Bring Department into line Minister

“The Minister for the Department of Environment and Climate Change (DECC), Verity Firth, needs to act immediately to correct misleading statements made to the media last week by her Department” said NCEC Vice-President Susie Russell.

“Last week we disclosed that the DECC had twice refused our Freedom of Information application for details of Private Native Forestry Property Vegetation Plans, (PNF PVPs). A senior departmental office then made media comment that all the information concerning PNF PVPs was on the department’s website and there is no ‘veil of secrecy’ as we claimed.

“The NCEC would hardly be wasting our resources engaging the Environmental Defenders Office to act for us in this matter if all the information was on a public website. The fact is, the only information available are a pair of geographic coordinates, and the area covered by the PVP. There is no information on the area to be logged, the forest types involved, the area protected, threatened species known to the area or whether there has been any re-assessment by the department of oldgrowth or rainforest.

“Last week we saw the Premier stand down a Minister for not providing accurate information to the public. Similar standards should apply to senior bureaucrats who make public statements. The community has a right to expect that we will be told the truth.

“Minister Firth should act immediately to ensure that statements issuing from her Department are true. She may also want to address the issue of transparency in Government. Her Department’s assessment that it is not in the public interest for community environment groups to access this information is reminiscent of the way the old Forestry Commission behaved. It is a sad state of affairs that the Environment Department has now become the problem,” Ms Russell said.

The NCEC is currently waiting on legal advice about pursuing this matter via the Administrative Decisions Tribunal.

The Public Register for Private Native Forestry can be found at:

http://www.nativevegetation.nsw.gov.au/registry/pnf_pvp.shtml

POWER PLANT IN DOUBT

The Port Macquarie Hastings Council does not have to proceed with the sale of land to International Power for the purpose of a Diesel Power Plant at Heron’s Creek near Kew according to legal advice obtained by the North Coast Environment Council.

“Under the now sacked PMH Council ‘in principle’ approval was given for the land so be sold for this purpose. However this decision was not made by the Council at a Council meeting. As such it never appeared on the Council Agenda papers with an opportunity for the community to comment. Similarly it appears no decision was made by Council to delegate to staff the decision to sell the land. So the ‘in principle’ decision may be invalid,” said NCEC Vice-President Susie Russell.

“Since the news about the proposal broke, the community has made it very clear it does not support the proposal and does not support the PMHC selling land to the proponent.

“Our legal advice is that given there are serious questions surrounding the ‘in principle’ sale decision, the Council Administrator can withdraw that support. That doesn’t necessarily stop International Power from proceeding with its application to Planning Minister Sartor but it may mean that any approval will be invalid and open to challenge in the Land and Environment Court.

“We understand that the Council has also sought legal advice and look forward to them making that advice public. There are clearly opportunities for Council to regain the community’s trust and work both in the interests of the environment and ratepayers.

“The community will be able to hear more about this and other reasons that this proposal is unsustainable and unsuitable for the times we live in, at a forum organized by the Environmental Defenders Office, the NCEC and RAPP (Residents against Power Pollution) to be held this Thursday, the 12^th at 7pm at the Laurieton RSL,” Ms Russell said.

released June 11

100,000 HECTARES APPROVED FOR LOGGING UNDER VEIL OF SECRECY

The North Coast Environment Council has today raised the alarm about logging on private lands, with more than 100,000 hectares approved for logging by the Department of Environment and Climate Change statewide in just 10 months, under a veil of secrecy.

“We have grave concerns about the implementation of the Private Native Forestry Code of Practice by the Department of Environment and Climate Change (DECC),” said Ms Susie Russell, vice-president of the North Coast Environment Council.

“In just 10 months they have approved 108,492 hectares of forests in NSW for logging. That equates to 517 football fields of forest approved for logging or patch-clearfelling each day for the last ten months.

“It is being done under a veil of secrecy. Logging approvals are not subject to the same public accountability provisions as clearing approvals, and the Department has twice refused a Freedom of Information request by NCEC to gather some basic information on the implementation of the Code.

“The grounds on which the Department refused the Freedom of Information request were spurious and very ill-considered. Their claim that there was no public interest in releasing the information is nothing short of outrageous.

“The logging approvals they issue operate for up to 15 years and suspend the operation of the threatened species laws. They can allow logging in areas mapped as oldgrowth forests, rainforests or endangered ecological communities.

“DECC has made getting a logging approval a tick the box exercise, and some areas that were protected under the previous regime are now being opened up for logging. No site inspections are required and no routine monitoring is carried out.

“Concerned members of the public have no-one to turn to. The agency that was once an environmental champion is now the logging advocate. NCEC is being contacted by people across the region who are distraught and frustrated at the situation.

“Logging results in a net loss of carbon from forests. It leads to invasions of weeds and feral animals and destroys threatened species habitats. Logging water catchments results in major reductions in water supply and reduces water quality.

“It seems the Department is completely out of touch with the community and think the public has no legitimate interest in this matter. As we hurtle towards runaway global warming the community has a stronger stake than ever in the future of our fragile forests.

