• “UN puts price on Biodiversity Loss ” – article at ABC (by environment reporter Sarah Clark 13th July 2010)
• “Biodiversity loss brings ecological systems closer to a tipping point”  – article at UN “Biodiversity loss is moving ecological systems ever closer to a tipping point beyond which they will no longer be able to fulfil their vital functions,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned  in his message for the International Day  for Biological Diversity, observed on 22 May, 2010.
• A Balance of Faeries .
• “East Coast Corridor to protect Wildlife” – article at SMH ( by Nicky Phillips 14th July 2010 “Australia has an very poor record of wildlife extinction. Close to half of all mammal extinctions that occurred on the planet in the past 200 years have occurred in Australia“
• THREATENED FAUNA of AUSTRALIA – at wikipedia
• FAUNA of AUSTRALIA – at wikipedia
• Creation : God and Endangered Species – at Ecospheric Ethics .
• Global Biodiversity Outlook GBO3 -  “flagship publication of the Convention on Biological Diversity”
• Resourcism , the Ideology of Despoliation &  earth mindless – short essays.
• Steve Keen’s Debtwatch at debtdeflation.com : including monthly reports on debt levels in Australia and USA. In his book “Debunking Economics,” ” Steve let the general public in on a little-known secret: that many widely believed economic models have been shown by economists to be wrong—hence the subtitle to his book, “the naked emperor of the social sciences”.”
• Koala Diaries – HOME - this website shows how people are concerned for the Australian KOALA. Is this concern going to go the same way of the Australia Koala Foundation, lots of furry suits, convenient politicised and sanctioned “scientific” reports, moneys collected, trinkets and badges sold, trackers on koalas, imprisoned koalas in reserves, justification for not considering the koalas of the Scenic Rim Council Region as development in SE QLD further fragments our Koala habitats on the east coast of Australia?

Green energy as a fuel : consequences - habitat loss for threatened species - AUSTRALIA

• “How South East Queensland Regional Plan gives developers power to trample upon residents’ rights” – article at candobetter.org

The Australian Koala is NOT listed as threatened by Australian EPBC laws. The Australian KOALA is at risk from:- Developments and infrastructure, clearing, non sustainable farming, dogs, cars, disease, stress, lack of habitat, fencing, light, noise,  and rural subdivision practices in the Mt Warning Caldera Region – from South of Ipswich, SE QLD, to over the border into NE NSW. All along the coastal strip in SE QLD and NE NSW intense, inappropriate urban development and infrastructure is destroying and fragmenting the BIODIVERSITY & HABITATS for Australian Koalas at an ALARMING RATE. Developments such as KINGS FOREST by Bob Ell and LEDA Group (project 28) signal the beginning of the end of local free Koala populations on the coast side of the PACIFIC HIGHWAY , Tweed Shire, NSW.

• “Stop developer Bob Ell from taking major koala habitat” at candobetter.org – this article reminds us that many people still are authentically concerned for Australian Native Wildlife, but that developer “right of way” has become the “Australian Way”, at the expense of our childrens’ future wellbeing.
  

• Kings Forest Residential Development – Hansard Transcript 10th March 2010 – NSW Parliament – speaker Ian Cohen .
• Phantom Koala and Part 3A of the NSW Planning Law – bluecray
• Australian wildlife should be able to enjoy environmentally sustainable habitats within which to live their lives free from human harm by high energy low sustainability  infrastructure developments created by people who are not acting wisely.
• Phantom Koala and the Goanna – environmental advocacy poem and some ideas about environmental activism

• Individual Responsibility : Biodiversity * Free Will * Part 3A of the NSW Planning Law :
• Local and regional Organic Lifestyles * History of Environmental Sustainability *

• Wisdom in the Land * A Balance of Faeries *
• ** The artwork of me meditating with the Black-footed Rock Wallabies is from Trephina Gorge NT, Australia, summertime, early 1990′s.

The EDO (Environmental Defenders)  has highlighted that  Part 3A of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 has resulted in “The limited capacity for members of the community, or even other environmental agencies, to have their voice heard and the reduced rights to seek justice in the Land and Environment Court also suggest that the NSW Government considers that development ranks ahead of the environment, whether that development is sustainable or not”.

It is interesting to think that government decisions that condone inappropriate, non sustainable engineering would exist today given that so much law is being created, money and effort being spent in preserving our crisis ridden environment and its critical disappearance of biodiverse habitats.

I should think that, if one NSW Government Minister/ Director General has the right to veto or modify or condone non sustainable development  at Kings Forest, then this can happen anywhere in the State of NSW.  What will this upcoming decision mean for NSW?  - for Australia? – for the biodiversity of the world?

Stateline NSW : “NSW planning laws under further scrutiny” 2nd Oct. 2009 and the Stateline NSW archive .

