CEC 30 Year Dinner Invitation
Send the conservative Councillors an overwhelming message that we want them to vote with Greens Mayor Katie Milne and declare a CLIMATE EMERGENCY!!!
We need the biggest crowd ever ( including as many students as possible) at the Council meeting in Murwillumbah at 4.30pm on 19 September to send the conservative Councillors an overwhelming message that we want them to vote with Greens Mayor Katie Milne and declare a CLIMATE EMERGENCY!!!
The meeting will start at 5.30pm however members of the community can put their point of view to the Councillors at the Public Forum from 4.30pm onwards and Barry Firth will be doing so regarding the Climate emergency motion. If anyone else would like to present their view please ring Tweed Council on 02 66702400 and ask to be booked in for “Public Forum”. (Speakers’ allocations are limited, and they may already be fully taken up.)
Tweed Water Alliance. Update.
The new water regulator (Natural Resource Access Regulator) is now handling Tweed Water Alliance’s complaints to the Department of Water. They have asked the Office of Water for the metering records – they’re going to find out soon enough that they don’t exist. They’ll then have to get documents from the operators and with any luck insist that all commercial bores have meters.
Tweed Water Alliance continue to track any ongoing breaches at Bilambil, Kunghur, Nobbys Creek and Kynnumboon – let Tweed Water Alliance know if you see any activity that isn’t permitted – all of it will be recorded and reported.
Here’s what they’re allowed:
• Urliup Road: 1 truck load per day, 7 days per week
• Mt Warning Spring Water, 4 loads per day, weekdays only 9am3pm, ‘small trucks’ only
• Nobbys Creek , one 5 tonne truck per week (NO ARTICULATED SEMI TRAILERS)
• Kynnumboon, 5 loads per day weekdays, 7am7pm, 2 loads per day on weekends, 8am12pm
Water miners really don’t like having their shallow ethics and deep sense of entitlement challenged. Report them to council.
You can help make them even more uncomfortable by giving Tweed Water Alliance a little cash please. Their bank details: • Southern Cross Credit Union • BSB 722 744 • Account: 153127.
Please keep your activism on high alert. Chat to friends and neighbours, keep taking photos of the water trucks to post to Facebook it spooks them. Remember you are perfectly within your rights to photograph them as long as you don’t trespass or otherwise break the law to do so.
It’s perfectly legal to take a photo of a water truck on a public road.
Don’t be shy in contacting councillors, either. They are our elected representatives and need to hear opinions other than those driven by greed. Civil and to the point will do nicely.
Councillor Pryce
mobile: 0436 007 758 email: PAllsop@tweed.nsw.gov.a
Councillor Reece Byrnes (Deputy Mayor)
mobile: 0436 411 386 email: RByrnes@tweed.nsw.gov.a
Councillor Chris Cherry
mobile: 0437 400 174 email: CCherry@tweed.nsw.gov.a
Councillor Ron Cooper
mobile: 0419 716 906 email: RCooper@tweed.nsw.gov.a
Councillor Katie Milne (Mayor)
telephone: (07) 5590 9622 email: kmilne@tweed.nsw.gov.au
Councillor James Owen
mobile: 0415 561 701 email: JOwen@tweed.nsw.gov.au
Councillor Warren Polglase
mobile: 0428 961 306
email: wpolglase@tweed.nsw.gov
Mayor Katie Milne has a Climate Emergency Declaration Motion on the Council Agenda ! Thursday 19th
7 [NOM-Cr K Milne] Climate Emergency Declaration
NOTICE OF MOTION:
Councillor K Milne moves that Council:
1. Declares that we are in a state of climate emergency that requires urgent action by all levels of government, including by local councils.
2. Notes that on 14 August 2019 Council’s Youth Advisory Committee proposed that Youth Council, as a group, recommend that Council declare a ‘Climate Crisis’. As this proposal was made during an informal session of the meeting such a recommendation could not be made. All members of the committee asked that this be noted with consideration being given to presenting at a future Community Access meeting.
3. Notes that our young people have the most at stake as they are the ones that will face the worst impacts of climate change if this is not addressed rapidly and effectively.
