Day one – WOTCH opening submissions
Today Richard Knowles QC, counsel for WOTCH, delivered our opening submissions. He outlined the extent of the Black Summer fires and their devastating impact on the four key threatened species in our case, after they had already endured dramatic declines prior to the bushfires.
He also put forward WOTCH's allegations that VicForests has not applied timber harvesting prescriptions that avoid serious or irreversible damage to fire-affected species.
The court also heard that there is significant agreement between experts for both parties, including that 'current harvesting practices are not ecologically sustainable, cause severe declines in [Greater Glider] populations at coupes scales and require significant modification' and that 'there is great uncertainty about the effectiveness of the prescription measures [for the Sooty and Powerful Owl]'.
Media coverage
ABC: Trial begins for VicForests accused of unlawful logging activity threatening wildlife
Map presented to the court showing the extent of the 2019-20 and 2009 bushfires and threatened species records.