Lawyers for Forests has serious concerns about the government's current native forest policies and management practices. These concerns include the scientific basis on which conservation decisions are made, the flawed economics underpinning the logging industry, and the influence exercised by woodchipping companies over government decision making processes.

Lawyers for Forests believes that the laws applicable to the native forest sector are deficient and inadequate. Some of these concerns relate to the failure of existing laws to adequately protect biodiversity and ecological values and the public’s limited ability to demand a review of government decisions and enforce laws where they do exist.

Lawyers for Forests is working to promote better native forest law and policy. This involves analysis of the laws and regulatory framework and advocating law reform to ensure the conservation and better management of our native forests.

Links to Lawyers for Forests Submissions and Articles:

Submission to the Commonwealth Government independent review of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth), 30 January 2009

Submission to the Senate Environment, Communications and the Arts Committee Enquiry into the operation of the Environment Protection & Biordiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth), 23 September 2008

Submission to the Department of Climate Change on the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme Green Paper, 10 September 2008

Submission to the Department of Sustainability & Environment in response to the Land and Biodiversity at a Time of Climate Change - Green Paper, 24 July 2008

Public comment under the Environment Protection & Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth) on referral with Reference Number 2007/3897, submitting that the further construction of "fire breaks" in the Central Highlands by the Victorian Department of Sustainability & Environment is a controlled action because it will have a significant impact on threatened species, 21 December 2007 (attachment 1, attachment 2, attachment 3).

Submission to the Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment regarding a study being conducted into the phasing out of logging in State Forests from which water is supplied to Melbourne, dated 29 October 2007.

Submission to the Victorian Environment Assessment Council regarding the River Red Gum Forests Investigation Draft Proposal Paper, supporting the creation of new and larger National Parks and Reserves to assist the rehabilitation and protection of River Red Gum forests along the Murray River, dated 8 October 2007. 

Complaint made by Lawyer for Forests and The Central Highlands Alliance to the Complaince and Enforcement Section of the federal Department of the Environment and Water Resouces regarding breaches of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth) arising from the construction of a lineal logging coupe (called a "fire break") in National Park and threatened species habitat, dated 15 February 2007. 

A legal summary of the Wielangta decision: Brown v Forestry Tasmania (No 4) [2004] FCA 1729 (19 December 2006) by Vanessa Bleyer.

Submission to the Senate Committee on the Environment and Heritage Legislation Amendments Bill (No. 1) 2006 (Cth), 27 October 2006.

Application for emergency listing of Mount Baw Baw and escarpments under Section 324F of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth), 12 September 2006.

Submissions to the Victorian Environment Assessment Council on the investigation into the logging of Goolengook, East Gippsland, dated 4 August 2006.

Submissions to the purported draft variation of the Code of Forest Practice for Timber Production, 5 June 2006.  Document sent to Minister Thwaites regarding the review of the Code of Forest Practice for Timber Production, 27 March 2006.  The government's response to the 27 March document.  Click here to view the Current Code.  Click here to view the purported draft variation.  

Submission on proposed Sustainable Forests (Timber) Regulations 2006 and a copy of the Proposed Regulations

Letter to Minister Thwaites: Otways National Park, July 2005

Submission on Grazing in the Alpine National Park, June 2004 and Letter to Minister Thwaites: Alpine Grazing, July 2005

Blueprint for Forest Reform, 2004 in response to the labour government's "Our Forest Our Future" policy

Submission to The Honourable John Thwaites MP, Minister for Water & Environment, Department of Sustainability & Environment, regarding the Sustainable Forests (Timber) Bill, dated 21 May 2004 

Andrew Walker's article published in the Alternative Law Journal, April 2004, Forest Reform in Victoria: Towards ecologically sustainable forest management or mere greenwash?

Overview of Native Forest Regulation

Overview of Forests Legislation “Forests: How are they regulated in Victoria” (seminar presented by Lawyers for Forests), September 2002

Review of the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 (Vic), November 2002

Submission on Environment Effects Act and Procedures, 26 August 2002

Submission on the Forests Legislation (Amendment) Bill 2002 (Vic)

LFF's letters to politicians on the RFA Bill 2001 (Cth) 

Submission to Government (Vic): Box Ironbark Forests, December 2001 

Submission to Government (Vic): Timber Licence Renewal Project, December 2001

Submission to Government (NSW): Proposed Silicon Smelter at Lithgow, December 2001 

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