They say the illegal operators are taking advantage of Victorians struggling with cost-of-living pressures.The Conservation Regulator is using covert cameras and sting operations to crack down on dodgy operators.
"These are really criminal elements — these are people who were taking advantage of a black market industry, and seeing the opportunity to sell to unsuspecting consumers," Ms Gavens said. "The trees that we're seeing targeted by illegal operators, sometimes these are Aboriginal scar trees, they're hollow-bearing trees that are the homes to our native species," Ms Gavens said.
In one area near Mount Disappointment, he said officers had identified more than 80 trees cut down over a 300-metre stretch of bushland. "You can tell this tree hasn't been cut down by a professional," Mr Childs said of the cut straight across the old trunk. "There's a lot of vulnerable people out there that rely on firewood for heating and cooking," Mr Childs said while stressing the importance of sourcing that wood from legal operators.
"It's not a great place to be to have to purchase your firewood to heat your home from an illegal source criminal source," he said.
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