4. Supports the Schools Strike for Climate on the 20th September that is calling on adults to join them in the strike, and notes Council staff where practical are able to use leave entitlements if they wish to attend.
5. Notes that 45 other Australian Local Councils have declared a Climate Emergency, along with 987 government bodies around the world.
6. Notes Tweed’s 2017 Flood was the largest on record, and the two recent major fires that have burnt hundreds of hectares of Tweed’s bushland.
7. Notes last year’s IPCC report that global emissions of carbon dioxide must peak by 2020 and reduce by 45% by 2030 to keep the planet below 1.5?C increase.
8. Notes that even at 1.5?C increase there will be significant climate disruptions including the Great Barrier Reef predicted to lose 90% of its coral and the outlook for the reef now classified as very poor.
9. Notes the recent advice by Sir David Attenborough on Climate Change that “We cannot be radical enough in dealing with the issues that face us at the moment”.
10. Notes the numerous positive steps available to address this Climate Emergency if public and political will is mobilised.
11. Notes that the fastest and second fastest growing jobs in America are solar technicians (300,000 solar jobs) followed by wind power technicians, with the coal industry providing only 50,000 jobs.
12. Notes its commitment to reporting on and reducing emissions through the Global Climate Change Compact and the Cities Power Partnership.
13. Notes its Renewable Energy Action Plan target of 25% renewable energy by 2022 and 50% by 2025, and Council’s zero waste target is a great start but does not account for all Council’s emissions such as transport, buildings and infrastructure emission.
14. Brings back a report on actions Council is currently undertaking to address climate change and further steps that can be taken to reduce emissions to levels at least consistent with IPCC targets, and provides this report to the Youth Council for their input.
15. Includes advice in all reports to Council meetings on the implications for sustainability from the staff recommendations.
16. Requests the Mayor to write to the NSW State and Federal Governments and local Members of parliament requesting them to declare a climate emergency and prioritise actions to address this emergency.
17. Through the Mayor encourages neighbouring Local Government Areas to join with us in declaring a climate emergency.
Press Release: “Students’ Strike for Climate” Rally, 20/Sep/19
There is to be a world-wide Global “Students’ Strike for Climate” (“SS4C”) on Friday, 20th September.
Tweed Shire residents are requested to support this world-wide action by attending a rally at Pottsville, at 11 am that day.
The global SS4C movement was started by Greta Thunberg, a Swedish school student, now an international celebrity.
The demands of the Strikers in Australia are as follows:
1. No new coal, oil and gas projects, including the Adani mine.
2. 100% renewable energy generation and exports by 2030.
3. Fund a just transition & job creation for fossil-fuel industry workers and communities.
It is envisaged that adults will join this strike, which is already supported by some businesses and trade unions.
NEFA Rally in Braemar State Forest, 10 am Sunday 15 September to protest the intent to log some of the best Koala habitat known on State Forests
The rally is being held at the Rappville turnoff from the Summerland Way, 24 km south of Casino.
The North East Forest Alliance has welcomed the postponement of logging of core Koala habitat in Braemar State Forest as an opportunity for the community to increase pressure on the NSW Government to protect extant populations of Koalas.
“We hope our rally on Sunday sends a strong message to the Government that this community does not want to see our best Koala habitat on public lands devastated, even though the new logging rules allow it”, NEFA spokesperson Dailan Pugh said.
“This logging delay gives the community more time to speak up for Koalas and convince the NSW Government that they need to protect core Koala habitat to stop their extinction
“Logging was due to start on Friday 13 September though has been delayed for weeks after a review by NEFA exposed numerous deficiencies in the Forestry Corporation’s harvesting plan.
“This is the first area to be logged under the new logging rules in north-east NSW, and despite the Forestry Corporation writing the new rules with the EPA, they proved that they are still unwilling to comply with the intent and letter of their own rules.
“It is reprehensible that the Government has removed protection for Koala high use areas, of which there is estimated to be over 100ha in Braemar State Forest. They have replaced this prohibition with the retention of just 5 small feed trees per hectare.
“NEFA has found that Koalas are using over 19 feed trees per hectare in Braemar.
