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Environment &
Conservation

HVP’s commitment to environmental responsibility is underpinned by the company’s stewardship policy and forest management system.

Around 70 per cent of HVP’s total landholdings are sustainably-managed plantations. As a matter of policy and practice HVP does not harvest native forest. The company maintains the remaining 30 per cent of its holdings for plantation protection, conservation and other community values.

HVP is committed to adhere to both the Forest Stewardship Council’s® (FSC®, FSC-C014387) certification standards and the Australian Forestry Standard (AFS) certification standards on the forest estate. These systems’ underlying ethos of accountability and continual improvement aligns with our company values of innovation; we will do things better tomorrow than we did today and being responsible and accountable; we take ownership of our decisions.

Environment

At the same time as HVP set our own high standard, our operations are monitored by local shires. We also interact regularly with water catchment management authorities, the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) and the Victorian state government departments.

Cool Temperate Rainforest

The company is also subject to regular audits to maintain its (AFS) and (FSC®) certifications.

This involves independent, third party assessment of HVP’s practices, environmental management and continuous improvement program against internationally recognised standards.

Conservation

Around 70 per cent of HVP’s total landholdings are sustainably-managed plantations. As a matter of policy and practice HVP does not harvest native forest. The company maintains the remaining 30 per cent of its holdings for plantation protection, conservation and other community values.

Caption

HVP also conducted a series of fauna surveys at locations across the estate to add further to our knowledge and understanding of biodiversity on company land.

The fauna surveys are linked to a significant native vegetation mapping project which HVP has undertaken across its entire estate. The project identifies Ecological Vegetation Classes (EVCs), dominant species, age structure and disturbance history.

Data gathered from the mapping will help to ensure that the we have the most complete knowledge of, and best protection plans for our custodial native vegetation. In the Strzelecki Ranges, HVP has set aside almost half of its land from timber production, managing this native forest for conservation.

Cores & Links

An agreement to protect the area known as the “Cores and Links” has resulted in an important and historic outcome for the environment and industry. Over 23,000 hectares of native vegetation will be permanently protected in the Strzelecki Ranges.

Caption

The Cores and Links comprise approximately 8,000 hectares of both Eucalyptus regnans (Mountain Ash) plantation and native forest in the eastern Strzelecki Ranges located in Gippsland.

The area includes four areas of key native vegetation and plantation (the Cores) joined by corridors of land (the Links), which are also a mixture of plantation and native vegetation. Taken together, the Cores and Links area provides a contiguous vegetated land area stretching from Tarra-Bulga National Park in the east to Gunyah-Gunyah Rainforest Reserve in the west.

Monitoring

HVP environmental monitoring results on June 30th for the financial year 2020/2021. Measured in ha.

Environmental

Total native forest 48430
Native forest under on-title protective agreements 24730
Cores and Links total area 8000
Core and Links native forest 5012
Cores and Links ash plantation never to be harvested 700
Cores and Links plantation harvested to date 1401
Cores and Links plantation still to be harvested 5
Cores and Links harvested area regenerated to native forest 1204
Number of Code of Forest Practice and BMP Audits (site preparation) 13
Average score for Code of Forest Practice Audits (site preparation) 97
Number of Code of Forest Practice and BMP Audits (harvest) 37
Average score for Code of Forest Practice Audits (harvest) 96
Number of Flora or Fauna surveys completed 49

Koala Monitoring (Jun 2018)

Area of primary Koala habitat 5310
Area of secondary Koala habitat 4139

Carbon

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