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In Victoria we have less than 30% of our original bushland remaining on public land; on private land we have less than 8% left.

We continue to log old-growth forests in five of our water catchments. Melbourne Water research implicates this logging in the reduced water flow to our dams by up to 50% – thirsty saplings soak up far more water than established forests.

When Victoria’s old growth forests are logged they will take up to 1000 years to return to their original state.

The total removal of all trees in old growth forests (our current practice) pushes more species closer to extinction.

Chopping down the old growth forest changes the forest from being wet and fire resistant into a dry and fire prone.

Old growth forests filter rainfall on its way to our water catchments and underground water reserves (aquifers). This pure water alone is far more valuable to us that the wood chips from the trees that can be grown in plantations.

Tourism is also hurt as tourists do not pay to go and see vast areas of cleared land and small trees – they want to see the big trees, hear the bird life and breathe the pure moist air that old growth forests provide.

Old growth forests provide the most valuable carbon storage in Victoria. They store up to 1500 tonnes of carbon for every hectare. The continued logging of our old-growth forests represents a massive 20% of Victoria’s total pollution emissions.

Hollows in eucalypt trees take around 100 years to form. These hollows take around 100 years to form and will provide nesting opportunities for native birds and mammals.

In Victoria mammals faced with extinction as a direct result of this logging include the Long-footed Potoroo (below left), the Leadbeaters possum (below centre) and the Spotted-tail Quoll (below right).