New scientific research published in September 2011 highlights
that logging in Victoria’s mountain ash forests is increasing
the risk of catastrophic wildfires. The cycling of logging and
wildfire is creating a landscape trap where the wet forest
ecosystem is being permanently converted to a new landscape
replaced by other species, particularly wattle, increasing the
frequency and intensity of bushfire risk. "These changes will
significantly impair ecological functions like carbon storage,
water production and biodiversity conservation," said Professor
Lindenmayer. "This is historically unprecedented and is
beginning to dominate the mountain ash landscapes we see today."
I wrote recently about Bush fire risk and climate change.
Research published in July 2011 showed that Forests play a major
role as carbon sinks. In June 2009 Scientists called for
protection of Victorian forests - world’s most carbon-dense.
This most recent research adds greater weight to the demands of
many people to cease logging of native