembrook (Tammy
Lobato MLA) and the Minister for Environment (John Thwaites). Cardinia
residents can give further weight to this by attending Council meetings
and asking pointed questions that make it clear that ACTIONS, not
words, are required here. Letters to local papers will certainly help
this process.
See
Full Text of Minute of August Resolution
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