Bluecray.org » community http://bluecray.org Environmental Advocacy Mon, 06 Feb 2012 01:00:13 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 PK, the Eastern Star and 22 Arrows of Energy http://bluecray.org/philosophy/pk-the-eastern-star-and-22-arrows-of-energy-04.08.2011 http://bluecray.org/philosophy/pk-the-eastern-star-and-22-arrows-of-energy-04.08.2011#comments Thu, 04 Aug 2011 01:25:49 +0000 al http://bluecray.org/?p=5299 ...»»]]> The Northern Rivers of NSW and the Catchments of SE QLD are becoming engulfed by  sprawling infrastructure growth that has been unsustainable for many decades.  Community environmental advocacy and regional social responsibilities are beginning to formulate into political and philosophical voices. See “Coal Seam Gas Debate” 2nd August 2011, ABC TV by reporter Ali Moore.  Also a story about possible aquifer contamination from coal seam gas operations in Qld “ Carcinogens found in coal seam gas project” (ABC 29th August 2011) showing why community voices are uniting on a number of concerned fronts. Arrow Energy in the Scenic Rim Shire of the Mt Warning Caldera Region:- article at ABC Gold Coast News 17th Jan. 2012

Lock the Gate illustrates this type of social, environmental advocacy  phenomena appearing across Australia. This “empathetic union” of people, illustrates how disconnected peoples unite, in empathy and concern for the survival of a healthy land and water environment in regional Australia. The movement is also present and supported in the cities and towns of Australia. Four Corners has a video presentation of the “GAS RUSH“  available (program was first broadcast on the 21st februay, 2011)

The following video was created from events ending 20th January 2012. “The final day of the Kerry Blockade against Coal Seam Gas exploration activities by Arrow Energy in the Scenic Rim in SE Queensland. An emotional and inspirational day.”  TELL THE WORLD.

Friends of the Earth and the Wilderness Society are also campaigning about Coal-seam gas. See “Tests reveal contaminated water near gas site” article at Sydney Morning Herald by Ben Cubby (9th Dec. 2011) :-  ”according to the article, SANTOS (which has taken over Eastern Star Gas) apparently denies problems, but independent tests have revealed high levels of ammonia, methane, carbon dioxide, lithium, cyanide, bromide and boron near a  Santos coal seam gas operation. The contaminated water was found in a catchment area of the Pilliga State Forest (NW NSW, Australia), downstream from the Santos Coal-seam gas well discharge pipe. The NSW Department of Trade & Investment, Regional Infrastructure and Services is responsible for regulation of the Coal seam gas industry. They are investigating the situation. The NSW EPA is also investigating. SANTOS has doubted the credibility of the environmental groups taking the samples.” 

“Coal-seam gas opposed by all NSW councils”  - article in the Byron Echo November 2011 (Byron Shire Newspaper). In this article, Cr Johnson (Ballina Shire, NE NSW, Australia) said ”‘We need to ask why both the NSW and Qld governments are refusing to listen to the people.’ “.

“The ethical dilemma festival”  by Mandy Nolan Thursday, 17 November 2011 Tweed Shire Echo . SANTOS – the new owner of Eastern Star Gas , has reportedly funded the Dreaming Festival at Woodford, QLD. This highlights how regional social evolutions can be permeated by corporate entities that have little long term social responsibility in reality, yet by their bargaining, community social engineering and financial savviness , they “mentor” social and community events. As Mandy Nolen rightly points out, we are all, in this modern Australian Society, part of the toxic problem that is unethical consumption and wasteful lifestyle.  As Super Tramp so adeptly sang “who are these men of lust greed and glory, rip of their masks, and lets see-oh no thats not right, oh no, whats the story, but there’s you and there’s me” – or words to that effect….

Keep the Scenic Rim Scenic :- website for the non-political group standing mining, coal seam gas and inappropriate development in the Scenic Rim Shire – part of the Mt Warning Caldera Region. “Arrow Energy has said it will drill in four Scenic Rim locations during the next few months. Some wells are in the final stage of exploration, at or near pre-production stage. Arrow has already ‘fracked’ at least one well in our Scenic Rim.”

 Keep The Scenic Rim Scenic Brochure –  information brochure to help you understand the threat from Non Ecologically Sustainable Infrastructure

“The Value of Voluntary Simplicity” by Richard Gregg , published by Pendle Hill as Pendle Hill essays No 3 (1936)

And now, back to the collective evolving consciousness that our Australian children are learning about and growing into…..

This (LOCK THE GATE) is one of a number of regional social evolutions in our modern Australian culture. Does this phenomenon herald in a new social consciousness? Perhaps  it is a form of modern social consciousness that has been slowly evolving while we, as a species,  grasp the “imagery of extinction” (Dr. Robert J Lifton) . Regional social evolutions have occurred before in Australia. Remember the Green Bans of NSW (1970′s)? Now, where is the BLF today?  WE ARE the SABOTEUR… unless we live our ethics, walk our talk, and ultimately go the extra hard yard.

Mines and Communities website  and the Mineral Policy Institute .

  • Masanobu Fukuoka suggested that the awareness and “earth empathy” necessary, for environmentally sustainable human lifestyle, decreases with our dependence on cities and scientific solutions.

  • Our specie’s connectivity with the earth environment is increasingly destroyed as unsustainable infrastructures and growths overwhelm our local and regional ecosystems.

