Tiny Vic possum's future still in limboIt is the emblem of Victoria on the brink of extinction, and the fate of the leadbeater's possum remains in limbo following a court decision on Friday.
The Friends of Leadbeater's Possum group took action against state-owned timber company, VicForests, in the Federal Court in its long-running bid to save the tiny furry critter.
The critically-endangered possum and the vulnerable greater glider live in the central highlands region where VicForests' logging operations take place.
Justice Debra Mortimer on Friday found even though VicForests failed to comply with its regional forest agreement with the Commonwealth, its logging operations in the central highlands are still exempt from federal environment laws.
The environmentalists argued VicForests was not exempt, because it failed to complete five-year reviews as part of its RFA agreement.
But in what they see as a glimmer of hope, the court found VicForest's failure to comply with other terms in that agreement - including species protection - would remove the exemption.
Both sides have been invited to make further submissions to the court.
Friends of Leader's Possum group president Steve Meacher said the lack of a firm decision was disappointing but it did offer some hope for the species' protection.
"It's far from over - there's still more work to do if we're going to see the state's faunal emblem being taken away from literally the brink of extinction," he said.
The leadbeater's possum is only found in Victoria and was believed extinct until 1961 when it was rediscovered.
The Wilderness Society's Amelia Young called for an end to RFA's which have been a "disaster" for native wildlife and called for stronger federal environment laws.
"RFAs are a death warrant for animals like the leadbeater's possum and the greater glider," she said.
"These 20-year dodgy logging deals are expiring this year. They must not be renewed, they must not be extended and they must not be rolled over.
"No other industry has an exemption from the national environment law like the native forest logging industry."
Logging has been suspended at 34 Victorian sites until the legal challenge is resolved.
VicForests chairman Michael Humphris hoped agreement could be reached between the parties without a long court battle.
Mr Humphris said flora and fauna protection was at the forefront of its planning.
"We can only do what we continue to do in terms of protection of species and our record on that is absolutely first class," he said.
"We consider ourselves to be absolutely as much environmentalists as all the other green groups out there."
Source:
www.westernadvocate.com.au/story/5261696/tiny-vic-possums-future-still-in-limbo/
