Yahoo Lifestyle National park program labelled 'complete madness' after shock find under ancient tree
Trees known to be home to endangered greater gliders have been felled despite repeated warnings from conservationists.
Ancient trees harbouring animals on the verge of extinction inside an Australian national park have been cut down by government contractors, in a move a leading conservation scientist has described as "complete madness". While Victorian authorities maintain its works are essential to lessen the threat of bushfires and protect native wildlife, there is mounting concern about its methods.
At least one endangered greater glider is dead, while others are presumed homeless and likely will not survive. The hollows these fluffy, koala-like, nocturnal marsupials use to sleep in are in short supply.
More than a month ago, conservationists began walking through the muddy tracks within the state's Yarra Ranges National Park to document the specific tree hollows greater gliders were living in. Their efforts were in response to a plan by the state’s Department of Environment to expand fire breaks and remove “vegetation” inside the park.
They were particularly concerned that Forest Fire Management Victoria (FFMV), which operates within the Department, had spray painted pink markings on centuries-old eucalypts at the edges of tracks. This indicated the trees had been assessed by its workers as posing a hazard and thus needed to be cut down.
Government cut down tree after being warned gliders lived inside
Investigators from Wildlife of the Central Highlands (WOTCH) rugged up and braved bitter winter nights for weeks. The suspicions of its volunteers were confirmed when they found greater gliders and critically endangered Leadbeater's possums using trees earmarked for destruction — both species are protected under state and federal laws.
This information was sent to the Victorian and Commonwealth environment departments, with a plea that the trees be spared. Video was supplied showing the animals clearly utilising the trees as habitat.
Amongst them was Tree 15, a large Mountain grey gum which had at least three greater gliders using its hollow. It featured in an independent arborist report commissioned by Victorian National Parks Association (VNPA) which found the tree had a “poor” structure, but was in “good” condition, resulting in a recommendation that “no works” should be undertaken at all.
Conservationists now claim Tree 15 has since been cut down.
Of the 16 trees the independent arborists assessed in the VNPA report, they found only six needed work. The experts concluded all had a “high value” and made no recommendations that any needed to be removed. The report concluded all trees had a low to very low risk of failure and none had more than a one in a million chance of harming human life.
Expert questions why greater glider tree was not protected
World Wide Fund for Nature-Australia conservation scientist Dr Kita Ashman has been following reports of tree removal inside Yarra Ranges National Park, and she’s questioned FFMV’s methods.
“[FFMV’s] commentary has been that it's clearing “vegetation” encroaching on existing fire breaks. But the trees that are being logged are several hundred years old, and if they’re existing fuel breaks why weren’t they cleared previously? To me it really doesn’t add up” she said.
“What’s been living rent free in my brain over the past 48 hours since I saw that dead glider is that community groups sent in the exact location, video evidence, photo evidence and it fell on deaf ears.
“Even if it was a hazardous tree, which we know it wasn’t, there was an endangered species in there so why wouldn’t you not still work to protect it?”
Disturbing details of greater glider body revealed
Following the death of the greater glider on Wednesday, FFMV told Yahoo News it makes “every effort to minimise impacts on flora and fauna and follow a rigorous planning and approvals process”.
To better understand its processes, Yahoo responded on Thursday by asking what specific guidelines it follows when it assesses trees, whether it checks hollows for wildlife before the trees come down, and if fauna spotters have to be present.
FFMV did not respond directly to these questions, but claimed again that “every effort is made to minimise impacts on the environment”, and added that its management of forests can include the installation of nest boxes and carving hollows in “suitable trees”.
“The habitat value of every tree deemed hazardous is assessed by our expert staff against the risk to the public and to firefighters, when required this assessment is done in consultation with independent experts,” it said.
Images supplied to Yahoo showing the dead greater glider on Wednesday are disturbing. They show the animal squashed flat, with its internal organs breaking free from its chest. A statement from a Wildlife Victoria vet who assessed the body before it was handed to “relevant experts” noted there were “multiple injuries” to its body.
In a statement the rescue group conveyed its CEO Lisa Palma shared her dismay at the animal’s death. “Our wildlife is on the frontline of climate change, habitat destruction, and urbanisation, and Australia has the highest mammal extinction rate in the world. It is incredibly distressing to have reports of endangered wildlife impacted under these circumstances and we renew our call for greater wildlife protection,” she said.
On Friday FFMV confirmed the greater glider had been recovered for a necropsy, but it is understood to be still waiting on the results. So while the animal was found dead next to a tree, it's unclear whether its cause of death was directly related.
Call for urgent environment reform
On Thursday, Environmental Justice Australia, which has acted on behalf of WOTCH and VNPA, accused FFMV of "refusing to comply" with the legislated process for assessing environmental impacts. It's special counsel Danya Jacobs called in Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek to bring forward reforms to nature protection laws which have been independently assessed as "ineffective".
"This conduct raises serious questions about FFMV's governance, impunity and the severe impacts on threatened species that it is actively shielding from legal scrutiny," she said.
"The destruction of ancient hollow-bearing trees home to endangered species despite specific advance warning demonstrates that urgent reform to deliver clear and bullet-proof protection for critical habitat of threatened species must come in this stage of National environmental law reform, it cannot await Minister Plibersek's indefinite further process."
The Federal Department of Environment confirmed with Yahoo on April 23 that it was making enquiries into works inside Yarra Ranges National Park. This week it confirmed they were ongoing, but it is yet to provide details of what these enquiries are.
Government accused of 'logging by stealth'
Victoria’s end to native forest logging began in January 2024, and the state owned timber harvester VicForests was shut down. However conservationists have claimed projects like those in Yarra Ranges National Park, where old-growth trees are chopped down and then hauled away on trucks are “logging by stealth”.
This is understood to be disputed by the Department.
To help families and communities impacted by the closure of VicForests, the Department created the Forestry Transition Program. This has resulted in forest contractors being employed by FFMV to carry out specialised tasks including the removal of trees it deems hazardous and other bushfire suppression activities.
Although Yarra Ranges National Park is not believed to specifically be part of this program, it is similar in nature to other controversial works across the state.
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WWF’s Dr Ashman said it is infuriating that endangered species habitat is being destroyed, despite these animals being protected under Victoria’s Flora and Fauna Guarantee and the Commonwealth’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.
“There are so many claims that they’re doing things the right way, but that can’t be the case because they’re killing endangered species. Where is the oversight? Where is the prosecution for killing endangered animals?,” she said.
“It’s just complete madness.”
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