Court dismisses VicForests application to burn injunction coupes
The Supreme Court today dismissed VicForests’ application to vary WOTCH’s injunctions over part-logged coupes to allow regeneration burns.
The court heard that burning is not the only method of coupe regeneration. WOTCH gave evidence of the impacts of regeneration burns on retained habitat and provided examples of burns which had escaped the planned burn area including into a Leadbeater’s Possum buffer.
The court concluded that VicForests had not demonstrated a material change of circumstances that justified variation of the orders made to protect the coupes during the proceeding.
Blue Streak coupe following a regeneration burn this year (south of Mt Baw Baw)