Gippsland Environment Group Inc
Lobbying against environmental threats on the unceded lands of the GunaiKurnai, Yaitmathang, Ngarigo and Bidwell Peoples
FFMV pre-burn damage to Yellow Bellied Glider habitat within the Nowa Nowa Lyles Break Planned Burn
Protected unburnt habitat cut down to make way for a planned burn and the trees taken for firewood
GunaiKurnai Country: Nowa Nowa Lyles Break Planned Burn (GP-TBO-NOW-0368)
7 ha was burnt by FFMV over two days on the 24th and 31st October 2025 | Total area planned to be burnt is 406 ha
Survey date: 09-11-2025 | Report created 17-11-2025
Report submitted to FFMV 25-11-2025 and to EPBC Compliance 16-12-2025
This forest was unburnt the 2019/20 bushfires. Now it’s being destroyed in the name of a planned burn.
During pre-burn works, Forest fire Management Victoria (FFMV) reopened a decommissioned logging access road in the interior of this planned burn and felled more than 120 trees around old logging coupes — including inside creek buffer and exclusion zones that were originally protected from logging. Among the trees cut down were old hollow-bearing trees, critical habitat for wildlife. Some were felled directly into and around active feed trees being used by Yellow-bellied Gliders.
This forest — including the creek exclusion zones — supports known active populations of nationally threatened species, including:
• Yellow-bellied Gliders
• Greater Gliders
• Large forest owls
• Glossy Black-Cockatoos
• Grey-headed Flying-foxes
Old hollow trees were left lying on the forest floor, while around 100 mature solid trees were removed to log dumps and, according to DEECA, taken elsewhere for domestic firewood collection.
DEECA said the trees were removed to “reduce the risk of hazardous tree dangers and impacts to personnel during planned burn operations” and to protect regrowing logging coupes from the planned burn.
Protected habitat has been cut down to make way for a burn — and the timber taken for firewood.
Take Action
Write to decision-makers and ask that the Nowa Nowa Lyles Break Planned Burn (GP-TBO-NOW-0368)
• is removed from the burning schedule, or
• It is referred to the Federal Environment Department as a controlled action due to the presence of EPBC-listed threatened species.
Burning this 406-hectare site will cause further damage to Yellow-bellied Glider habitat, including critical feed and den trees. This is critical habitat, unburnt in the 2019/20 fires.
Their emails are at the bottom of the page 👇🏽
This forest — including the creek exclusion zones — supports populations of nationally threatened species
Below: Glossy-Black Cockatoos, Grey-headed Flying-foxes, Sooty Owl, Yellow-bellied Glider
Legislative Compliance Concerns
Gippsland Environment Group believe the impacts documented in this survey provide evidence of a serious failure of compliance with statutory requirements under the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 (FFG Act) and the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act).
Over 120 felled trees, along the creeks in logging exclusion zones
During November 2025, Gippsland Environment Group surveyed two unnamed tracks, around old logging coupes, in the western section of the burn, for a distance of approximately 8km along two creek lines, in the interior of the planned burn area, and adjacent to regenerating logging coupes. More than 120 trees were felled. See below map and GPS data.
Solid trees felled into active Yellow bellied Glider Habitat and removed from the site
Trees were felled into into and around active Yellow Bellied Glider feed trees in what was the Toe Rag Creek logging exclusion zone beside the old logging coupes. Significant numbers of the felled trees were solid trees, indicating deliberate selection. The solid felled trees were removed to log piles and have since disappeared.
Large old hollow trees felled, despite the known presence of threatened hollow dependant species
Approximately 28 large old hollow-bearing trees were also felled and left on-site, despite the visible presence of active Yellow-bellied Glider - Petaurus australis (VU EPBC) feed trees and Victorian Biodiversity Atlas records of Sooty Owls - Tyto tenebricosa (EN FFG).
Below: Old hollow tree felled into Toe Rag creek - beside an active Yellow-bellied glider feed tree (large mountain grey gum in the left of image) and into the creek buffer/logging exclusion zone beside the old logging coupes.
Below: Trees felled into active Yellow bellied Glider Habitat.
Old hollow trees that could have been Glider den trees were felled into and around active Yellow-Bellied Glider feed trees - indicated by red arrows
Below: Trees felled into the creek, many solid - these were removed from the area
Trees were felled into Toe Rag creek buffer -into the logging exclusion zone. Trees were felled around active Yellow Bellied Glider feed trees. None of the felled trees were mountain grey gums; most were stringybark and some ironbark, indicating deliberate selection. The felled hollow bearing trees were left on-site - the solid felled trees were removed to log piles and have since disappeared.
