THE State Government's alpine cattle grazing policy is again under the legal spotlight, with a hearing in Victoria's Supreme Court this week.
The legal case was initiated by community organisation the Victorian National Parks Association (VNPA) who are being represented by Environmental Justice Australia.
The case aims to test the lawfulness of the cattle grazing trial under Victoria's National Parks Act.
"The prime purpose of national parks is for conservation, not cow paddocks," VNPA spokesperson Phil Ingamells said.
In recent weeks the VNPA commissioned an expert ecological assessment of the Wonnangatta Valley, the site of the Coalition's flawed cattle grazing trial.
"The VNPA commissioned this flora and fauna survey because the government failed to do one," Mr Ingamells said.
"They have been irresponsible in locating their cattle grazing trial in the remote and beautiful Wonnangatta Valley."
Preliminary results of the survey highlighted the important natural values of the site, which were likely to be affected by the grazing trial.
Most notable are the native grasslands, which hold the largest known population of an endangered native plant, the Pale Golden Moths orchid, Mr Ingamells said.
The Wonnangatta River's extensive population of native fish and remarkably intact wetlands were also valuable natural features that could be significantly damaged by a reintroduction of cattle to the valley, he said.