This series of images was inspired by a recent court case in which Kinglake Friends of the Forest (KFF) and Environment East Gippsland (EEG) took VicForests (VF) to court over the logging of threatened species habitat - the Greater Glider and the Yellow-Bellied Glider. KFF and EEG alleged that VF have failed to protect these vulnerably listed gliders - both from their lack of surveying procedures and protection from the effects of logging. 

The first logging coupe I visited had previous sightings of 26 Greater Gliders. VicForests however did not undertake the surveying that they should have in order to protect the gliders and their forest was clear-felled. 

The case put forward rests partly on the ‘Precautionary Principle’, a clause in the Code of Practice for Timber Production that allows courts to consider the risk of “serious or irreversible environmental damage”. (Kinglake Friends of the Forest 2022) 

VicForests, like Sustainable Timber Tas, outwardly pride themselves on sustainable harvest. Their website states: “We are forest people, taking care of Victorian native forests is our life. Timber is natural, durable, renewable and stores carbon for life.” 

However their practice seems far from sustainable. After VicForest logs, the clear-felled coupe is burnt to assist in regeneration and clean-up. The burn, however is generally too hot to prevent damage to topsoil, on top of the chemicals they use to generate growth after their mass seed drop, and the heavy impact of machinery. No other native trees are allowed to grow once they replant. A monoculture ensures easy logging. Some trees are left for habitat, however they generally fall over without the support of their forest. 

Adding to KFF and EEG’s argument is the fact that this part of Australia has some of the most carbon-dense forests in the world. VicForests are not only required to protect vulnerably listed species like the gliders, but also to protect us from any further temperature rise. 

































When I was travelling up to the Mt Robertson coupe again, Tristan, who came to help me with the drone, pointed out the 1080 poison sign. I’d seen that the last time I was there. “Apparently its for the wild dog problem” he said - emphasising the stupidity of the statement. “They often appear after logging. Some say its to kill off the native wildlife that might interfere with the regrowth.” The layers of destruction was startling. 

Before my time with this case ended, the court ruled in favour of KFF and EEG and now requires VicForests to undertake extensive surveying of the coupes before logging to protect gliders. Victory was won. Unfortunately around the same time however, the Victorian and Tasmanian Government passed laws to fine protesters (or anyone found on a logging site) $21 000, making the incredible work of these volunteer groups so much harder. Tristan piped in again when our conversation swirled around to this: “The crazy thing about it is, more often than not, the people involved in these protests are retired, old ladies trying to protect the environment! They’re not the criminals!” 

The people I met through this case had the biggest hearts and clearest intentions: to protect the forests for future generations and its present day inhabitants. As I stood on the edge of the clear-fell I heard lyrebird after lyrebird call. It was almost as if they were thanking the work of these heartless volunteers for helping keep their homes in tact too.
The bird-call felt like paradise as I stood in the silenced logged coupe, and for a moment I imagined the spread of old growth forest instead. I hope, amidst what feels like never-ending destruction, that the small pivots catapult us into action and we head that way instead. The magic that permeates the in-tact, old forests up here is a living example of how it could be - and why what remains, needs to stay. 

These images show the destruction that VicForests has labelled sustainable, some of the legends behind the work of KFF, and glimpses of the sustainable, in-tact, fully functioning eco-systems that we need to preserve for the health of our planet, and our little glider friends.