Below: The site appears to have been a logging operation
Additional signs of logging activity - including log piles and stripped bark - were observed along Lyles Break and Smarts Break. The trees had been been removed from these log piles by the time GEG surveyed the site on 09-11-2025
Below: Left - total area of planned burn site in green
Red outline indicates approximate area surveyed
Below: Surveyed area recording around 120 felled trees
09-11-2025: GEG surveyors followed the edge of the old logging coupe along a former logging road, beside Toe Rag Creek and the tributary buffer/exclusion zone—an area not permitted to be logged when the coupe was originally felled.
DEECA Response: 12 December 2025
Dear Gippsland Environment Group
Thank you for your correspondence dated 25 November 2025 regarding tree-felling activities within the Nowa Nowa–Lyles Break planned burn site (GP-TBO-NOW-0368). I acknowledge the concerns raised by the Gippsland Environment Group. Please find the below responses to your specific queries.
1. Were these trees felled by Forest Fire Management Victoria (FFMVic)?
I can confirm that as part of FFMVic’s operational planning and preparedness for delivery of the Lyles Break planned burn, hazardous tree removal was undertaken. These activities are routinely undertaken as part of pre-treatment safety preparations for the purposes of reducing the risk of hazardous tree dangers and impacts to personnel during planned burn operations.
2. What happened to the logs that were removed from the site?
Hazardous trees that were treated and deemed suitable for domestic firewood collection were moved from the burn site to nearby domestic firewood collection areas for access by the community. Otherwise, all other treated trees remained in situ or moved so not to obstruct the road or verge. No logs were authorised to be removed from this site for any other purpose.
3. Why were trees allowed to be felled into creek lines?
Within the Nowa Nowa – Lyles Break planned burn is an old logging coupe and the intent is to exclude this area from the planned burn. Vegetation along the Bruthen – Nowa Nowa Road is planned for treatment, and Toe Rag Creek has been identified as the primary control line, a natural break, to prevent the spread of fire into the old logging coupe. The existing coupe boundary track, to the immediate east of Toe Rag Creek, has been identified as the secondary control line were fire to cross the creek, and therefore, hazardous tree treatments have occurred along this secondary control line, along which, firefighters will be actively patrolling during the planned burn. Hazard trees that represent a risk to firefighters or may increase the potential of a breach of control lines during planned burn operations are required to be removed in line with FFMVic’s Planned Burning Control Line Preparation Standards and Joint Standard Operating Procedures.
4. Was a biodiversity assessment undertaken prior to this work?
A biodiversity assessment was carried out by biodiversity specialists for this burn, which is standard for all planned burns that are planned under the Joint Fuel Management Program. The biodiversity assessments included mitigations that were to be implemented for these works and these mitigations were incorporated into the burn plan, including during preparatory activities involving the treatment of hazardous trees. More information on how FFMVic manages biodiversity values for fuel management activities can be found athttps://www.ffm.vic.gov.au/bushfire-fuel-and-risk-management/plants-and-animals.
5. What actions will be taken to investigate and address this incident?
FFMVic is committed to ongoing improvement and refining our practices to deliver the best outcomes that balance the safety of people and protecting the environment. I have reviewed this operation in light of your concerns and, while I am satisfied that no further investigation is necessary, this has given me the opportunity to review FFMVic activity at this treatment and has identify areas that FFMVic will enhance and further refine.
Thank you for raising these concerns with me.
If you require further information regarding this matter please do not hesitate to contact me, alternatively, you can contact the local DEECA A/District Manager.
Regards,
Deputy Chief Fire Officer | Director, Forest and Fire Operations - Gippsland
Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action
Gippsland Environment Group has sought clarification from EPBC Compliance regarding the following:
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Was an on-ground biodiversity assessment undertaken prior to this work?
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Why were trees allowed to be felled in and around active Yellow Bellied Glider feed trees?
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Substantial hollow bearing trees were felled in this operation. Did pre-felling assessments assess for Yellow Bellied Glider den trees?
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Why were trees allowed to be felled into creek lines?
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What actions will be taken to investigate and address this incident?
GEG requests the burn be removed from the schedule/or if not it must be referred as a controlled action
Burning this site will result in further damage to Yellow Bellied Glider habitat, feed and den trees and GEG requests that this burn be removed from the schedule, or if not removed, it must be referred to the Federal Environment Department as a controlled action
GEG has requested a written response from EPBC Compliance
GEG lodged this report with EPBC Compliance on 16 December 2025. We requested to be kept informed of all findings and actions taken. The Environment Compliance and Enforcement division of the Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water refuses to disclose outcomes. This is not a transparent system and doesn't instil confidence in the process.
