THE Federal Court has overturned a ruling that VicForests breached federal environmental laws.
Last May, environmental group Friends of the Leadbeater’s Possum successfully argued VicForests logged in 66 areas of habitat for the vulnerable greater glider and critically endangered Leadbeater’s possum, contravening federal law – specifically, the Environment Protection Biodiversity Conservation Act.
Until then, commercial timber harvesting was given an exemption from federal laws in areas covered by Regional Forestry Agreements, as long as the state provided a plan to balance the impact of logging on flora and fauna with economic factors.
RFAs are drawn up by state governments, and then are signed off by the federal government.
Last May, Justice Debra Mortimer ruled logging within an RFA area was subject to the EPBC Act, and stopped the state government-owned forestry agency from logging in the 41 of the 66 Central Highlands coupes.
VicForests lodged an appeal in August, which was heard last month, and the full bench of the Federal Court unanimously overturned Justice Mortimer’s decision on Monday.
For more read Friday’s Gippsland Times.
