A letter sent by the DEPI's forestry regulation director Jon Presser to a regional environment group confirms VicForests was made responsible for all commercial timber harvesting from November 5, a day after the election campaign officially started.

In the letter Mr Presser says the transfer will unite all commercial timber harvesting in Victorian state forests, saying VicForests was best equipped to manage commercial timber harvesting.

"Timber harvesting from state forests will continue to be managed in a way that fosters the growth of large, healthy trees, protects biodiversity and important cultural and ecological value, and that provides locally grown sustainable timber products," the letter says.

VicForests manages about 1.3 million cubic metres of timber. The transfer will increase this by about 100,000 cubic metres under 70 mostly small-scale licences to harvest wood in a range of areas, including around Bendigo, in the Pyrenees ranges near Avoca, in parts of the Otways and around Mount Cole, near Ararat.

A spokeswoman for Mr Walsh confirmed that the department's Commercial Forestry Services Unit had been transferred to VicForests. But she said this would not change current harvesting or licences.