State owned logging company VicForests has been deregistered as a government business according to a government gazette, as of August 5 2023. Conservation groups understand this signals the first step to winding up the state owned business, but it’s unclear what the next steps are to abolish the agency in light of the state government’s plans to end native forest logging by the end of 2023. “For years VicForests has been a total environmental and economic liability. It’s good news that the state government is taking the first step to wind up the rogue agency,” said Chris Schuringa, Campaign Coordinator for the Victorian Forest Alliance. VicForests is responsible for two decades of mismanagement of forests… Despite the Victorian state government announcement in May to bring forward the end of native forest logging from 2030, to January 1 2024, logging in Western Victoria under ‘community forestry licences’ could continue beyond the proposed end date until June 2024.