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The Timber Salvage - A Real Success

Recent snowfalls have brought an end to the salvage harvesting season in the 2003 fire area around Swifts Creek and Benambra.

By Department of Sustainability and Environment - 15th July 2004 - Back to News

Harvesting crews have now moved to drier coupes in the foothills and will complete the small area of salvage remaining in Gippsland in late spring before returning to work in ‘green’ forests not killed by fire. Large areas still remain to be salvaged in north-eastern Victoria next season.

The Department of Sustainability and Environment’s Ewan Waller, who manages Forestry Victoria in East Gippsland, said that the salvage had been very successful with most of the high value sawlogs now harvested.

"It has been a great achievement from all involved to move so much timber quickly and without major setbacks," Mr Waller said.

"From the crews doing the on-ground harvesting, to the truck drivers who have shown real courtesy and care on the roads, and the many support workers maintaining the forest roads and harvesting equipment, it has been a real team effort."

Mr Waller also acknowledged the exceptional work of DSE staff at Swifts Creek, Nowa Nowa, Orbost and Bairnsdale who planned the whole operation. This included identifying where the harvesting would occur, working with industry on roading, and protecting the environment and regenerating seedlings.

"All involved can be very satisfied that a lot of dead trees have been harvested for high quality products directly due to their efforts," he said.

Salvage harvesting in Gippsland since the 2003 Alpine fires has now produced 110,000 cubic metres of sawlog and 131,000 tonnes of residual logs. This has meant an increase of up to 50 per cent in log truck traffic.

"The final thanks must go to the community for their support of this important work and for putting up with inconveniences like extra trucks on the roads," Mr Waller said.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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