'A coupe is a specific area of forest identified for logging operations under VicForests’ Timber Release Plans. Despite the ecological catastrophe of the 2019-20 Summer bushfires which burnt through 1.25 million hectares of forest in East Gippsland VicForests has not revised its logging plans, in fact two additional Timber Release Plans were approved by the Board of the state-owned company in July and December 2020. More than 550 coupes and 20,000 hectares of forest including key unburnt refuges are scheduled for logging in East Gippsland.
'The Coupe Portraits series was created by Louise Crisp and Lisa Roberts as part of Stony Creek Collective a collaborative multi-artform research project undertaken in the foothill forests of East Gippsland during 2020-21. The project was supported by the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria.' (Introduction)