“ Their health is central to our ability to survive the global warming that is already in the system. Resilient, healthy forest ecosystems are a crucial buffer against the impacts of climate change on both humans and the environment. Many threatened species already on the brink will not survive if their habitat continues to be destroyed at the current rate,” Ms Russell said.

released June11

Solitary Islands Marine Park submissions needed

Dear Marine Park supporters,
The Management Plan(s) for the Solitary Islands Marine Park (SIMP) and the adjacent SIM Reserve (Commonwealth) is on review until the 01/06/08.
At present only 12% of the SIMP and 6.7% of the NSW Coastal waters is fully protected from fishing, a far cry from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) recommended 20 – 30% by year 2012. The Federal Government is a full member of IUCN.
The Marine Campaigners from the Environmental Movement call for a minimum of 33% of the SIMP to be fully protected within a Sanctuary Zone.
Such a step will go a long way towards protecting the marine habitats and the bio-diversity of the local marine environment, but will also help in protecting wild fish stock for future generations.
Where ‘No-take” areas have been in place over a length of time the overall fishing has improved.
The position of some recreational and commercial fishers is that they have a ‘God Given Right’ to fish anywhere they wish. This attitude and practice has lead to a significant depletion of the marine resources and have brought many species to the brink of extinction. Both these groups have the ear of the NSW Government and we need many submissions to make an impact on the authorities.
We urge you to make the following points in a short submission:
We/I submit the following to the review of the SIMP Management Plan:
• A minimum of 33% of the SIMP to be protected within a Sanctuary Zone.
• The phasing out of trawling within 2 years of the declaration of the new plan.
• Increased protection of all shark species including the critically endangered grey nurse shark.
• Phase out 4wds from all beaches in the Marine Park (the latest research has shown substantial damage to the food source of birds and fishes from driving on the beach).
You can email your submission to: solitary.islands@mpa.nsw.gov.au
Submissions received to the 1st of June 2008
or post to: SIMP
Reply Paid 297
Coffs Harbour Jetty, NSW 2450
Remember to include your: Name, address, date and signature (if posted)
For further information see www.mpa.nsw.gov.au/simp.html
This position is endorsed by The Bellingen Environment Centre, NSW Nature Conservation Council, NSW National Park Association, The Australian Marine Conservation Society, The North Coast Environment Council and The Wilderness Society.

Koala conservation or catastrophe?

Media Release Monday May 12, 2008

New research announced last week, predicting devastating loss of nutritional habitat for the nation’s koalas demands comment on the failure of current koala management and conservation measures.

The North Coast Environment Council (NCEC) is calling to task the Federal and NSW Environment Ministers, Peter Garrett and Verity Firth over the poor performance of all levels of government to protect koala populations.

“Rhetoric, by way of national and state strategies and recovery plans, is impressive,” said NCEC President, Jim Morrison. “Implementation and information are something else – absolutely no leadership has been forthcoming.”

“Koalas are still widely distributed on the North Coast and many NCEC member organisations are working extremely hard to conserve local populations and their habitat. They are fed-up with the lack of resolve and transparency of government.”

“We hear about national initiatives such as the recently commenced review of the 1998 National Koala Conservation Strategy and the imminent Great Eastern Ranges Corridor. More than 25,000 koala deaths have been recorded over the life of the 1998 Strategy which clearly hasn’t worked. Now we are learning that with the rate that carbon dioxide concentrations are rising, the nutrient content of the koalas’ finely balanced diet is in jeopardy,” Mr Morrison said.

“The roll-out of New South Wales’ so-called planning reforms is delivering more koala habitat into the hands of developers. We have a Draft Recovery Plan for the Koala which has been sitting around since 2003 and only two Comprehensive Koala Plans of Management, being those of Coffs Harbour and Port Stephens, in place under State Environment Planning Policy (SEPP 44): Koala Habitat Protection.”

“Urgent implementation of objective, science-based and well-co-ordinated policies will be essential for the koala to have any chance of survival. It’s high time that all levels of government demonstrate commitment and sustained leadership in koala conservation”, Mr Morrison said.

NCEC meeting April 19 details

Meeting will start at 11am - here’s how to get there.

From Armidale, follow the road to Grafton and turn left into Geregarow Road at Coutts Crossing, 19km from Grafton. Follow Geregarow ‘freeway’ for about 5km to Shannondale Road on the left. Follow Shannondale Rd for just under 4km and you will see a bank of wheelie bins on your right. There is an unmarked road to the right at that point. Follow that, through a disused cattle grid onto dirt road for about 200 metres to our gate on left, No 384.

From South Grafton, leave the Pacific Highway onto the Gwydir Highway (Glen Innes Road). Drive under the railway viaduct, through the 1st roundabout and on the the 2nd roundabout (less than one kilometre from the Pacific Highway). This roundabout has two monuments on it so easily recognised, turn left onto Skinner Street, which shortly becomes Rushforth Road. Follow that road for about 16km taking care as there are a lot of potholes, blind corners, and a single lane bridge. At the 16km point turn right onto Shannondale Road. Follow Shannondale Rd for just under 4km and you will see a bank of wheelie bins on your right. There is an unmarked road to the right at that point. Follow that, through a disused cattle grid onto dirt road for about 200 metres to our gate on left, No 384.

All are welcome to stay the night and a barbecue is planned. Bring any special dietry needs with you, we are carnivores! We have sleeping room for two couples, and a loungeroom floor in an emergency, but there is plenty of room for camping. Best bring own bedding in case a lot plan to stay. See you there.

Regards John and Patricia.

Zoning review of Solitary Islands Marine Park

Submissions being taken until the end of May. Check here for more info.

MNC Regional Strategy

NCEC participated in the Regional Alliance for Sustainable Planning submission to this strategy.

IFOA review

NCEC is trying to determine what is happening with the review of the Integrated Forestry Operations Approval and whether public submissions will be called. Watch this space.

Private Native Forests and Landclearing Laws Watered Down

Changes to the Code of Practice for Private Native Forestry and the Native Vegetation Regulations published in the Government Gazette last Friday, further weaken the conservation provisions relating to logging on private land and will increase landclearing, claims NCEC and National Parks Association of NSW.