“From their surveys in the adjacent Carwong and Royal Camp State Forests the EPA found that Koala use increased with tree size and that only one in five of the small (>20cm diameter) feed trees now required to be retained were actually used by Koalas.
“This nationally significant Koala population will be devastated by the new logging rules.
“This case highlights the need for the NSW Government to restore protection for Koala high use areas, not just in Braemar but wherever they occur.
“As identified by the EPA’s own Koala expert panel if we want to give Koalas a future the highest priority is to protected extant Koala populations from logging ” Mr Pugh said.
NEFA MEDIA RELEASE – 14 September 2019
TSC Planning proposal to prohibit new water bottling facilities in the Tweed.
Have your say before 4pm Tuesday 17 September.
In response to community concern, Council is proposing to remove a clause in the Tweed Local Environmental Plan 2014 that enables Water Bottling Facilities in the RU2 Zone. Existing water bottling facilities will remain permitted on the land where they are currently located.
Have your say before 4pm Tuesday 17 September.
Link to TSC: Planning proposal to prohibit new water bottling facilities in the Tweed.
WATER MINING, Please make a submission to council by 17 September.
Email: TSC@tweed.nsw.gov.au
Subject: Draft Planning Proposal PP18/0004
Main points to make (in your ow words):
> Water belongs to the community and should not be used for private profit.
> Given concerns over negative environmental impacts of water extraction, the precautionary principal should be applied.
> With more and more heavy vehicles transporting extracted water on our roads, residents’ safety and damage to the local road network are both serious concerns. These truck movements are also incompatible with the tranquil ambience and eco-tourism of Tweed villages. *
> This water mining raises concerns over the new massive stream of environmentally harmful single-use plastics used for bottling.
> The high level of community opposition to this activity (99.96% of Uki residents) needs to be respected and supported. > In a time of extreme drought, widespread regional bush fires, and critically low dams, precious groundwater is being extracted at industrial levels and trucked away from the region.
Thank you for your support!
‘GLOBAL CLIMATE STRIKE’ (SS4C) – 20th September Rally At Pottsville Beach
School students around the world are taking the day off to join in a ‘Global Climate Strike’ three days before the United Nations Emergency Climate Summit.
There will be a ‘Global Climate Strike’ rally in the Tweed Shire at Ambrose Brown Park on the Tweed Coast Road Pottsville Beach at 11am on Friday, 20 September 2019.
This is one of many strikes which have been initiated by the student Greta Thunberg of Sweden to demonstrate to governments that people are demanding effective action on climate change.
Invitation to Tweed Water Alliance mailing list
| You may want to get on the mailing list of the Tweed Water Alliance. Here’s an invitation from them: Re: Stop Tweed Water Mining You may want to stay informed, please pull up our website (https://tweedwateralliance.org) and sign up to our emailing list. Scroll down to the bottom and you’ll find the link. On a computer it’s in the right hand side panel. ~~~ |
The CEC ‘Ecological Arts Merit Award’ and “If this, …”
WED Festival program
2019 NSW Threatened Species Children’s Art Competition
Open for entries between June 3 and August 2, so now’s a great time for your children to get started on their artworks! Children from 5-12 years old in NSW can participate.
We invite children to choose a threatened native species, then create a drawing or painting of it with an accompanying short explanation of their work. The rules have changed a bit this year, so that children from NSW can pick any threatened Australian native species.
Seventy finalists will be chosen for a two-week exhibition in Sydney, with winners announced at Parliament House Sydney on September 6.
Biosecurity Forum
Lismore Showgrounds. 9.00am (cuppa) – 2.30pm Wednesday 12th June 2019.
Regenerative agriculture -Southern Cross University
Animal Biosecurity -Local Land Services
Crazy Yellow Ants- Local Land Services
Red Imported Fire Ants-Local Land Services
Wild dog baiting program-Local Land Services
Wild dog control -TRACS
Soil trooper update -Biological Solutions
Drone spraying display- Agflight
Biological control options-NSW Department of Primary Industries
Rangers Projects -Ngulingah Aboriginal Land Council
Tropical Soda Apple-Rous County Council
Includes a free lunch. RSVP for catering: 6623 3847 by 31st May
ALL WELCOME
Terania 40th anniversary celebration
NCC Regional Conference 2019
Changes to KPoM for Kings Forest Approved
The Independent Planning Commission has approved changes to the koala management plan for a 4500-lot residential development on the state’s far north coast.