Well, if the Minister/Director General vetos, halts or otherwise restricts development in Kings Forest, then State Significant Sites, such as Kings Forest will remain that – Significant.

A precautionary word here.  Should the Minister/Director General and hence, NSW Government, chose to let inappropriate and very damaging land clearing, habitat destruction and inappropriate residential development occur, then clearly, will it be those individuals who are directly responsible for the damage?

Where does the legal responsibility lie here?  How do courts even manage to test this case, if it is not able to be tested in a court of law? Where does the responsibility lie? If not in the courts, does this mean that it is the direct responsibility of the Minister/Director General  alone?

And what type of government is not accountable to the people who elected it?  Surely this NSW Government is accountable somewhere, for it’s development approval decisions.

• “Administrative Law in an Environmental Context” search results at bluecray Environmental search engine
• Duty of care and the precautionary principle : search results at bluecray environmental search engine.

Development is something that will always occur, given the social and economic structure of the world. Developers will always be part of this society and economy, as it goes. Not all developments are “bad”, non sustainable or destructive to the environment.

The Kings Forest Residential Development  ( Tweed Shire ), as seen by the planning documents, is extremely inappropriate and threatening to already threatened species.  The Kings Forest Residential Development, as stands, IS indeed potentially very damaging.  21 threatened species, their restricted and already fragmented habitats, their vulnerability, their capacity to survive intense non sustainable development practices testify to this.

The Kings Forest planning documents show little ” fact”  to convince me that sustainable outcomes (for those 21 species of  threatened native fauna and the vital part they play in the fragile network of threatened species within the NE NSW Region and Mt Warning Caldera Region) will be realised by such a development. This development is on a large scale. Kings Forest IS a State Significant Site. It contains a very large number of threatened species in an already fragmented habitat situation.

Development assurances only on paper, caring “motherhood statements” by developer paid consultants, inability to have standard legal avenues open to protect and advocate for these threatened species – all these things need to be addressed.

The   Caldera Environment Centre in NE NSW, Australia shows insights,  in their submission to the NSW Government and objection to the planned Kings Forest and Cobakai Lakes Development , summing up  the King’s Forest Project situation very clearly. You should have a read of this Submission HERE.

Kings Forest is a powerful place, and development within this area has been historically hard to implement.

The Australian Government, in its wisdom, chose to not list the Koala as a threatened species, although documents show that the Koala is increasingly under pressure within the North Coast region of NSW.  Why did Australia chose to be part of the Agenda 21?

Kings Forest is  a powerful place. Generations of spiritual  guardians, and land custodians have held this place in a natural heritage beauty and sustainable biodiverse capacity and resilience for thousands of years.  The taking away of even small biodiverse components from an area, so fragmented and isolated now, and, as other developments increase within and about it, will result in an immediate lack of biodiversity and cultural heritage significance.

However, I suspect, that bigger wheels are in play here. And while the big wheels of government and money turn powerfully, the biggest wheel of all is nature.

Environmental Planning and Assessment Act1979 – New South Wales Consolidated Acts at AustLII (Australasian Legal Information Institute - A joint facility of UTS and UNSW Faculties of Law)

News Article referring to Kings Beach Development Proposal as a “world standard” environmental management plan by Leda Development’s Regional Manager- Mr Van Rij , December 2008

Ecological communities - their importance, linking, laws, learning at NSW Government of Environment & Climate Change – Threatened Species & Ecological Communities

“A preliminary investigation of the distribution of koalas and their potential habitat in the Tweed Shire, and implications for management”  by Judy Faulks . Find article at – Australian Zoologist, June 1991 Vol. 27(1 & 2)

search for  Aboriginal  (Indigenous peoples) research literature for the North Coast of NSW at the Libraries Australia Search

Ian Cohen media release :Kings Forest 11th March 2010

The Frogs in SE Queensland are lucky, because the Queensland Frog Society Inc. has some very dedicated members, who are helping to keep the Frogs alive and well in the SE Queensland Region. Back in Frog Week, some years ago, when it had been rather dry here in the Mt Warning Caldera Region, I can imagine that being a Frog would have been quite a challenge, both in Queensland and NSW !!!!!

The challenge for survival seems to be increasing, however, even though it has been raining, and raining, and raining here, in the Region. Take a look at the Australian figures for Frogs that have been compiled for the Australian Government. Looks like quite a few Regional Frog species are threatened & endangered. The Frogs of the Mt Warning Caldera Region need your help.

Now that it is coming into winter, many Frogs will be taking cover in vegetation, under logs and rocks, near drains and moist protected areas. I remember cutting back my Lemon Grass by the house, years ago, when I “THOUGHT” that I knew about caring for the environment. I was devastated when I realised that DEEP in the base of the Lemon Grass were about twelve little green Litoria species Frogs, seeking shelter. I had destroyed their home. A hard lesson to learn, but even harder for the Frogs.

