We’re being encouraged to help stamp out the illegal logging of firewood in our state forests and national parks.
A campaign highlighting that very issue is now running statewide, backed by Victoria’s Conservation Regular and Crime Stoppers.
The two groups say the activity is impacting bushland right across the state, particularly north of Shepparton, in the Otways and Grampians regions, and parts of east Gippsland.
What’s more, Acting Chief Conservation Regulator Callie Donaldson has told us the crime is even occurring in parks and forests around Bendigo.
“Unfortunately the trees that are targeted for the commercial-scale take of firewood are often really mature trees, and they’re trees really important for habitat for wildlife,” Ms Donaldson says.
“Some of them are hundreds of years old and they’re really slow-growing trees.”
In Victoria, legal firewood is typically sourced from plantations, commercial suppliers, or private land with appropriate permits.
The campaign encourages those stocking up on firewood to ensure they’re not supporting a black market by:
- purchasing from reputable sellers;
- asking sellers where their timber is sourced from;
- requesting a receipt with a business name and ABN, and;
- steering clear if a deal seems too good to be true.
Meantime, we’re also being urged to monitor our parks and forests for suspicious behaviour, such as chainsaws operating at night.
Anyone who believes firewood is being illegally sourced should contact Crime Stoppers.
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