VEAC Conservation Values of State Forests (VEAC, 2017)

Progress

Overview

In September 2016, the Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change requested VEAC to undertake an assessment of the conservation values of state forests in the Central Highlands, North East, Gippsland and East Gippsland regional forest agreement areas. A map of the relevant land may be viewed here.

The purpose of the assessment is to:

(a) identify the biodiversity and ecological values in the specified area
(b) identify the current and likely future threats to these values
(c) report on public land use and management.

VEAC was required to consult with the Forest Industry Taskforce. More information on the Forest Industry Taskforce can be found here.

The report on VEAC's Conservation Values of State Forests Assessment was publicly released on Tuesday 7 March 2017.

The Victorian Environmental Assessment Council Act 2001 was amended in 2016 to allow the Minister to request the Council to conduct an assessment or to provide advice in relation to a matter that, in the opinion of the Minister, does not require an investigation, having regard to the matter's limited scale or scope or its technical nature. This assessment of the conservation values of state forests is requested pursuant to the new section 26B of the Act.