Systemic failure to comply with statutory obligations
This case study is not isolated and demonstrates systemic failure to comply with statutory obligations, lack of transparency, and cumulative damage to threatened species and ecological communities across Gippsland.
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Lack of independent oversight: DEECA/FFMV both implement and regulate burns.
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Non-transparent reporting: EPBC Compliance refuses to disclose outcomes; burn plans and species data are not publicly available
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Reliance on outdated data: Planning often uses Victorian Biodiversity Atlas (VBA), which may be >18 months out of date.
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Destruction of critical habitat: Hollow-bearing trees, rare flora, and fauna refugia are routinely destroyed by burning and machinery.
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Failure to enforce Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988: No accountability for loss of threatened species or habitat.
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Cumulative impacts ignored: Past fires, repeated burns, and habitat loss are not considered in planning.
Full report here
To EPBC Compliance and Enforcement at the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.
Gippsland Environment Group felled tree survey -damage to Yellow Bellied Glider Habitat in Nowa Nowa Lyles Break planned burn GP-TBO-NOW-0368
Date of survey 09-11-2025
Date of report 17-11-2025
Take Action - Send an email
Burning this site will result in further damage to Yellow Bellied Glider habitat, feed and den trees.
Write to the decision makers below and ask that the Nowa Nowa Lyles Break Planned Burn (GP-TBO-NOW-0368)
-
Is removed from the burning schedule, or
-
It is referred to the Federal Environment Department as a controlled action due to the presence of EPBC-listed threatened species.
👇🏽
Peter Brick, District Manager - Tambo District, Forest Fire Management Victoria
Email: peter.brick@deeca.vic.gov.au
Steve Dimopoulos MP – State Min for Environment
Email: reception.dimopoulos@ecodev.vic.gov.au
Phone: 03 862 43101
Chris Hardman - Chief Fire Officer and Executive Director of the Forest and Fire Operations Division at Forest Fire Management Victoria
Email: chris.hardman@deeca.vic.gov.au
Murray Watt – Federal Min for Environment
Email: Minister.Watt@dcceew.gov.auPhone: 02 6277 7920
EPBC Compliance - Compliance and Enforcement at the Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water
Email:environment.compliance@dcceew.gov.au
You can also contact those responsible below to give native forest proper independent oversight and protection of biodiversity in planned burns
Fire management planning is happening, without independent oversight, with the Department self-assessing and evaluating their own operations. FFMV do not monitor the efficacy of their planned burns in preventing bushfires.
In Victoria there is no mandatory Code for protection of biodiversity values in planned burn operations that takes into account obligations under the EPBC Act
There is no publicly available information on how operations are planned and how impact on threatened species is minimised and avoided
FFMV do no long term on- ground pre or post-burn survey for fauna, flora or habitat
FFMV rely on desktop data from the Victorian Biodiversity Atlas in planning which is outdated and does not show most recent records. This was highlighted by the Victorian Auditor-General’s Office’s report Protecting Victoria’s Biodiversity (2021)
According to the Victorian Auditor General’s report Reducing Bushfire Risks. Victorian Auditor General (2020). “With the exception of some isolated case studies, DELWP does not know the effect of its burns on native flora and fauna”
Re efficacy of planned burns in preventing bushfires:
“We’ve understood for a long time now that logging can make bushfires worse, but it’s only in the last few years that evidence is showing that prescribed burning could be doing the same thing,” lead researcher Professor David Lindenmayer, ANU
You can send an email HERE 👉🏽 https://vnpa.org.au/action-minister-give-native-forests-proper-oversight/
Or write your own and send to:
👇🏽
Steve Dimopoulos MP – State Min for Environment
Email: reception.dimopoulos@ecodev.vic.gov.au
Phone: 03 862 43101
Jacinta Allan – Premier of Victoria
Email: jacinta.allan@parliament.vic.gov.au
Phone: 03 9651 5000
Vicki Ward Minister for Emergency Services
Email: vicki.ward@parliament.vic.gov.au
Phone: 1300 358 704
Murray Watt – Federal Min for Environment
Email: Minister.Watt@dcceew.gov.au
Phone: 02 6277 7920
Office of Conservation Regulator, Kate Gavens
Email: conservationregulator@deeca.vic.gov.au
