More than 120 protesters attended `Strzelecki Stomp' at the weekend, concerned the State Government and Hancock Victorian Plantations (HVP) have walked away from a Heads of Agreement (HoA), which was signed with environmental and community groups in 2006.

The HoA set out the terms for the future protection of the forest.

Last month, the State Government announced it would buy back the 8000 hectares of the high conservation cores and links.

However the area would be subject to a one-off harvest of 1500 hectares by HVP to meet contractual obligations to Australian Paper, Maryvale.

Environmental groups say they were not consulted before the final agreement on the forest was made and believe they are being left out of current discussions about the future of the cores and links.

Friends of the Earth spokesman Anthony Amis said last Sunday's Strzelecki Stomp aimed to inform people about the issues.

``Discussions were based around the lack of consultation from (State Environment) Minister (Gavin) Jennings,'' he said

``He made the announcement two months ago that it would be sorted but we haven't heard anything since.''

Mr Amis said three petitions, including two addressed to Mr Jennings, had fetched signatures from almost everyone in attendance.

A petition will also be presented to the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), an independent organisation which promotes responsible management of the world's forests.

Mr Amis said environmental groups did not agree with how HVP had handled the cores and links issue and the petition questioned why the company was still accredited with FSC.

Mr Amis said another rally was being planned, but in the meantime, supporters would continue to ``keep an eye on what HVP are doing''.

However HVP Gippsland general manager Owen Trumper, said any harvest in the Strzeleckis was of plantation timber and would not involve rainforest.

``We're pretty enthusiastic and excited about the opportunity to add to the conservation of 20,000 plus hectares in the Strzeleckis,'' he said.

Mr Trumper said FSC was an independent third party and accreditation with the organisation was not up to HVP.

``FSC is an independent body and accreditation comes from these auditors that have visited us for the last five years,'' he said.

``They have examined and investigated our harvesting practice in the Strzeleckis and elsewhere and have deemed them to be acceptable to warrant FSC accreditation.

``These independent folks come down and assess us and it's not for us to say whether we should or shouldn't be accredited with the FSC.''

Nick Talbot, the spokesman for Environment Minister Gavin Jennings said the State Government was ``taking action to protect the environmental values of the Strzelecki Ranges by protecting more than 20,000 hectares of native forest''.

``If the government had walked away when the Heads of Agreement expired then the native forest surrounding the cores and links would not have been offered permanent protection,'' he said.

``Gavin Jennings is determined to honour the ALP's election commitments around the Strzelecki ranges and the interim agreement with HVP plantations.''