By Emma Xerri
Local residents have expressed concern over the current state of Wright Forest, after walkers have identified “hundreds of trees” down and damaged.
This damage comes as a result of the February 13 storm, which saw trees windthrown and left in a hazardous state.
While claims have been made by a local man that the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) has taken advantage of the storm damage to “extensively log the area,” DEECA maintains that under Victorian state guidelines for timber harvesting, all such logging has ceased.
The department asserts that no trees are being felled in Wright Forest unless they present a safety hazard, with DEECA only conducting work in accordance with FFMVic’s emergency management responsibilities under the Emergency Management Act 2013.
“When storms hit Wright Forest on 13 February, FFMVic staff and contractors were deployed under emergency management arrangements to remove storm debris to reduce bushfire risk to the local community and enable the reserve to safely re-open,” Port Phillip Deputy Chief Fire Officer Shannon Devenish said.
“Only hazardous trees damaged by the storm were removed for public safety and to mitigate bushfire risk.”
Of this debris that was removed, DEECA states some was donated to the Victorian Axeman Association for community woodchopping events, however most was transported to a state forest firewood collection site and made available for community use.
“We also carried out planned burn after the initial cleanup to remove remaining debris that presented a safety hazard,” Deputy Chief Fire Officer Devenish added.
All further cleanup from the storms will be done by Parks Victoria in line with their land management responsibilities, hopefully honouring with the local man’s beliefs that “community assets like Wright Forest need to be preserved and cared for.”
