By SAVE OUR STRATHBOGIE FOREST

NORTH-EAST community group, Save Our Strathbogie Forest, will soon be in the Federal Court in Melbourne again, hoping to limit the negative impact of planned burns in the Strathbogie Forest.

The group believes these burns are unnecessarily destructive and that burns in the forest should be modified to avoid burning critical habitat of threatened species.

Earlier this year the group was in the Federal Court arguing that the burns were likely to cause significant impact on the endangered Southern Greater Glider – Australia’s largest gliding possum which is listed under Australia’s national Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.

The court ultimately found against the claim, allowing the four burns to proceed.

However, the court also found that planned burns are not exempt from the EPBC Act – something the Victorian government has steadfastly claimed.

This decision provides a future pathway to challenge planned burns where they are likely to impact the glider and its habitat.

On August 20 and 21 the group will appeal that earlier decision, arguing the court made an error of law in allowing the four burns to proceed.

The two-day hearing will be live-streamed on the Federal Court’s YouTube channel.

For more information on the community response to planned burning in the Strathbogie Forest, visit https://strathbogiesustainableforests.wordpress.com/.