FSC Stakeholder Engagement Survey Results
Summary of Results
Survey conducted:
Total number of surveys completed:
Survey Analysis:
November – December 2014
40
22 January 2015
Take home messages:
 There was no single FMA that was considered to be of most interest to Stakeholders.
The whole State or more than 2 FMA’s selected was the most common result
 63% of stakeholders are interested in 2 or all of VicForests’ consultation activities that
include Forest Management Planning, High Conservation Values and Management of
Land Use Rights
 57% of respondents preferred web / email based engagement, 25% selected face to
face engagement and 15% selected both. From the face to face engagement options,
Open house events and meetings were the most popular.
 Water (access, use and frontage) followed by recreation was the most common land use
right
Survey Questions and Results:
1. Preferred method of contact: Email or Phone
All Stakeholders who completed the survey were asked what method of contact they
preferred. The majority (90%) preferred email and only 4 respondents selected by phone.
Preferred Method of Contact
36
4
Email
Phone
2.
Which of the following best describes you as a stakeholder relevant to
VicForests activities?
40% of stakeholders best describe themselves as someone who owns or manages private
and/or public land that is within or neighbours State Forest. Other fields selected broadly
covered the remaining options.
Which of the following best describes you as a stakeholder ?
Own/manage private/public land within/neighbouring State Forest
Work within the Timber Industry
Work within a non-timber industry affected/impacted by Forestry
Regional/rural community individual interested in Victoria's Forests
Member of the general public with an interest in Forestry
FSC Stakeholder Engagement Survey
16
6
5
4
2
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Regional/rural community individual with interest in Victoria’s Forests
Work within a non-timber related industry
Local Government
Business is affected or impacted by Forestry
Social Research Expert
Timber Industry Association
Other
Total
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
40
3. Which of the following location(s) represents the forest areas of main interest
to you?
There was no single FMA that was considered to be of most interest to Stakeholders. The
whole State or more than 2 FMA’s selected was the most common result, followed by East
Gippsland and Benalla-Mansfield.
Area of Interest
10
6
5
3
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
4. Do you consider yourself (or the organisation you represent) to have a legal
use right or tenure within an areas of State forest managed by VicForests? If
so, please describe.
o Yes
o No
(For example: Use rights include licences or lease agreements that provide access to public forests
such as apiary, grazing, water, or mining, as well as traditional or native title rights and uses
established under Australian or Victorian law).
53% of respondents selected yes when asked if they have a legal use right or tenure within
State Forests Management by VicForests.
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Legal Use Right or Tenure
21
19
Yes
No
b) Please describe in detail what your land use right or tenure within State forest is:
Water (access, use and frontage) followed by recreation was the most common land use
right selected by the 21 stakeholders that answered yes to the Land Use Right or Tenure
question.
Legal Use Right or Tenure
7
4
3
2
2
1
1
1
5. VicForests is proposing to conduct consultation activities with all interested
stakeholders to ensure we consider all views appropriately.
o
Forest Management Planning (FMP)
- VicForests strategic forest management objectives and processes
- Forest management performance and accountability;
- Transparency and Availability of Information;
- Other forest values, benefits or impacts that are important for overall forest
management; and
- VicForests engagement with interested and affected stakeholders
o
High Conservation Values (HCV)
- Definitions of HCV
- Assessment of Forests for presence of HCV
- Management and Monitoring of HCV Forests
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o
Management of Land Use Rights, Traditional or Customary Tenures and Uses
(Land Use Rights)
- Identification of applicable ‘use rights’ or ‘tenures’
- Management of use rights and tenures affected by our operations
Almost half of the respondents are interested in all of VicForests’ consultation activities that
include Forest Management Planning, High Conservation Values and Management of Land
Use Rights. 63% of stakeholders are interested in 2 or more of the consultation activities and
only 37% of stakeholders are interested in one aspect, such as Forest Management
Planning or High Conservation Values.
Consultation of Most Interest
3%
5%
All
13%
FMP
42%
HCV
FMP and HCV
15%
FMP and Land Use Rights
HCV and Land Use Rights
22%
6. How would you prefer to be engaged / consulted? by VicForests on our FSC
activities?
o I don’t want to be involved
o I’d prefer a face to face interview / meeting arranged via phone call or email
o I’d prefer emailing or writing a submission in my own time once I have more
information
o I’d prefer an online submission / survey format via VicForests website
o I’d like to attend a community held public meeting or open house to gather more
information and express my views
o I’m ok with just being kept up to date with VicForests progress via email notifications
and website updates
o I’m not interested, please remove me from your database
o Other
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How Best to Engage
13
8
6
3
3
2
2
1
1
1
57% of respondents preferred web / email based engagement and 25% selected face to
face engagement. From the face to face engagement options, Open house events and
meetings were the most popular.
How Best to Engage
Web/email based
Face to face
Both face to face and web/email
Other
3%
15%
25%
57%
What if any, is the most significant issue to you as our stakeholder regarding
VicForests' forest management activities?
Summary of answers
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Protection of water quality and yield
Protection of habitat for native species
Protection of the Leadbeaters Possum
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Monitoring, evaluation and reporting
Management of noxious weeds
Management of feral animals
Resourcing trained professionals and forest scientists
Incompatibility of modern, industrial logging with management
and regeneration
Protection of old growth forests
Clarity about future resource supply for industry and impact from
changes derived from FSC process
Desire for VicForests to move towards plantations
Impact of harvesting on catchments
Questions raised regarding the Sustainability of VicForests
operations
Impact of harvesting on tourism
Fire prevention and suppression
Being a good neighbour and better consultation
Sites of significance to Aboriginal People
Firewood collection
Employment opportunities in regional Victoria
Recognise recreational opportunities in State Forest
Better collaboration between organisations
Availability of State forest to apiarists
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