Module 5 - VicForests

0 Introduction
Element group (Operational provisions Compliance Element), which had only eight applicable audit
criteria, had all criteria assessed as being in compliance. A large proportion of the criteria in the
Operational Provisions Compliance Element group, such as suspension of operations in wet
conditions, were unable to be assessed due to there being no harvesting current during the audit.
Of the six groups, the Biodiversity Conservation Compliance Element group (Protection of biodiversity
values; Habitat trees; Rainforest; and Forest health Compliance Elements) had the lowest level of
compliance, with around 75 percent of the applicable criteria assessed as compliant. Areas of noncompliance
included systemic weaknesses identified with monitoring and control of noxious weeds. In
general, the areas identified for protection of significant habitat and rainforest had been marked
appropriately and harvesting activities excluded. Notable exceptions to this were machine entry into
two areas of rainforest and their buffers. Both of the rainforest buffers had been identified in Forest
Coupe Plans and maps and harvesting had been excluded, with entry in each case appearing to have
been by an individual bulldozer or excavator, in one case apparently during firebreak construction.
These non-compliances were assessed as having Major EIA risk ratings.
The River Health, Water Quality and Soil Assessment Compliance Element group (River Health,
Water Quality and Soil Assessment; Waterways; Buffers; Filters; Slopes; Camp maintenance, fuel
storage and waste disposal; and Water catchments Compliance Elements) addressed classification
and exclusion of waterways from harvesting activities, slope and special water catchment restrictions,
and management of in-coupe machinery maintenance areas. The Compliance Element group was
assessed as having been managed appropriately, with a small number of non-compliances identified,
including failure to classify streams adjacent to three coupes, machinery or harvest debris entering
filters on four coupes and instances of litter on coupes.
The Roading Compliance Element group (Road planning; Road design; Road construction; Road
maintenance; Suspension of cartage; and Road closure Compliance Elements) addressed the
planning, construction and temporary and permanent closure of roads used during timber harvesting.
In the majority of cases, roads were assessed as planned and designed to minimise impacts, with
some deficiencies identified, mainly on steeper slopes. Management of stockpiled soil was also
assessed on several coupes as being non-compliant, in one case resulting in a Moderate EIA risk
rating due to its location within a rainforest buffer. Retaining access to roads that are no longer
needed was also identified as non-compliant in several instances for both VicForests- and DSEmanaged
roads.
The Coupe Infrastructure Compliance Element group (Coupe infrastructure – general; Log landings
and dumps; Snig and forwarding tracks; and Boundary tracks Compliance Elements) addressed
landings, snig tracks and boundary tracks. Infrastructure was assessed as being generally minimised
and rehabilitated appropriately. Issues identified included inadequate respreading of topsoil on some
landings, retention of excess bark around some landings due to reduced regeneration burning, and
inadequate drainage of sections of snig tracks and boundary tracks, mainly on steeper slopes in the
case of boundary tracks.
No non-compliances with Severe EIA risk ratings were identified in any coupes during the audit.
Two non-compliances with an EIA risk rating of Major were identified, both resulting from machine
entry into rainforest buffers and associated rainforest.
Thirty-one non-compliances with Moderate EIA risk ratings and 28 non-compliances with Minor EIA
risk ratings were also identified, mainly in the following areas:
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