Module 5 - VicForests

It was identified that two coupes were not suitable for audit as one in the Mid Murray FMA was a
domestic firewood coupe (outside the scope of the audit) and one in the Dandenong FMA had not yet
been harvested. As was the case for “outlier” coupes (coupes that were significantly isolated from
other selected coupes), a replacement was selected from within the same FMA and RRG and, as
much as possible, with similar coupe element scores. Details of the replaced coupes, using Coupe ID
numbers, are below:
• A Mid Murray coupe, Coupe 105-507-0002, was replaced with Coupe 105-505-0007 because
Coupe 105-507-0002 was found to be a domestic firewood coupe. Audit of domestic firewood
coupes is outside the scope of this Audit. Both coupes were located in the Nathalia district.
• A Dandenong coupe, Coupe 344-510-0001, had not yet been harvested. This coupe was in a
Melbourne Water catchment and was replaced with Coupe 345-501-0007, also understood to be in
a Melbourne Water catchment.
Further changes became necessary following this selection, these were:
• It was identified that Coupe 345-501-0007 was not in a Melbourne Water Catchment (there was an
error in the data), therefore it was replaced with Coupe 480-504-0070 in the Central Gippsland
FMA as it was, (1) in a Melbourne Water catchment, (2) in the same risk group and (3) contained
rainforest.
• The audit itinerary was such that Coupe 480-504-0070 was isolated by over 100 km from the other
coupe, Coupe 350-509-0004, that was to be audited on the same day. Coupe 344-511-0005 in the
Dandenong FMA was selected as a replacement based on it being, (1) in a Melbourne Water
Catchment, with similar characteristics (all scores were the same with the exception that Coupe
344-511-0005 did not contain rainforest), (2) in a similar risk group (Coupe 344-511-0005 was in
the moderate risk group while Coupe 480-504-0070 was in the high risk group) and (3) in a
different catchment to Coupe 350-509-0004.
• Access to all coupes in the Mid-Murray FMA was not possible due to recent flooding. The two
selected Mid-Murray coupes, Coupe 105-505-0007 and Coupe 105-513-0007 were replaced with
coupes from the Bendigo FMA, Coupe 147-017-0014 and Coupe 147-009-0002. The process for
these changes was to (1) randomly select a DSE-managed coupe and, to ensure a realistic
itinerary, (2) randomly select second coupe from within the same FMA and (3) from the same RRG
as those being replaced.
• Coupe 817-511-0003 and Coupe 815-515-0006 were located around 75 km on minor roads from
the nearest coupe, Coupe 810-510-0008, however the planned itinerary was such that it would
have required travelling from Orbost, over 100 km away. Coupe 817-511-0003 was replaced with
Coupe 866-503-0014 while Coupe 815-515-0006 was replaced with Coupe 846-505-0006. These
coupes were in the same FMA, had similar characteristics and were in the same RRG as those
they replaced.
• The location of Coupe 875-501-0006 required over 1.5 hours travel time from Cann River on the
same day as the audit team was to travel from Melbourne. It was replaced with Coupe 842-511-
0019, which is in the same FMA and RRG and had similar characteristics to Coupe 875-501-0006,
but was closer to other selected coupes.
During the second week of the audit it was necessary to change three coupes in the East Gippsland
FMA as wet weather prevented access. These changes were:
• Coupe 886-506-0012 was replaced with Coupe 868-506-0007 which was in the same FMA and
RRG.
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