See VEAC map of new Great Otway National Park. (1.6 MB PDF) BOOK AN OREN SPEAKER A speaker and /or guide is available to speak to you on site in the Otways - More info or to make a booking

Join and Donate Your contribution will help protect the Otways Forests

Otway native forests "woodchip free" since 2008

Clearfell logging and woodchipping of all native forest on public land in the Otways is now banned and illegal. After a seven year community campaign driven by the Otway Ranges Environment Network (OREN 1995 - 2002) followed by a six year phase out period (2002-2008), the last truck load of trees for export woodchips was removed in May 2008.

After the November 2002 Victorian State election, priority was given to immediately ban clearfell logging in the Geelong water supply catchments and high conservation forests on the south face of the Otways. Before 2002, clearfell logging for woodchips was planned to occur across all the Otways under a Regional Forest Agreement until at least the year 2020.

A total ban on Otway woodchipping is unprecedented. The Otways represents the only high rainfall tall forest region in Australia, where an existing and well established native forest woodchip industry for both the domestic (to make Kleenex tissues) and export markets has been totally removed.

See "Overview OREN/Otway forest campaign (1995-2008)".

Introduction to the Otway forests



Cumberland River, Great Otway National Park.

The Cumberland River catchment pictured above is the last truly wild river in the Otways. It is unbelievable that the natural landscape values that produce this pure clear natural river water, were until recently, threatened by clearfell logging for woodchips in the forested headwaters.



Clearfell logged and woodchipped forests in the headwaters of the Cumberland river 1997.

Fortunately, such management was challenged by the community. Inspired local residents and conservationists campaigned against clearfell logging so the nature conservation values of the Otways could be preserved for all time.



They succeeded in 2002. Read more

New Management Plans for the Otways

The State government is going to develop new management plans for the Otways to accommodate the land use changes that have occurred with the creation of the Great Otway National Park(103,000 ha) and Otway Forest Park(39,000 ha). The community will be invited to comment on draft management plans soon to be released. OREN will take an active role in the process and provide information on this website when it comes available.



Click on this map to download 1MB PDF.

Featured sections of OREN website

Fire and Logging

The native forest logging industry is again wrongly blaming forest conservation measures for forest fires. However they conveniently neglect to look at their own contribution to the bush fire problems. More info

No logging in the Otway forest

A summary of the arguments against logging in the Otways native forest. More info

Forestry fails in the Otways

Breaches of the Otway Forest Management Plan. The Department regularly fails to comply with their prescriptions. More info

BOOK AN OREN SPEAKER

A speaker and /or guide is available to speak to you on site in the Otways - More info or to make a booking

Looking around the OREN website

The menu bar above has the four categories:

OREN - all about the Otway Ranges Environment Network, including latest news, events, membership, donations and helping out.

Forest Issues - all about the issues of the Otway Forests, including how water is lost through logging, endangered species, biodiversity, forest tourism, forest management and forest fires.

Logging - all about native forest logging in the Otways. Including why logging loses money for the public, what is clearfell logging, where the logging is, who logs the forest, and an explanation of how much of the forest is woodchipped.

Campaigns - all about the various parts of the campaign to stop clearfell logging in the Otways. Includes an explanation of values of particular areas, the political situation, ending logging, and what you can do.

Other - what's new, links to other sites, photos and maps of the Otways, a page for students, and a glossary of terms.

The Conservation Alliance

The Outdoor Industry Giving Back to the Outdoors

OREN would like to thank the Conservation Alliance for their support. The Conservation Alliance is an alliance of fifteen outdoor companies which contribute a portion of their turnover to support conservation projects.

Friends of Pooh Corner

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