Property 28 Pty Ltd has sought to implement a new Koala Plan of Management (KPoM) and amend the
conditions of approval for its Kings Forest Residential Subdivision about 15km south of Tweed Heads.
The proposed changes include:
• reducing to eight hectares the amount of koala habitat to be cleared on the development site
• changing a condition of approval to require the planting of 27ha of koala food trees in Cudgen
Nature Reserve or another approved location
• increasing the width of the east-west wildlife corridor from 50m to 100m
• increasing the proposed on-site offsets from 54.71 to 62.51 ha
• increasing the total number of koala food trees from 20,578 to 76,411 and increasing the
proportion of koala habitat from 74% to 95%, and
• amending the fencing details and providing seven koala culvert crossings and one “cattle grid”
to manage koala movements across the site.
The Department of Planning & Environment referred the matter to the Commission after receiving
objections from Tweed Shire Council and members of the local community.
A Panel of three Commissioners – Mr Ross Carter (Panel Chair), Professor Richard Mackay AM and Ms
Catherine Hird – was appointed to determine the case.
The Commissioners met with the Applicant, Department and Council and inspected the site and
surrounding locality.
They also held a public meeting at Kingscliff in March this year to listen to the community’s views.
Concerns raised by the local community centred around the impacts of the development on the region’s
diminishing koala population and koala habitat.
Following careful consideration of all the evidence and weighing the community’s views, the Commission
has today (Wednesday 8 May 2019) conditionally approved the new KPoM, as well as changes to the
original conditions of consent.
In its Statement of Reasons for Decision, the Commission stated it has “considered representations,
advice and comments provided by government agencies and the community and found that the
Application, as modified, is generally consistent with the ESD principles, the Objects of the Act, and is in
the public interest because it:
• maintains the quantum of offsets required under the Project Approval;
• will ensure that koala connectivity is maintained and that suitable protection measures are in
place during construction activities; and
• will result in a positive ecological outcome for koala and other wildlife.”
In making its determination, the Commission concluded:
• the proposed quantum of offsets in the revised KPOM will adequately compensate for the loss
of koala habitat,
• the delivery of additional 27ha of offsets is a critical component of the koala offset package and
the current obligation to physically plant out 27ha of koala food trees should be maintained,
• offsets need to be secured and planting needs to occur prior to construction certificate,
• offsets related to koala habitat or food trees should be delivered ahead of clearing works to
ensure suitable offsets and habitat linkages are created and maintained during the construction
phase of the Project,
• allowance should be made for the Proponent to undertake additional offset planting within the
Kings Forest Development Site,
• off-set obligations discharged via a payment to Biodiversity Conservation Trust is not
permissible,
• the east-west wildlife corridor should be provided to its full extent and delivered earlier as part
of Stage 2 to ensure connectivity for koalas and other wildlife across the Project Site,
• it is impractical to require underpasses to be installed prior to bulk earthworks and that
provision of underpasses can be delayed as it will result in a positive outcome by ensuring
temporary and/or permanent fencing is in place to protect koalas and other wildlife prior to the
commencement of works, provided an adaptive management approach is undertaken to ensure
koala connectivity at all times, outside of daytime construction activity,
• the golf course should function as an ecological buffer and the fencing should separate the golf
course from the adjacent urban areas,
• performance indicators should be framed in terms of 90% planting survival rates during
‘establishment’ period and 80% canopy cover during the ‘maintenance’ period, and that canopy
species should be planted at 3m spacings,
• conditioning of a bond or bank guarantee relating to the reduction of koalas on site is
unreasonable as it may not be possible to attribute a wider decline in koala numbers to the
development, and
• the application is in the public interest
The Commission’s full Statement of Reasons for Decision is available here:
https://www.ipcn.nsw.gov.au/projects/2018/12/modification-to-kings-forest-residentialsubdivision-koala-plan-of-management
NSW Government Independent Planning Commission – Media Release 8 May 2019
Glossy Black Cockatoo Workshop – Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary
Glossy Black-Cockatoo Birding day is on 19th May 2019 organised by Tweed Shire Council’s Marama Hopkins and local ecologist, Kim Stephan.
Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary is offering a FREE workshop this Sunday 5th May, 10.30am including lunch.
The workshop will prepare you for the Birding Day. You will get a chance to view the Glossy Black Cockatoos. This is a citizen science based project and ideal for people who are interested in birding or birds to help monitor the species in the Tweed Shire. This will also help raise community interest in this threatened species. There are 25 places available.
Book here https://www.trybooking.com/BCEUN or contact Marama on 02 6670 2787 or Kim on 0418692442.
Meet Marama at 10.30 at the main entry gate. You don’t have to do the birding day, but can just come along to the workshop.
School Strike 4 Climate
Youth Coastal Ambassador Workshop
Kings Forest Koalas – submissions due 19 March
Final Opportunity for the Community to have a say in the Koala Plan of Management regarding our Endangered Tweed Coast Koalas in Kings Forest.
Here is a letter developed by Team Koala that can be completed by interested supporters and most importantly personalised by adding something under item 4.
Deadline for submissions is 5pm Tuesday 19th March by email to ipcn@ipcn.nsw.gov.au or via the Independent Planning Commission website
As you are likely aware, there is a Koala Corridor in Kings Forest and the development was approved in 2010 with many conditions to primarily protect the endangered Koala colony in Kings Forest.
Since 2010, there have been many attempted changes, we are now seeking comment and support with the Fourth Modification. The community has placed its confidence and support in Team Koala each and every time to voice community sentiment letting the government know they and we, remain focused on the one main thing Protecting Tweed Coast Koalas. By ensuring an adequate KPOM (Koala Plan of Management) is in place before any works commence, the one main thing, Protecting Tweed Coast Koalas will be achieved.
School Strike 4 Climate
Join the global climate strike. Friday 15 March, 1pm, the Rotunda, Knox Park, Murwillumbah.
The Bentley Effect
Free Events: Smart Power – Solar and Batteries & ‘The Big U-Turn Ahead’
Tweed Byron Hinterland Trails
National Parks and Wildlife Service is seeking feedback on changes to the plan of management for Whian Whian State Conservation Area and Tweed Caldera Parks and Reserves to enable development of a multi-day walking track network and supporting visitor facilities linking Mount Jerusalem National Park with Nightcap National Park and Whian Whian State Conservation Area.
More information and how to give your feedback at https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/topics/parks-reserves-and-protected-areas/park-management/community-engagement/tweed-byron-hinterland-trails
Have your say by 11 March 2019.
Bob Brown in Bangalow
Friday 22nd February. Bangalow A&I Hall. 6.30 pm – 10 pm. RSVP & tickets here.
Private Native Forestry Review
Submissions period extended until 15 February.
Information and where to send your submission at www.lls.nsw.gov.au/pnforestry
Caldera Environment Centre submission to Private Native Forestry Review here.
Confluence
World Wildlife Day Rally
NSW Koala Strategy – “ineffective, inadequate and expensive”
WWF Media Release:
A new report has found that the New South Wales government’s Koala Strategy is “ineffective, inadequate and expensive” and ignores the main cause of koala deaths – the destruction of habitat.
A new report has found that the New South Wales government’s Koala Strategy is “ineffective, inadequate and expensive” and ignores the main cause of koala deaths – the destruction of habitat.
The joint report by WWF-Australia, the National Parks Association of NSW and the North East Forest Alliance has found numerous failings in the Government’s $45-million, which is aimed at halting the unprecedented decline in koalas in NSW.
The Strategy will not prevent the projected extinction of koalas, which WWF has found could be as early as 2050.
Of 11 recommendations made by the NSW Chief Scientist to save koalas, the report finds that only two were fully addressed. Five recommendations were partially addressed, two were poorly addressed, and two were not addressed.
