A FATHER and son ripped $12 million of ferns and logs from native forests, causing environmental devastation, a court heard yesterday. Prosecutors allege they used bulldozers, chainsaws and excavators to plunder soft tree ferns and hardwood logs in forest bordering Gippsland's Strzelecki Ranges. They dumped old tyres and oil-filled drums, destroyed surrounding vegetation and damaged nearby creeks.
Michael Caldwell, 61, and Kelly Caldwell, 26, appeared before Moe Magistrates' Court yesterday charged with more than 100 offences, including theft and criminal damage to the environment. They were also charged over conspiracy to take, move and process protected flora. If convicted they may face up to 17 years' jail. Prosector Kieran Gilligan told the court the value of tree ferns and hardwood stolen from the 50ha of Crown, plantation and private land was almost $12 million. This included retail value of at least $11 million and government royalties of $600,000.
The court heard ferns were sold to unsuspecting retailers such as Bunnings before ending up in thousands of back yards. Mr Gilligan said the Caldwells often camped on the land, near Boolarra, between 2000 and last year while illegally harvesting the trees. The Traralgon men had damaged the forest extensively by driving their bulldozers into the landscape and partly damming the nearby Franklin River with logs.
This affected the water quality of the river and connecting creeks. Mr Gilligan told the court the Caldwells also dumped 400 tyres at the forest site as well as 60 oil-filled drums.
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http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,16208844%255E2862,00.html
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