Forest in Mirboo North still waiting for classification six years on

IT’S BEEN six years since a remnant of highly vulnerable and important forest in Mirboo North was declared an Immediate Protection Area (IPA) but it’s still no closer to having a permanent classification. 
Preserve Our Forests Mirboo North (POFMN) had an online meeting with Steve Dimopoulos MP, the Minister for Environment in August last year, who promised classification by May this year. 
“We've heard nothing since, and it's now June,” said Marg Thomas, Convenor POFMN.
“The forest was declared an IPA in by Minister Lily D‘Ambrosio in 2019, with a promise that a permanent classification would happen within six months.” 
“We're still no closer to a resolution to that problem.”
Progress toward the classification of the park was made in 2022, when a wide range of stakeholders contributed to the recommendations to be put to the Government, via an Eminent Panel for Community Engagement, with the significant one being to classify the forest as a Conservation Park.
“What that means is that conservation is balanced against activities within that park, as in, bike riding and bushwalking and all that sort of stuff,” explained Marg. 
This would also include the formation of a management committee consisting of Parks Victoria, DEECA, Traditional Owners, Council and the community, who together could form a management plan for the Conservation Park.
This plan would guide the community on how the area could be engaged with and how it is looked after – with a particular view of protecting the greater glider - the original catalyst for the IPA. 
Marg believes the delay of permanent classification may be due to the IPA being lumped in as part of the work the State Government is doing through the Great Outdoors Taskforce (GOT). 
GOT are working out what to do with the forests that were previously managed for native logging and are anticipated to provide a report and recommendations to the government imminently. 
In the meantime, POFMN will keep writing to the ministers and pushing for a resolution.
They also want to ensure that people are aware of and are able to enjoy the forest, part of which has been protected for decades, due to it being home to the powerful owl, and they conduct regular guided walks for the public.
“We really like to show off this special little bit of forest that we've got,” said Marg, 
“And people are really loving when we do that, because a lot of them aren't aware of what's in that forest, because it's not an actual walking area that people go to.”
“It's really quite dense and lovely.”