26 October, 2012
Three mines to carve out the heart of Leard State Forest
The NSW Government has signed a death warrant for one of the most significant remaining native forests in the state’s north west by approving the second of three huge coal mines near Narrabri, the state's peak environment group said today.
More than 5,500 hectares of native forest will be destroyed by three coal mines proposed in Leard State Forest: the new 2,000 hectare Maules Creek mine approved yesterday; the recently approved 1,800 hectare Boggabri Coal Mine expansion, and; the proposed 517 hectare Tarrawonga Coal Mine expansion.
“Taken together, these three mines will tear out the heart of Leard State Forest, splitting the forest in two and detroying thousands of hectares of vital wildlife habitat,” said Pepe Clarke, Chief Executive Officer of the Nature Conservation Council of NSW.
Leard State Forest is the largest remaining native forest on the fertile Liverpool Plains, and has been identified by the state government as high conservation value habitat.
“Threatened wildlife, including the Swift Parrot and Koala, will either be killed as the forest is bulldozed or be driven out into farmland where their survival will seriously be in doubt,” Mr Clarke.
The Leard State Forest is home to at least 26 threatened animals, including: Swift Parrot, Turquoise Parrot, Regent Honeyeater, South-eastern Long-eared Bat, Spotted-tailed, Quoll, Masked Owl, Border Thick-tailed Gecko, Spotted Harrier the Wallaroo and the Koala.
Leard State Forest was mapped as high conservation value land in the government’s draft strategic regional land use plans, but this mapping was removed in the final plans, following sustained lobbying by the mining and coal seam gas industry.
“The destruction of Leard State Forest will stand forever as a scar on the landscape and act as a permanent reminder of the O’Farrell Government’s comprehensive failure to deliver a balanced mining policy for our state,” Mr Clarke said.
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Coal and gas
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