VicForests

OurRef:YourRef:

16October2013

MrDuncanPendrigh

DirectorOperationalSupportandComplianceDepartmentofEnvironmentandPrimaryIndustriesPOBox500

EastMelbourne,Victoria3002

DearMrPendrigh

Level7,473BourkeStreet

MelbourneVic3000

GPOBox191Melbourne3001

Telephone(03)96089500

Facsimile(03)96089566

ABN76846538543

FORESTAUDIT PROGRAMFINALAUDIT REPORT-HARVESTINGANCOUPECLOSURE

VicForestswelcomesthefinalreportandispleasedthatthe2012/13ForestAuditProgram-HarvestandClosurefoundthatharvestinginVicForestscoupescompliedwithalmost93%ofapplicableauditcriteria.

VicForestshavereviewedtheauditfindingsandwouldliketoofferthefollowingresponsestotherecommendationsincludedwithinthereport.

Recommendation3.1ThatVicForestsandDEPteitherincludeaspecificsoilerosionhazardclassmapinallcoupefilesorannotatethegeologyorothermaptoindicatethedistributionofsoilerosionhazardc/ass(es)acrossthecoupe.

VicForests'Response:AsoilerosionhazardassessmentandclassificationiscarriedoutforallcoupesandVicForestsmanagesthecoupeagainstthehighesterosionclasshazard.Ineffect,thisdeterminesthehigherlevelofprotectionwithintheCodeofPracticeforTimberProduction2007(theCode)toensureriskoferosioniscontrolledandwaterqualityisprotected.WhileVicForestsrecordsthesoilerosionhazardclass,soilpermeabilityclassandoverallwaterqualityriskwithintheForestCoupePlan,VicForestswillalsoincludeamaprecognisingthatthisisarequirementoftheCode.

Recommendation3.2ThatVicForestsandDEPtcollectandretainevidenceofappropriatedisposalofanyprescribedindustrialwastesgeneratedonthecoupe(e.g.oildrums,usedengineoil,oilfilters,oilyrags).ThatevidencemaytaketheformofawastetransportcertificateorotherrelevantdocumentfromanEnvironmentProtectionAuthority (EPA)licensedwastetransporterorreceiver.

VicForests'Response:VicForestsconductsmonthlycoupeauditstoensureanyrubbishisnotleftonsite.Anynon-compliancedetectedisfollowedupthroughcorrectiveactionstoensurecoupesarefreeofrubbishduringandafterharvestoperations.VicForestswillconsiderpracticaloptionsforcollectingevidenceofdisposalofwaste.

Recommendation3.3ThatVicForestsandDEPtincludemapsincoupefilesthatannotatetheCodewaterwayclassthatisapplicabletoeverywaterwaylocatedwithinoradjacenttothecoupe.

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VicForests'Response:Waterway classesareclassifiedinthefieldpriortothecommencementofharvestingoperations.BufferandfilterstripsareclearlymarkedonthegroundandidentifiedwithintheCoupePlan,whichreflectwaterwayclasses.VicForestsbelievestherequirementstoclassifywaterwaysandtheapplicationofprotectionmeasuresareconsistentwiththeCode.

Recommendation3.4ThatVicForestsdevelopastandardprocedure fordemonstratingthatrisksfromMyrtleWilthavebeenconsideredandmanagedconsistentlywiththeCodeandMPsonallcoupeMyrtleBeechtreesarepresent.

VicForests'Response:TheCode2.3.4statesthat"WhereMyrtleWiltfungus(Chalaraaustralis)isknowntoexist,precautionarymeasuresmustbeappliedtominimisethespreadofthispathogen".VicForeststakesprecautionarymeasurestoreducetheriskofspreadbyavoidingorminimisingdamagetoMyrtleBeechtreesduringoperations.MyrtleBeechtreesaregenerallyfoundingulliesawayfromVicForestsharvestingoperations.However,whereoperationsarecarriedoutinthevicinityofMyrtleBeechtrees,VicForestswillensureprecautionarymeasuresaretakenandadequatelydocumentedintheappropriateCoupePlan.

Recommendation3.5TheCodeprovidesforthecoupetoextendupto50mbeyondthemappedTRPboundarywherethecoupeboundaryisafeaturethatiseithernotpresentornotmappedcorrectly.Wherethissituationdoesnotapply, it isrecommendedthatthecoupeboundaryberemarkedand/orremappedwhere it isfoundtoextendmorethan10mbeyondtheTRPboundary.

