Module 5 - VicForests

The total number of coupes to be assessed will be selected at random from across the
State in accordance with an overall risk distribution as follows:
• 60% from the high RRG;
• 25% from the moderate RRG; and
• 15% from the low RRG.
The selection process places some bias towards selecting a larger number of targets
from the high RRG. The incorporation of environmental risk parameters is intended
as an interpretive exercise for identifying coupes with a higher potential for activities
to impact the environment. For this reason, the results are not intended to represent
a statistical analysis.
Within a three year cycle of the FAP, all Forest Management Areas within the state
(where timber harvesting occurs) should have been included in the audit program,
and additional target selection criteria may be stipulated at the discretion of DSE to
achieve this goal.
Replacement of audit targets in consideration of geographic coverage, safety and
resource use
Auditees should be given the opportunity to comment on issues (safety, availability,
currency, access etc) regarding the coupes selected prior to starting the field
activities. Issues raised will be addressed on a case by case basis.
Auditors will also be able to discuss the location of the audit targets with DSE to
address issues of geographical coverage and situations where low number of target
coupes may occur in remote and difficult to access areas. DSE will give consideration
to excluding audit targets that represent a disproportionately large level of resource
use, to ensure the efficient allocation of available audit resources across the FAP. It is
not intended that this process will be used to achieve the most commerciallyattractive
mixture of coupes for Auditors, but rather DSE will only allow for one-off
exclusions of the most isolated, and difficult to access coupes. To ensure
transparency, decisions to replace copes in the target selection process should be
documented in the audit report.
Audit targets removed for any reasons should be replaced with an additional target,
also selected at random.
DSE reserves the right to review the selection process after the first round of audits.
4.2.4 Target selection for Module 7
Target selection for Module 7 will be carried out in accordance with the directions
provided in Section 5.2 of the DSE Coupe Finalisation Procedures, October 2008 and
includes the following.
FOREST AUDIT PROGRAM – MODULE 2 AUDIT PROCESS PAGE 27