The Leadbeater’s Possum Advisory Group has held stakeholder forums to support the recovery of the species while maintaining a sustainable timber industry. Source: Timberbiz
The advisory group was established by the Minister for Environment and Climate Change Ryan Smith and the Minister for Agriculture and Food Security Peter Walsh.
The group engaged with stakeholders from universities, conservation groups, economic interests and community representatives through a series of workshops, submissions and an online forum.
Held over 30 September and 1 October, and co-convened by Zoos Victoria and the Victorian Association of Forest Industries (VAFI), the workshops were designed to build a constructive solution for Leadbeater’s Possum population recovery.
Zoos Victoria and VAFI were co-convenors of the Leadbeater’s Possum Advisory Group at the request of the Victorian Government, which has allocated $1 million to fund short-term recommendations from the Group.
Parks Victoria, VicForests and the Leadbeater’s Possum Recovery Team make up the Advisory Group.
The sessions were chaired by Graham Mitchell, chief scientist to the Department of Environment and Primary Industries and featured presentations on the latest science from Dr Dan Harley of Zoos Victoria, Professor David Lindenmayer of ANU and Dr Lindy Lumsden from the Arthur Rylah Institute.
VAFI CEO Lisa Marty said that they were working closely with the forest and wood products industry and that the industry understood action was needed in the short, medium and long term to help the Leadbeater’s possum population recover from the 2009 bushfires.
“VAFI is committed to ensuring both the recovery of the Leadbeater’s possum and the sustainable use of our forests to benefit Victorian communities.
“By working cooperatively with other stakeholders we have the best possible chance to balance multiple needs and find innovative solutions to support the recovery of the Leadbeater’s possum.”
For more information visit www.depi.vic.gov.au/environment-and-wildlife/wildlife/leadbeaters-possum
