Forest dumpers on notice

Forest Fire Management Victoria is calling on locals and visitors to be vigilant about people illegally dumping in forests.

The message comes after a Stratford man was issued a clean-up notice and fined $311 for depositing green waste in the Stockdale State Forest.

The authority’s Gippsland compliance coordinator, Peter Simpson said they wanted to get a strong message across to forests and park visitors to use local public land areas responsibly.

“It is illegal to dump any kind of rubbish on public land, whether it be an old fridge or garden waste.

“Not only does it ruin the area for other forest users, it can cause weed infestations and adds to the fire risk.

Mr Simpson said people camping in the bush should also ensure their campfires complies with regulations and were never left unattended.

“Our authorised officers will be looking out for any illegal or dangerous activities that could cause a public safety risk or environmental damage, but they can’t be everywhere, so we urge all forest users to watch out for suspicious or illegal activity and report it.”

“Rubbish dumping, felling trees for firewood, using illegal or noisy motorbikes, driving vehicles off-road and unattended or illegal campfires are not acceptable and will not be tolerated.”

Report environmental crime to DELWP on 136 186, to Crimestoppers on 1800 333 000 or to your local DELWP office or police station.