Mowing, Brushcutting, use of Insecticides and Herbicides (yes, even “bio” herbicides) can make Frogs sick. Have a think about what goes into your greywater, and where it goes. There are alot of social pressures and great advertising ideas for new “bio” products to use. Products often come in plastic and printed packaging that, as well as the left over, washed away product residual, at some point, may degrade a wetland area further down the environmental chain. The pathway from your kitchen and backyard, via a dump or drain, to a local wetland area is an interesting learning focus. Discernment and decisions concerning use of such products, and the pathways the products take – I leave up to you!

Another threat to Frogs is that Cane Toads eat them and take over their habitats. More information on Cane Toads can be found at the Australian Government’s CRC (Cooperative Research Centre) website. Humane treatment of Cane Toads is advocated by bluecray.org.

So, this winter, try to keep the areas around your property Frog Friendly, and heed the tips from Frogs Australia on caring for Frog Habitats, Join a local Frog Group, Help your kids’ school with making a School Frog Habitat and Pond. Study more about Frogs in Bluecray’s Frog Links, the World Wide Web’s Resources and at your local Library, then help the teachers at your kid’s pre-school or school do an educational display or activity. Connect with your local COMMUNITY GROUP and inspire them to become involved.

Environmental Advocacy, and Frog advocacy are closely related. Frogs are an important indicator of a clean and healthy environment. Frogs represent cleansing and rebirth in a number of different symbolic stories from around the world.

To some people, frogs are scary and “yukkie”. I have woken up a few times, when I have been asleep, with a frog landing on my face! You know, immediately, as you wake, that it is a frog (cold – like a frog has just landed on you). So, if you are a little scared of frogs, learn more about the tiny, little ones – it is hard to be scared of them, when you look at their beauty up close.

Why not help Frogs celebrate 2008 by making their world a better place?

Bluecray’s Frog Links Page

Bluecray would love to hear from you if you have any further Regional Links for the Mt Warning Caldera Region to add to the Frog Links Page:- contact bluecray.org

Community Group, Networks & Organisations DIRECTORIES (more to come) in the Mt Warning Caldera Region

While you are visiting the Council websites below, have a look through them for information on FROGS, so you can create your own FROG PORTFOLIO

• Gold Coast City Council  search for  Community Resource Directory
• Scenic Rim Regional Council Community Groups – in process of being updated(6/5/2008)
• Scenic Rim Regional Council’s Resident’s and Community PAGES
• Ballina Shire Council  - you may be able to find local information regarding caring for Native Frogs here, looking through the community/environment pages…( personally i couldn’t, but with luck…..)
• Byron Shire Council Community Page
• Clarence Valley Council Community Page the Clarence Valley Council uses Infoxchange Australia ‘s Service Seeker NSW
• Kyogle Shire Council Community Directory Links
• Lismore City Council Community Services – Community Directory can be found here
• Tweed Shire Council Community Directory -

Amphibian Ark – they had an article on 2008 year of the Frog, but now the link has broken, so here is a link to their site, insead

Native animals of the Gold Coast’s eucalypt forests and woodlands Google HTML doc  of the PDF

Native animals living in or near creeks and rivers of the Gold Coast(Gold Coast City Council) Google HTML doc of the PDF

The frogs of NSW Wetlands at NSW Department of Natural Resources

Some links for Litoria latopalmata (Broad-Palmed Rocket Frog, Broad Palmed Frog or gunther’s Frog)

Litoria latopalmata (Broad Palmed Frog) at Amphibiaweb : distribution, photos, links, specimen search

Call and video list on Amphibiaweb

Litoria latopalmata at Frogs Australia Network – Australian Frog Database

ICUN Redlist of threatened species :  Broad-Palmed Rocket Frog – Litoria latopalmata – see what ICUN says about the status.

Australian Government Action Plan for Frogs ”Checklist of Australian Frogs”

“A survey of the frogs of Nixon and Little Nerang Creeks adjacent to the proposed Gold Coast Hinterland Great Walk route”. 2005   PDF at theEPA Queensland  Government (Environmental Protection Agency QLD), now covered by the  QLD Department of Environment & Resource Management

Australian Faunal Directory at  the     Australian Biological Resources Study –  web page for    Species Litoria latopalmata Günther, 1867 (Broad-palmed Frog, Gunther’s Frog)

Amphibian’s Keepers Licence - NSW Government -

Keeping Wildlife for recreational purposes – QLD Government – this may be a starting point

bluecray frog links

try the bluecray environment search for FROGS  - Mt Warning Caldera Region

NSW Department of Water & Energy

NSW Department of Primary Industries

NSW Department of Environment & Climate Change

NSW Department of Lands