“The primary failing of the NSW Koala Strategy is that it ignores changes to legislation in 2017 that made it legal to clear 99% of the state’s koala habitat,” said the report’s lead author, WWF-Australia conservationist Dr Stuart Blanch.
The NSW Government has allocated $20 million to buy up 5,000 hectares of koala habitat, but is simultaneously enabling the bulldozing of seven million hectares of koala habitat across the state.
“Improving legislation to protect mature forests and woodlands is the cheapest and most effective way to immediately halt the unprecedented decline of koalas,” Dr Blanch said.
“Some elements of the NSW Koala Strategy appear to be misleading. For example, the Strategy claims to create 12 ‘new reserves’ for koalas, but 10 of these are already protected state forest.”
The strategy ignores recommendations by koala experts to establish the 175,000-hectare Great Koala National Park on the NSW mid north coast, new national parks for the last remaining koala populations in southwest and western Sydney, or new national parks in other areas of known koala significance.
There are estimated to be less than 20,000 koalas in NSW, down from the estimated millions two hundred years ago. NSW has lost 1 in 4 koalas in the last 20 years, primarily due to habitat loss.
=&0=&
Media enquiries: 0428 391 735
David Crisante
Media Relations Manager
WWF-Australia
Level 1, 1-3 Smail Street, Ultimo NSW 2007
t: 02 8228 6846 | m: 0428 391 735 |
Stop Adani Convoy by Bob Brown Foundation
Information about The Convoy here. In theory Adani can’t legally start yet, pending required environmental studies. The Australian Conservation Foundation is pursuing legal action to enforce compliance, see ACF vs Adani (donate)
Snap #StopAdani Rally: Brisbane next Saturday
With the news this week that Adani has arranged to fund=&0=&t’s critical that we =&1=& to the mine over the coming weeks, especially in the lead up to Labor’s national conference.
We’re holding snap marches in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne next Saturday 8th December to “March for our future & #StopAdani.”
AYCC are leading on these events with a bunch of orgs pitching in, and we’re teaming up with the kids from the #climatestrike to build on the massive momentum of last week!
Here are all the details:
BRISBANE: March for our Future, #StopAdani
Saturday 8th December, 9.30am
Adani’s Headquarters, 10 Eagle St, Brisbane
Please Share on Facebook
If you aren’t in Brisbane:
Join the national #StopAdani webinar TOMORROW: Monday 3rd December, 5.30pm QLD time (6.30 AEDT) to hear what this news means and talk about other ways we can ramp up our response.
=&9=&
Let’s do this!
Cheers, Moira
P.S. Now is a good time to call your MP and Key Labor leaders, Shorten
P.S. Here are details of the other events:
Melbourne: https://www.facebook.com/events/313245392862731/
Sydney:
https://www.facebook.com/events/199871294279873/
20 year logging extension a disaster for the public good
NEFA MEDIA RELEASE
The North East Forest Alliance has called the process used by the Commonwealth and State Governments to adopt new Regional Forest Agreements as a superficial sham simply intended to lock-up public native forests for private sawmillers at significant environment cost.
“There has been no attempt to assess or review environmental, industry or social data, instead they are relying on incomplete and out of date assessments undertaken 20 years ago”, NEFA spokesperson Dailan Pugh said.
Relocate Tweed Valley Hospital
Minister concedes unlawful decision on land clearing in Reef catchment
EDO NSW – 27 November 2018: In a case demonstrating the critical role community organisations play in holding elected officials to account, the Federal Court has upheld a challenge by the Environment Council of Central Queensland (ECOCeQ) – represented by EDO NSW – to a proposal to clear 2,100 ha of native vegetation on Kingvale Station on the Cape York Peninsula in the Great Barrier Reef catchment. The full EDO story and The Guardian story
TOOT Rally 11am Sat 1 Dec M’bah
Private Native Forestry Review Terms of Reference – Public Submissions
From Local Land Services –
As part of the NSW Government’s review of Private Native Forestry (PNF), we invite you to have input on how the state’s private native forest estate is managed.
