MELBOURNE, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Zones established to protect Victoria's endangered Leadbeater's possum will cost the state's forestry industry millions of dollars, a report released on Wednesday found.
The report, compiled by Victoria's Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP), found that the zones had been effective in slowing the extinction of the possum which is Victoria's official state animal.
However, the report also found that the zones would result in 11.2 million U.S. dollars in lost revenue for the forestry industry by 2030.
"While the Leadbeater's possum remains at a high risk of extinction until 2050-70, that risk has been reduced within the Leadbeater's possum reserve by 34 percent, thus demonstrating the effectiveness and efficiency of this action in contributing to conservation outcomes," the report said.
Forestry companies have led a campaign in recent months to reduce the protection zones, claiming they were responsible for timber shortages in the state.
Workers who were set to lose their job when the Heyfield timber mill announced it would be closing due to a lack of timber supply took it into their own hands to count the possums in an attempt to prove they were not endangered.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has since announced that the government had reached an agreement to keep the mill open.
Under current laws, a confirmed sighting of a Leadbeater's possum in the central highlands of Victoria prompts the creation of a 200-meter exclusion zone for all timber harvesting.
Lily D'Ambrosio, Victoria's minister for the environment, said the government would review the report before taking any action.
"The government will continue to consult with all parties as we work towards long-term solutions which balance job protection with the protection of our unique natural environment," D'Ambrosio said.
