A RUSHWORTH man has been fined $1322 for illegally felling trees in the Redcastle - Greytown State Forest.
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Forest Fire Management Victoria Rushworth Workcentre operations coordinator Josh Mabon said the man cut and removed dead standing trees on two separate occasions.
Mr Mabon said officers had issued the 36-year-old man with an infringement notice for each time he cut and removed a tree from the forest.
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He said the offender indicated he was cutting down the trees for firewood, but firewood could only be collected for domestic use on public lands during the designated period.
Even during the firewood collection season, it was illegal to cut down or destroy live or dead standing trees, he said.
Mr Mabon said it was illegal to cut down trees in state forests and national parts regardless of whether they were dead or alive.
He said dead standing trees often provided habitat for wildlife, meaning removal had wider implications than just vegetation removal.
Mr Mabon encouraged people to report any illegal activities in state forests, including illegal removal of firewood, to the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning on 136 186.
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