The NSW Government has released the attached PNF Review Terms of Reference. The PNF Review seeks to balance the sustainable development of the private native timber and agricultural industries while recognising the environmental values of the private native forest estate.
Local Land Services will lead the PNF Review in collaboration with the Environment Protection Authority and the Department of Primary Industries.
We are seeking your early feedback and comments on how the PNF Review can meet the objectives and scope set out in the attached PNF Terms of Reference.
Towards Zero Deforestation Report
The top 20 tree deforestation hotspots in NSW have been revealed in a report by the NSW Nature Conservation Council, WWF-Australia, The Wilderness Society and National Parks Association of NSW.
The report found that 17 of the state’s 20 deforestation hotspots also contain koala habitat at risk of land clearing under new state environmental laws.
From Nature News – December 2018 at https://npansw.org/
Freedom of information documents reveal damning assessment of Berejiklian government’s proposed new logging laws
NEFA MEDIA RELEASE:
As the NSW and federal governments are poised to sign off on 20-year extensions to controversial Regional Forest Agreements, documents acquired by the North East Forest Alliance under freedom of information show deep concerns within the Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH) about the impact of new logging laws on protected old-growth, rainforest and koalas.
OEH’s concerns echo those of environment groups and illustrate clearly that the laws will destroy the natural values of our forests. Reminiscent of when Environment Minister Upton signed off on new land clearing laws despite departmental advice that 99% of koala habitat was at risk from clearing, the government is again ignoring OEH advice that koala deaths will increase and habitat quality decrease as a result of the new laws.
Further, the documents reveal that the recommendation by the Natural Resources Commission to allow logging of forest protected as oldgrowth forest, rainforest and stream buffers for the past 20 years was contrary to the recommendations of the Expert Fauna Panel and that the Panel’s considerations of required protections were based on the erroneous assumption that all these important fauna habitats would be protected. OEH recommends many of the panel’s recommendations for threatened species need to be revisited in light of the new logging proposals..
On top of recent revelations about the deep unpopularity of native forest logging in the broader community, the National Parks Association (NPA) and North East Forest Alliance (NEFA) are calling for the government to scrap the new laws (called Integrated Forestry Operations Approvals) and chart an exit out of native forest logging.
“The documents show that a keystone of Premier Berejiklian’s draconian changes to the logging rules for public forests is that some 58,600 ha of High Conservation Value Oldgrowth and 50,600 ha of rainforest in north-east NSW may be made available for logging”, said Dailan Pugh of the North East Forest Alliance.
“These forests were protected over 20 years ago as part of NSW’s reserve system because they are the best and most intact forest remnants left on state forests. As logging intensity has increased around them their environmental importance has escalated.
“North East NSW’s forests are one of the world’s centres of biodiversity and now Premier Berejiklian wants to extend her increased logging intensity into the jewels that the community saved.”
Dr Oisín Sweeney, Senior Ecologist with the National Parks Association of NSW (NPA) said: “It’s no wonder the public is sick of native forest logging and that it has lost its social license.
“Here we have clear warnings from OEH that more koalas will die and more koala habitat will be lost. Yet the government’s determined to plough on regardless.
“It’s past time the federal government intervened to stop NSW knowingly driving koalas further towards extinction.” ENDS
Media contact: Dailan Pugh (6680 7063); Oisín Sweeney (0431 251 194) EXTRACTS BELOW
Extracts from NSW Office of Environment and Heritage Conservation and Regional Delivery Division North East Branch (NEB) ‘Submission to the NSW Environmental Protection Agency on the Draft Coastal Integrated Forestry Operations Approval remake’ obtained through freedom of information
The Draft Coastal IFOA appears to enable boundaries separating the CAR reserve system and the harvest area to be amended by inter‐agency agreement with no public consultation. Further, amendments to the boundaries could occur at the scale of the local landscape or even individual compartment. Areas would be assessed in isolation, rather than at a regional scale, and thereby be susceptible to the incremental ecological impact that regional assessments were originally introduced to prevent. This is expected to significantly compromise the CAR reserve system over time.
