Parks Victoria has issued a call to firewood enthusiasts to act responsibly and ensure they only collect from legal collection areas during the open season or risk fines and prosecution.
The call follows two recent cases detected by Parks Victoria Authorised Officers of people illegally taking firewood in the east of the State.
Regional Enforcement Coordinator at Parks Victoria, Martin Downs said illegally removing firewood destroyed trees and hollows that served as habitat for birds and reptiles as well as a range of native mammals, such as possums, gliders and bats.
“Please remember you can only legally collect wood from firewood collection areas during the open season,” Mr Downs said.
“Illegal collection of firewood destroys the habitat that our native animals and plants live in,” he said.
“Even during the firewood season, timber can only be collected from the ground in designated collection areas and no trees are allowed to be felled.”
Mr Downs said Parks Victoria and the Office of the Conservation Regulator were conducting regular patrols in parks and forests as part of Statewide operations to address the destruction of wildlife habitat caused by illegal firewood collection.
Chief Conservation Regulator, Kate Gavens said firewood was a shared resource that needed to be managed in a sustainable way.
“This is why those caught breaking firewood collection rules face significant fines or jail time,” Ms Gavens said.
She encouraged the community to assist Parks Victoria and her Officers by reporting the illegal collection of firewood on phone 136 186.
