16 July, 2015
Federal Threatened Species Strategy comes up short
NSW Nature Conservation Council has welcomed the renewed focus on threatened species signaled by the release today of the commonwealth’s Threatened Species Strategy. [1]
“We welcome the fact this issue is receiving some attention, especially the focus this package has on reducing the impact that feral cats are having on our native wildlife, however, the package has significant shortcomings,” NCC CEO Kate Smolski said.
“The $6.6 million Federal Environment Minister Greg Hunt has pledged to ‘kick start’ the strategy is a very disappointing commitment given the scale of the extinction crisis that we are facing in Australia.
“Such a modest allocation compares very poorly with the $600 million the NSW Government is planning to spend on sports and entertainment venues, or the $1 billion the Victorian government plans to spend on one new grandstand at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. [2]
“We are also disappointed that the strategy fails to address land clearing and habitat loss, one of the key pressures driving many native species to extinction." [3]
The strategy states actions the government intends to take to address mammal extinction threats include building fenced areas, habitat improvement, captive breeding, translocations, invasive species control, disease mitigation, improved fire management practices, and native predator reintroduction. [4]
“While these are all worthwhile initiatives, without strong controls on land clearing and habitat loss, they are certain to fall short of what is required,” she said.
“The government could use existing powers more effectively to reduce the risk of more species being driven to extinction.
“The government lists the Regent Honeyeater as a priority species in the strategy, yet this same government has issued approvals for the Maules Creek and Warkworth coal mines, which will both destroy significant areas of remnant woodland that is Regent Honeyeater habitat.
“By its own admission, the strategy will target only a third of all mammals species listed as threatened with extinction. What does Mr Hunt intend to do for the other 66 per cent?”
References
[1] www.environment.gov.au/system/files/resources/51b0e2d4-50ae-49b5-8317-081c6afb3117/files/ts-strategy.pdf
[2] See front page of today’s Daily Telegraph.
[3] See Coutts-Smith, A.J. & Downey, P.O. (2006) Impact of Weeds on Threatened Biodiversity in NSW, Technical Series no.11, CRC for Australian Weed Management, Adelaide. See also EPA (2006) NSW State of the Environment Report 2006, Environmental Protection Authority, Sydney.
[4] See pages 53 and 56 of the strategy.
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Federal environmental lawsForests and wildlife
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