…
The NEB therefore reiterates the recommendation from the Expert Fauna Panel for the ‘permanent protection of current exclusion zones’ (State of NSW and the Environmental Protection Agency 2018, p.8) and recommends that the Draft Coastal IFOA include specific provisions that protect all areas that have been protected by the FA, RFA and current IFOA over the last 20 years.
Intensive and selective harvest areas
The CAR reserve system was established in conjunction with selective logging regimes that maintained structurally diverse forest throughout the harvest area. The Draft Coastal IFOA appears to increase the area of public forests on the north coast that would be legally available for intensive harvest, with the risk that large areas of forest will be reduced to a uniform young age class that would take many decades for full ecological function to be restored.
In the intensive harvesting zone (the Coastal Blackbutt forests of the north coast hinterland), the Draft Coastal IFOA proposes to allow coupes of up to 45 ha to be logged with no lower limits on the number of trees retained in the harvest area.
…
This proposed minimum basal area retention of trees in the harvest areas is below the minimum threshold required to maintain habitat values advised by the majority of the Expert Fauna Panel.
The Draft Coastal IFOA proposes removing the existing requirement to protect habitat ‘recruitment trees’. Over time, this will reduce the number of large habitat trees retained for ecological purposes in harvest areas, as trees die and are not replaced. Recruitment trees identified previously will now be available for harvesting, further reducing the persistent availability of larger trees as a critical habitat element for threatened and protected fauna.
High Conservation Value (HCV) Old Growth
HCV old growth was identified for protection as part of the CAR reserve in 1998. It was comprised of older forest (mapped as ‘candidate’ old growth) that also scored highly for irreplaceability (a measure of significance to biodiversity conservation) and threatened species habitat value. Under the Draft Coastal IFOA, biodiversity values of harvest area will be reduced as the area becomes progressively younger (potentially 21 years old or less). For threatened species, this places greater significance on adequately protecting existing HCV old growth areas.
…
The NEB recommends that areas of HCV old growth that have been protected for at least 20 years (NRC 2018) are not made available for logging. This will minimise impacts on threatened species.
Rainforest
The concerns raised above in relation to the treatment of old growth under the Draft Coastal IFOA also apply to protected rainforest. Combined, HCV old growth and rainforest form the cornerstone of the CAR reserve system on State forest. Adequate retention of these vegetation types is considered particularly critical in the context of proposed increased logging intensities.
Specific threatened species conditions
Resolution on ‘No Water Mining’ at Tweed Shire Council Meeting Thursday 15 November 2018
Taken from Minutes of the Meeting..
6 [NOM-Cr K Milne] Removal of LEP clause 7.15 re Commercial Water Bottling Activities
Cr K Milne
Cr R Cooper
RESOLVED that:
1. Council re-instigates a more comprehensive planning proposal to remove clause 7.15 of the Tweed Local Environment Plan to prohibit water extraction for commercial water bottling facilities in light of the precautionary principle in regard to the long term sustainability of this activity, safety and amenity concerns, wear and tear on unsuitable rural roads, and the high level of opposition in the community for this activity.
2. The Planning Proposal to be progressed as a matter of the highest priority and the Gateway application be brought to Council for endorsement.
3. Council requests support for urgent action on this planning proposal from the NSW Minister for Planning Anthony Roberts, the Minister for Regional Water Niall Blair, and our local State members.
The Motion was Carried
FOR VOTE – Cr C Milne, Cr C Cherry, Cr R Cooper, Cr R Byrnes
AGAINST VOTE – Cr W Polglase, Cr P Allsop
ABSENT. DID NOT VOTE – Cr J Owen
The detailed Background Notes on this motion are available at Item 6 in the 15 November Meeting Agenda
New logging rules for public forests as bad as always intended
NEFA – Media Release.
The North East Forest Alliance describes the final logging rules for public forests released today as a disaster for old growth forests, rainforest, river health, threatened species, Koalas, and global warming.
The Governments’ decision remains as it was always intended, they have increased logging intensity throughout State Forests, established a 140,000ha clearfelling zone from Taree to Grafton, reduce stream buffers, removed most wildlife protections, and intend to open up old growth forests and rainforests for logging, said NEFA spokesperson Dailan Pugh.
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