Sometimes the mind boggles! Incredibly, vandals have apparently used chainsaws to fell a dozen trees in Victoria’s Yarra State Forest in the latest of a series of attacks which have caused an estimated $40,000 worth of damage in the area.
The vandalism has occurred over a series of weekends, and includes destruction to signs, walking tracks and the cutting down of native vegetation.
Last month, two large eucalypt trees were cut down at the Yarra Ranges Latrobe Camping Area.
“The felling appeared to be intentional and in the direction of the toilet block resulting in one tree falling across the toilet shelter and destroying it,” Department of Sustainability and Environment district manager Geoff Scales told the Lilydale and Yarra Valley Leader. “This incident occurred only days after a new shelter was completed.”
Unbelievable!
In the latest attack, a dozen trees were felled.
“The trees, clearly cut with a chainsaw, fell on wooden bollards and wire that was used to fence off a sensitive forest area to protect it from motorised use,” he said. “This type of behaviour is so destructive and ruins the forest experience for all forest users.”
Too right, Geoff. Now while some grey nomads might guiltily confess to picking up the odd piece of dead wood to keep the campfire going, this mindless destruction is on a totally different and hard-to-believe scale.
“While forest officers conduct regular patrols it is impossible to be everywhere all the time,” Mr Scales said. “The number of attacks over recent months is very frustrating. What these vandals don’t understand is that each time facilities are damaged or rubbish is dumped it costs money to fix, which could be used on other facilities.”
Surveillance cameras which have recently been installed, show footage of trail bikes being ridden in the area and images of teenagers collecting the wood from the destroyed toilet block.
Sigh!