VicForests'Response: AcoupeboundaryisonlymarkedoutsideoftheTimberReleasePlan(TRP)whereafeaturehasbeenmappedincorrectlywithin50moftheTRP.TomaintaincomplianceVicForestswillcarryoutadditionaltrainingandmonitorcomplianceinitsinternalauditingprogram.

Recommendation3.6ThatVicForestsreviewitsregenerationburningplanningandpracticestoidentifyfurtheropportunitiestopreventunintendeddamagetotreesinadjacentcoupes.

VicForests'Response:Section2.2.2oftheCodestatesthat"Wherefireisusedintimberproductionoperations,allpracticablemeasuresmustbetakentoprotectallareasexcludedfromharvestingfromtheimpactsofunplannedfire".VicForestsbelievespracticablemeasuresareusedduringplanningandimplementationofregenerationburning.TheDepartmentofEnvironmentandPrimaryIndustries(DEPI),determinestheprescribedburningparametersunderwhichVicForestsconductsregenerationburnsandmustapprovetheseparametersfortheburnplantobeapproved.Firetrailsareconstructedandregenerationburnplansaddress potentialrisksorescapes.VicForestswillcontinuetoensurepracticalmeasuresaretakentoprotectareasexcludedfromharvestingfromtheimpactsoffire.

Recommendation3.7ThatVicForestsensurethat adequate provision is made tomeetplannedbiodiversityconservationmeasuresduringcoupemarking,includingretentionandcontinuityoflong-livedunderstoreyelementsandhabitattreeswithintheharvestablearea.Thismayincludemakingprovisionforwindthrowofretainedhabitattrees,theriskofwhichisexacerbatedbyharvesting.

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VicForests'Response:Thisrecommendationwasmadeinrelationto two coupeswherethenetharvestedareawassimilarinsizetothegrossplannedarea.Inmostcoupesthenetharvestedareaismuchsmallerthantheplannedgrossareaandlonglivedunderstoreyelementsandhabitattreesareprotectedwithinexcludedareas.VicForestsarecurrentlyreviewingitsplanningprocessandwillensurebiodiversityconservationmeasuresaremetacrossthelandscapeinwhichitoperates.

Recommendation3.8ThatwhenVicForestsconstructstemporaryorpermanentroadsintonewcoupes,itensuresthattheprescribedmeasuresaretakentoensurethatroadsinthevicinityofstreamsaredrainedcorrectlyandthatrisksofstreamcrossingstowaterqualityareminimised.

VicForests'Response:VicForestswillconductaninternalauditofstreamcrossingsforthe2012/13harvestedcoupesandhasalreadyidentifiedthisissueasanimportantbusinessobjectiveandtarget.

Recommendation3.9ThatVicForestsstrengthencommunicationbetweenitssilvicultureandharvestingpersonneltoensurethatcrossdrainageoncoupeinfrastructureisquicklyreinstatedwhendamagedordisturbedduringregenerationoperations.

VicForests'Response:VicForestswillreviewitsfiretrailconstructionproceduresandmonitoringrecordrequirementstoimprovecomplianceinthisarea.

Recommendation5.1ThatVicForestsundertakeanauditofexistingstreamcrossingsalongcoupedriveways,roadlinecoupesandothercoupeaccessroadsithasconstructedtoassessthecomplianceofroaddesignandconstructionwithCodeandMPprescriptionsaimedatprotectingwaterqualityfromroaddrainage.Anynon­compliantroaddrainageshouldberectifiedwherethisispracticableandwillnotadverselyaffectwaterquality.

VicForests'Response:Asdiscussedinrecommendation3.9,VicForestswillundertakeaninternalauditofstreamcrossingsfor2012/13harvestedcoupesandmaintaincompliancethroughmonthlycoupemonitoringrecordsandtheinternalauditprogram.

IwouldliketothanktheauditorsfortheiropennessandwillingnesstoengagewithVicForestsstaffduringthefieldauditsandlookforwardtofurtherimprovementinauditresultsinthefuture.

Yourssincerely

/AA

NathanTrushell

DirectorCorporateAffairs