Upper Bunyip Action Group
'U B A G'
Forest splendour waiting
to delight visitors in a
protected section of the
'350 Upper Bunyip'
Forestry Block.
[Photo: Heather Morrison]
Purpose of
the Group
To focus community attention onto the environmental issues and problems within the headwaters catchment area of the Bunyip River in the Bunyip State Forest.
This area is variously described as the 'Bunyip River' Special Water Supply Catchment (as declared under the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994), and as the '350 Upper Bunyip' Forestry Block that is administered by the Department of Sustainability and Environment, and regularly logged by that department for supply of timber and woodchips.
Objectives of the UBAG
Within this defined geographic area, the UBAG's prime objectives are to:
- identify, assess and monitor natural fauna, flora and other natural and heritage values that exist within this area, with particular attention to identifying and highlighting the need for close care of any species in this area that are on the 'threatened species' lists of Environment Australia or listed under the Victorian Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act;
- assist with the conservation and restoration of flora, fauna and other natural and heritage values that have been identified within this area;
- encourage passive-only recreational use of the area by bushwalkers, birders, picnickers, etc., under the supervision, regulation and management of DSE;
- assist with the monitoring of all recreational use of the area and regularly report and recommend to the managing authorities;
- identify and strenuously oppose any threats to the integrity of the 'fabric' of the area, including, but not limited to, any threats from
-
inappropriate logging in the area
-
'active' recreational use of the area (especially involving motorised vehicles)
-
unauthorised intrusions into 'protected areas' in the area - for example, use of 'management-vehicles-only' tracks by 4WDs or trail bikes
-
illegal activities in the area (such as illegal hunting, fishing, poaching, deliberate pollution etc)
- liaise and maintain a cooperative relationship with any other interest-group that has complementary objectives;
- support any moves by other 'passive' recreational interest-groups (such as VicWalk, VNPA, Bird Observers Club, Field Naturalists etc) to encourage and facilitate passive use of the area by their members;
- seek funding (from various funding agencies and other sources, including appropriate private enterprise) that will assist the group with projects - and in particular, to finance research studies into the occurrence and distribution of threatened species throughout the area;
- encourage and develop awareness among community groups of the special values of this area, and to seek their help in lobbying the State Government for this area to be added to the Bunyip State Park for passive recreation.