T o those who spread the word, joined citizen science expeditions, who again and again took action for our special places, creatures and habitats.
We've talked a lot about the trouble with VicForests. From breaking the laws that govern them, to taxpayer funded financial losses, to repeated failures to protect endangered wildlife like the iconic Greater Glider. Now it's time to talk about restoring and recovering what we've lost.
As part of the transition, the government will deliver a program to manage the 1.8 million hectares of public land currently available to log. Importantly, forestry workers will be supported through the transition. Forests will be assessed for protection in new national parks and for activities like camping, hiking and four-wheel driving. This will include opportunities for Traditional Owner management.
We'll be keeping a close eye on what is planned for forest works. Our key concern is the work forest fire agencies are doing is often indistinguishable from intensive logging practices.
This announcement is a powerful reminder that the state-sanctioned destruction of nature isn't inevitable. It's the consequence of poor decisions by the people we've elected and entrusted to look after nature. Better decisions can be made, if we demand them. And that's exactly what our community did, for years on end.
It has finally paid off.
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