A SHARP increase in illegal native firewood theft has been reported in the Green Triangle region and forestry owners have taken action.
The unlawful timber thieving has been an ongoing issue across the forestry sector for many years, but more recently cases have been on the rise.
Fed-up forestry owners have joined forces with law enforcement and government agencies to address the growing concern.
The new Intra-Agency and Forestry Management Liaison Group spans both sides of the South Australian and Victorian border, with representatives from ForestrySA, SFM Asset Management, Green Triangle Forest Products, OneFortyOne, HVP, Australian Blue Gum Plantations, PF Olsen, Timberlands Pacific, Birdlife SA, South Australia’s Environment and Water Department, Victoria’s Environment, Water, Land and Planning Department and South Australia and Victoria police.
Group chair and SFM Asset Management Portfolio manager Joel Turner said it was important community members ensured they purchased only legally and sustainably sourced firewood.
Mr Turner said plantation grown blue gum was an excellent sustainable choice which burned at the same temperature as red gum, was easier to split and ignite and was readily available from Limestone Coast merchants.
“What the public does not realise is the wood they are purchasing from private sellers has often been cut down illegally from native reserves or private land across the region,” he said.
“Illegal firewood theft damages the native environment that is protected for conservation and native animal habitat.
“Many of the trees being cut down are 150 to 200 years old and they can not be replaced.”
Mr Turner said red gum plantations, which can take more than 100 years to grow, provided a habitat for native species.
Fellow group member ForestrySA forest ranger Kieran Gosden said camera surveillance and patrols had been increased in and around plantations and native forests to help catch thieves operating across the region.
“The industry is working collaboratively with regulatory authorities and police. We are ramping up our efforts to catch those responsible,” Ms Gosden said.
“If you are in local forests cutting down trees and taking firewood you are breaking the law and there will be consequences.”
Green Triangle Forest Products Harvesting Manager and group member Mark Wells said the community had a collective responsibility to look after the environment for the benefit of future generations.
“This is a pretty unique environment and if we are not careful, we will destroy it and lose more than just trees,” he said.
“I think a lot of the people who are buying red gum are probably unaware of the impact of what they are doing.
“For them it is just a heating resource and they are keeping warm in winter, but the real environmental impact – they just do not see it.”
Mr Wells said the community needed to understand how large of an effect cutting down red gums could have on natural resources long-term.
