10 November, 2015
Changes to land clearing laws pose a threat to Bathurst region’s wildlife, soils and water resources
Nature Conservation Council Policy Director Cerin Loane is in Bathurst today to highlight the threats new land-clearing laws pose to native wildlife, soils and water resources in the Central West.
“Land clearing is the number-one cause of extinctions in the Central West, so it has to be sensibly managed to ensure we do not exacerbate the problem,” Ms Loane said.
“The Baird government plans to significantly relax land clearing controls, but we think that would be a terrible mistake for the communities and wildlife that depend on healthy ecosystems for their survival.
“After 200 years of settlement, we have lost more than 60 per cent of the bushland that used to cover the Central West Catchment. [1]
“Most of what remains has been seriously degraded by overgrazing, feral animals, weeds, and soil erosion.
“We are at a pivotal moment where we need to make a choice. We can either turn this beautiful region of Bathurst into a sterile prairieland full of feral animals and weeds, or we can make it a vibrant landscape that protects a rich variety of native animals, and healthy soils and rivers.
“I think most people in the Bathurst region don’t want to live in an even more degraded landscape, which is why we need strong laws to ensure this does not happen.”
The Nature Conservation Council is seeking the support of rural councils, including Bathurst Regional Council, to convince the Baird government to maintain strong land-clearing laws.
The conservation movement has developed a 10-point planentitled A New Deal for Nature [4]which will help stem the tide of extinctions that is threatening to decimate the state’s wildlife.
“There are now almost 1000 plants and animals in NSW threatened with extinction, 126 of which are in the Central West, including the Copperwing Butterfly, Superb Parrot, and the Booralong Frog,” Ms Loane said. [2,3]
“This extinction crisis requires urgent, decisive action by society as a whole, but political leadership on this issue has been sadly lacking. The Baird government has an historic opportunity to develop a strong, effective conservation law that plots a course towards a more sustainable management of public and private land.”
REFERENCES
[1] Goldney, D, Kerle, A and Fleming, M (2007), Threatening Processes – Status of vertebrate fauna and their habitats.
[2] NSW State of the Environment Report, p215. http://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/resources/soe/20120846soe2012.pdf
[3] Greater Central West Region State of the Environment Report, p50.
[4] www.nature.org.au/media/172082/a_new_deal_for_nature_web_final.pdf
A NEW DEAL FOR NATURE
The New Deal for Nature report has been prepared by seven of the state’s leading conservation groups* to help guide the Baird government in drafting a Conservation Bill for NSW. Some of the key principles include:
- A commitment to maintain or improve nature: An effective conservation law must require that development be allowed only where habitat and biodiversity are improved.
- No-go zones: Some habitats are too important to lose. An effective conservation law must designate no-go zones where land clearing cannot occur.
- Stricter rules for offsetting: Biodiversity offsetting is contributing to habitat loss, species decline and extinctions. An effective conservation law must require like-for-offsets, and not allow habitat destruction in exchange for money.
- A full audit of our natural assets: The government does not know the nature or extent of biodiversity in NSW. An effective conservation law must be based on reliable vegetation mapping.
- A level playing field: All developments – rural, mining, industrial and residential – must be assessed using the same rules. An effective conservation law must require mining companies and farmers to meet the same standards as other developers.
- Incentives for conservation on private land: Some of our most important natural areas are on private land. Any conservation law must be complemented by government investment in conservation on private land.
- Monitoring, compliance, enforcement: An effective conservation law is only effective when backed by an adequately resourced monitoring, compliance and enforcement regime.
*The New Deal for Nature report was prepared by NSW Nature Conservation Council, WWF Australia, National Parks Association of NSW, Colong Foundation for Wilderness, The Total Environment Centre, the Wilderness Society.
LAND CLEARING LAWS HAVE WORKED
The Native Vegetation Act 2003 has:
TIMELINE
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Date
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Action
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2014, Jun
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The NSW Government orders a review of:
- Native Vegetation Act (2003),
- Threatened Species Conservation Act (1995),
- Nature Conservation Trust Act (2001), and
- parts of the National Parks and Wildlife Act (1974).
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2014, Dec
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Review Panels hands down its recommendations.
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2015, Mar
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Government commits to implement all the panel’s recommendations, including repealing the Native Vegetation Act (2003) and drafting a new Conservation Bill.
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2015, Feb
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Draft Conservation Bill to be made public.
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2016
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Draft Conservation Bill to be introduced to parliament.
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2017
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Native Veg Act to be repealed after the Conservation Bill comes into force.
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Tags
Planning and DevelopmentRivers and wetlandsForests and wildlife
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