Kate Gavens, Chief Conservation Regulator
Welcome to the Conservation Regulator’s Year in Review for 2022–23. This year, the Conservation Regulator achieved some significant outcomes, including substantial penalties for serious wildlife and firewood offences prosecuted in court. It was also pleasing to see another marked reduction in unattended campfires and continued big numbers of Victorians getting out into nature and protecting our wildlife.
In 2022–23 we saw wetter than normal weather conditions causing flooding and reduced campfire risks over summer. We saw a significant increase in reports and evidence of the illegal take of firewood, likely associated with cost-of-living pressures creating a high demand for firewood resources during winter. Urban development continues to lead to more frequent interactions between humans and animals in our forests, backyards, and beaches.
This has prompted the Conservation Regulator to dedicate more resources to educating the public about how to interact safely with unique and valuable Victorian wildlife and monitoring their protection.
In May 2023 the Victorian Government announced that commercial native timber harvesting in Victoria’s state forests would cease on 1 January 2024.
As the regulator of native timber harvesting, the Conservation Regulator will continue to regulate the industry through this transition. During 2022–23, we ensured we were agile as this industry underwent significant change. We also modified our approach in response to a review by the Victorian Auditor General’s Office. The review acknowledged the positive regulatory changes we have made over the last three years of operation and recommended 10 actions to support further improvement, eight of which have already been implemented.
We continue to focus on our regulatory priorities, understanding risk and ensuring our activities have the most impact on protecting our environment. Through continued investment in our people and approach, we work to reduce the barriers to compliance faced by the community, while continuing to provide education, compliance support and enforcement of the law.
In the last 12 months, we have increased our engagement with community by participating in a variety of local events and increasing our presence and visibility on public land through proactive patrols across the State.
Our outcomes would not be possible without the valuable input of community members, stakeholders, and partners who have continued to provide feedback and report non-compliance. We hope to continue strengthening these networks and building more relationships to help us identify risks and gather information to better protect Victoria’s native environments and wildlife.
I hope you enjoy reading about our achievements in this Year in Review. I look forward to continuing our work and sharing it with you in 2023–24.
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