Mixed rainforest and the Baw Baw Frog

Mixed rainforest (mixed forest) around Mt Baw Baw is the habitat of the highly endangered Baw Baw frog. There are also many other outstanding nature conservation values of Mt Baw Baw which are in a detailed report published by the Central Highlands Alliance.

For detailed descriptions of the Baw Baw frog see Australian Fauna and Frogs of Victoria (hear the Baw Baw frog call) websites.


The Baw Baw mixed rainforest is the habitat of the highly endangered Baw Baw Frog. Photo: Julian Bentley.

The Baw Baw frog story

Download the location of frog habitat areas that VicForests would like to clearfell log (Google Earth file). Then, in Google Earth, click on any of the frogs to read what the Baw Baw frog has to say about logging!

Clearfell Logging threat to Frog

VicForests wants to log about a dozen areas of frog habitat that contain mixed rainforest on the south-west face of Baw Baw. If clearfell logging proceeds, the Baw Baw frog could end up extinct.


Baw Baw frog, photo by Greg Hollis

A critical part of the Baw Baw frog's habitat is mixed rainforest (or mixed forest). The Victorian Government permits clearfell logging in this type of forest.

In 2004, clearfell logging began in two of the Baw Baw frog mixed rainforest areas (Coupes 458-504-0007 & 483-503-0023). However after intense lobbying by scientists and conservationists, logging was halted after a after few days.

Since then there has been another attempt to log these areas under the disguise of experimental/scientific logging. (A bit like the controversial Japanese scientific whaling).

Fortunately the experimental/scientific logging idea was also halted in August 2006.

However, until a decision is made to permanently protect the Baw Baw frog habitat, clearfell logging could occur at any time.

South West Face of Baw Baw


This forest still stands. The tree stumps in this picture mark the few trees cut before logging was stopped in this Baw Baw frog habitat at logging coupe 483-503-0023.
See video and placemark for this forest (17 sec 1.1MB download).


This mixed rainforest Baw Baw frog habitat was also spared from logging in 2004 at coupe 458-504-0007. The future of the Baw Baw frog is still unclear.


Cool Temperate Rainforest on the Tyres River West Branch. VicForests wants to clearfell log near this rainforest.
See video and placemark for this river. (10 sec 0.7MB download).

The Victorian Government has given the Baw Baw frog habitat to VicForests to be clearfell logged and woodchipped.

Most of the woodchipped forest on Mt Baw Baw is made into paper products like Reflex photo copy paper at the nearby PaperlinX pulp & paper mill at Maryvale.

What needs to be done

Conservationists want to see the boundary of the Baw Baw National Park extended to protect rainforest and mixed rainforest, the Baw Baw frog habitat and more of the magnificent south face rivers before our children's heritage is destroyed.

An expanded National Park would include an extension on the south west face of Mt Baw Baw and an end to clearfell logging within the Thomson dam catchment area which is also Baw Baw frog habitat.

Also find out the latest news about what the owners of Reflex photocopy paper and Victorian Government have to say about clearfell logging Baw Baw frog habitat.

What can you do?

The more people who are made aware about what is the more likely governments will listen and ban clearfell logging.

Help educate people by emailing this web page to your friends, family, work mates etc.
And send an email to the Victorian government leaders .

Make a donation to the VRN campaign through the Otway Ranges Environment Network. More information about VRN and OREN.

Receive updates about the rainforest campaign by joining the VRN email list. (Not more than about one email per week or fortnight.)

If you would like to make a comment about this issue, the way VRN has used Google Earth, or if you have a question or problem please leave a comment in the VRN blog.

Baw Baw Rivers

There are spectacular rivers and rainforest on the south face of Mt Baw Baw where the Baw Baw frog lives. The photos below were taken in small sub-catchments where the Tyres West River flows. This particular sub-catchment still has not been clearfell logged yet.


Tyres River West branch

 


Tyres River West branch has pure snow melt water from the Baw Baw plateau.