Environmental Groups Worry About Secret Logging in Victoria's State Forests

By Madeleine Stuchbery

ABC Gippsland

Topic: Forestry, Logging and Timber Industry

Fri 10 Jul 2026 at 7:05am

A tree stump is seen in bushland near Noojee in Gippsland.

In short:

Environmental groups are concerned about secret logging in Victoria's state forests.

Some wildlife groups question the removal of hazardous trees, saying they are home to endangered species.

What's next?

The government says it is not logging, but removing by-products from state-managed forests.

Blake Nesbit stands by a mountain grey gum tree in a native forest near Noojee.

The tree is hollow, providing a home for wildlife like the endangered Leadbeater's possum.

The tree is in an area where Forest Fire Management Victoria is removing hazardous trees.

Blake Nesbit says he saw greater gliders coming out of the tree's hollows at night.

He could tell the tree had large hollows that could be home to certain animals.

Blake Nesbit walks through native forest near Noojee in Gippsland.

Since native timber harvesting ended in 2024, Mr Nesbit and other volunteers have seen more older trees being marked for removal.

Members of the Wildlife of the Central Highlands group reported a dead Leadbeater's possum after trees were removed.

Environmental groups claim timber is being taken from state forests that does not need to be removed.

Jordan Crook has worked in the timber industry and is now a nature campaigner.

He is concerned that unnecessary timber removal is happening out of sight.

The state government's framework allows for the removal and sale of native timber debris from forests.

The end of native timber harvesting in Victoria has not protected the environment, according to the Victorian National Parks Association.

The VNPA has seen an increase in timber removal from public land in recent years.

Warburton Environmental Inc filed a court case against the Victorian government to stop the destruction of hollow-bearing trees.

The trial is waiting for a decision, which has limited fuel break renewal works in the Central Highlands.

Blake Nesbit and Jordan Crook are concerned about unnecessary timber removal.

'These works are not timber harvesting'

The Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action released a framework for removing native timber debris from forests.

The framework allows for the removal and sale of debris, with revenue going to traditional owners.

The Victorian government has committed $1.5 billion to support the transition from native timber harvesting.

The program has offered alternative work in forest and land management jobs for forestry contractors.

But the VNPA claims unnecessary destruction and removal of timber from national parks is still happening.

The VNPA said the state government is allowing logging 'by stealth'.

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'We want a good, well-managed forest'

Forestry academic David Lindenmayer opposes the state government's approach to forest fuel load reduction.

He says managing every square inch of the country for fire management is 'ludicrous'.

But others, like former CSIRO scientist John Raison, disagree.

John Raison says forests need to be managed.

He says concerns about plantation timber and forest degradation are 'almost all wrong'.

The reality is that our protected forest area is not in good shape, according to Dr Raison.

Feral animals, weeds, and fire management pose a major threat to native forests.

Just having more protected forests without a good system of protection from fire is not a good idea.

The timber industry had good systems in place to deal with fire, according to Dr Raison.

We want a good, well-managed forest, but it's not simply a matter of stopping timber removal.

Fallen timber near a forest at Noojee in Gippsland.

A DEECA spokesperson says debris removed for safety or bushfire reasons goes to various uses.

The independent Conservation Regulator ensures forest and fire management works follow the law.

Forest and fire management work is never done for commercial purposes and is not logging.

ABC Gippsland — local news in your inbox

Fri 10 Jul 2026 at 7:05am

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