Module 5 - VicForests

FOREST AUDIT PROGRAM TOOLBOX
Figure 1.1 DSE/VicForests management roles in Victoria’s State forests (DSE 2008)
1.2 OVERVIEW OF VICTORIA’S ENVIRONMENTAL AUDIT SYSTEM
The Environment Protection Act 1970 provides for the statutory appointment of
environmental auditors and their responsibilities to ensure that high quality, rigorous
environmental audits are conducted by appropriately qualified professionals. The
Environmental Audit System currently has three well-established applications that
cover contaminated land, industrial facilities and natural resources.
The Environment Protection Act 1970
defines two forms of environmental audit.
Section 53V provides for environmental
audits that are carried out on risk of harm
to the environment caused by industrial
processes or activity, waste, substance or
noise (EPA, 2007) and section 53X
provides for audits of a segment of the
environment.
Audits conducted as part of the FAP are
conducted under section 53V of the
Environment Protection Act 1970 .
1.3 INTENDED USERS
An environmental audit is an assessment
of the nature and extent of harm (or risk of
harm) to the environment posed by an
industrial process or activity, waste,
substance or noise. An environmental
audit must be able to deliver authoritative
advice, upon which individuals and
organisations are able to rely in making
decisions which affect the future of the
community.
An environmental audit therefore must be:
• Independent;
• Objective;
• Credible; and
• Transparent.
It is intended that the FAP Toolkit and supporting Modules will be used by Auditors
appointed pursuant to the Environment Protection Act 1970, and their supporting
staff, engaged by DSE to implement the annual FAP.
FOREST AUDIT PROGRAM – MODULE 1 OVERVIEW PAGE 6