10 November, 2015
Crown lands reform poses threats to wildlife protection and public access in the Bathurst region
The NSW Government’s Crown land management reform package poses risks for important remnant vegetation and wildlife habitat in the Bathurst region, the Nature Conservation Council has warned. [1]
“The government is proposing radical changes to the ownership and management of Crown land that have serious implications for wildlife protection and public access,” NCC Policy Director Cerin Loane said.
“There is a lot at stake in the Bathurst region, which has more than 14,700 hectares of Crown land, including 34 Travelling Stock Routes and Reserves, 58 recreation reserves, and 15 environmental reserves.
“Crown lands contain some of the last remnants of native vegetation in the Bathurst region, which like the rest of the Central West has been heavily cleared for grazing and cropping.
“These undisturbed parcels provide important habitat corridors vital for the long-term survival of many species. It is critical that they be managed to ensure their environmental values are maintained or improved.
“With almost 1000 plants and animals on the threatened species list in NSW, including 126 in the Central West, it is critical that the important ecological values that these parcels contain are protected.”
Minister for Lands and Water Niall Blair said recently the government would adopt the key changes flagged in last year’s Crown Lands White Paper, including:
Scrapping the Crown Lands Act 1989 and related laws, and replacing it with new legislation
Selling potentially thousands of hectares of Western Lands grazing leases
Transferring thousands of hectares from state to local council ownership
Watering down strict biodiversity conservation objectives that Crown lands are currently managed under
“The Crown Lands Act has strong environmental protection provisions, but we have no confidence the government will maintain those same high standards in the new Act,” Ms Loane said.
“Transferring Crown lands to local council means those lands will be managed under the Local Government Act, which has weaker environmental provisions.”
Ms Loane said regional councils, Aboriginal communities, recreational groups, and many stakeholders had serious concerns about the government’s proposals.
REFERENCES
[1] http://www.lpma.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/206680/response-to-crown-lands-legislation-white-paper.pdf
CROWN LANDS ACT 1989
11 Principles of Crown land management
For the purposes of this Act, the principles of Crown land management are:
(a) that environmental protection principles be observed in relation to the management and administration of Crown land,
(b) that the natural resources of Crown land (including water, soil, flora, fauna and scenic quality) be conserved wherever possible,
(c) that public use and enjoyment of appropriate Crown land be encouraged,
(d) that, where appropriate, multiple use of Crown land be encouraged,
(e) that, where appropriate, Crown land should be used and managed in such a way that both the land and its resources are sustained in perpetuity, and
(f) that Crown land be occupied, used, sold, leased, licensed or otherwise dealt with in the best interests of the State consistent with the above principles.
http://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/xref/inforce/?xref=Type%3Dact%20AND%20Year%3D1989%20AND%20no%3D6&nohits=y
Tags
Planning and DevelopmentRivers and wetlandsForests and wildlife
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