  • Our political and industrial leaders invest energy and visions in overwhelming technologies, as a means to solve human problems. This  leads our social and community structures towards increasing stress and dislocation.
  • To fix a social problem, such as destroying the planet with technological growth, the answer lies in the social and individual’s hands, not in what the technology and science can give us.  Have a look at  the following paper written by Dennis R.Fox in 1986 “Technology, Productivity, and Psychological Needs” . The abstract reads:-

“Those who advocate technological development to increase productivity must question their assumptions (a) that technological advances are in fact advances, and (b) that productivity is, in and of itself, a worthwhile goal. An often-ignored issue is the degree to which the pursuit of productivity interferes with the balanced fulfillment of basic psychological needs for personal autonomy and a psychological sense of community. Such needs have in the past often fallen victim to overly optimistic technological euphoria, and the current computerization of society is following the historical path. In societies beyond scarcity, productivity for its own sake should not only be rejected as the primary goal, it must be rejected as a goal at all when it conflicts with autonomy and community.”

  • For the majority of our anthropological histories, people have had a hunter gatherer relationship with the earth.
  • More recently, the majority of people became largely agrarian/ industrial/technological. We became more self aware as a species. and our relationship with the earth became increasingly disconnected.
  • Within the majority of the developed and developing nations, with globalization and its grand scales upon us, there is a  new community sense of detatched yet collective commitment with the earth.

  • At a time when the majority of social leaders hold technology and cargo cults above human social commitment and Authentic Land and Water Stewardship, the collective subconscious is stirring.
  • Whilst many individuals do indeed have Authentic Land and Water Stewardship principles firmly underbelt, mostly we do not. Historically, human continuity of empathy with the earth is lacking. (Search results for “The Ethical Challenge of Multidisciplinarity:Reconciling ‘The Three Narratives’—Art, Science, and Philosophy“)
  • Our Political and industrial leaders do not encourage empathy with the earth at a social level.
  • Social change… change from the ground up….. is a powerful force, by historical perspective. What is EPISTEMOLOGY ?
  • A reminder here: it is strongly evident in current human nature that people do not learn from their historical actions and directions.

  • However, THIS Dawning of a new relationship between people, their leaders, inappropriate technology use and Authentic Land and Water Custodianship is in its early stages. And as with the metaphysics of the Morning or Eastern Star,  each day can bring us closer to our vision(s). Both individual and collective visions.  Take care where your VISIONS lead you. Illusion and vision can hold similar qualities, especially when discernment is lacking within the perceptions of the mind.
  • The unfolding of events connected with the Lock the Gate phenomena hint that our Political and Industrial LEADERS’ VISIONS ARE NOT SERVING the survival of our species.
  • Individuals and communities may become powerful social elements in the coming years and decades ahead – what will all of this mean for the human population on earth and the current self destructive all abusive regime of earth custodianship?
  • Yes, folks, these are indeed times of increasingly increasing changes.Increasing Growth, with technology at the helm, is steering us. It is a delusion waiting to be shattered.
  •  Instead of focusing on healthy social human well being, each day, as the eastern star rises, our leaders take us towards harm and destruction.
  • ENERGY use and its infrastructure pathways through our physical, mental and emotional lives implicates both directly and indirectly to our entire earthly environment.
  • The environmental requirements, sacrifices and consequences of that energy use have led to the increasing exhaustion of our global, regional and local environmental health and it’s natural resources.
  • If you deny this, perhaps your head is in the sand, my dearest. Calmly take it out and look at the history of mankind and the earth’s history. Here is a nice resource to look up some recent Australian History in Parliament:-  OpenAustralia.org .

  • Dr Robert J Lifton , with his dedication to unearthing the mysteries of human social nature, presents a wisdom that all should consider.

Take a look at the following video of an interview with Dr Robert J Lifton, from 1989. That is, 22 years ago.

Dr. Robert Jay Lifton & Jeremy Rifkin May 1989 Air date  

and a beautiful song from 2009 “Rising”, by Lhasa de Sela

 

 

 

Incoming Searches: masanobu fukuoka, persuasive poems, abc journalist for scenic rim regional, animal poop identification, OUR SOCIAL PROBLEM, social and industrial problem

]]> http://bluecray.org/philosophy/pk-the-eastern-star-and-22-arrows-of-energy-04.08.2011/feed 0 Weeds, Biodiversity and Australia’s Land and Water Stewardship Practices http://bluecray.org/education/weeds-biodiversity-and-australias-land-and-water-stewardship-practices-17.11.2009 http://bluecray.org/education/weeds-biodiversity-and-australias-land-and-water-stewardship-practices-17.11.2009#comments Tue, 17 Nov 2009 01:03:15 +0000 al http://bluecray.org/?p=3605 ...»»]]> industry_and_government_weed_management_versus_holistic_land_and_water_stewardship_for_biodiversityWeed Management in Australia is a high energy industry. It is based on mowing, slashing, burning, mulching, spraying, grazing. Whilst prevention is the obvious first step in weed management, Australia’s horticultural and agricultural industries have offered little help. These industries are  responsible for many plant species being used, sold, distributed and promoted prior to them then taking hold as weeds.

These industries also appear to offer herbicides as an acceptable answer to mainstream Australian weed management. Diminishing biodiversity due to a weed chronically infesting an area is often the “umbrella” under which mass herbicide application occurs. The logic of killing on a large scale to create biodiversity is a remarkable dichotomy that does little to serve future life on earth.

  • Condong Mill, Sunshine Electricity, Delta energy, individual land owners and other Bioenergy consortiums, providers, merchants and “tradespeople” are currently harvesting biofuels to create GREEN ENERGY. They are currently doing this in the TWEED SHIRE, Northern Rivers, NSW, Australia.   They are doing this by clear felling native  (including endangered) wildlife habitats,  using bulldozers working  10 hours  per day, 6 days per week on private land.  At least three  Rufous Bettongs have been seen and heard living and nesting adjacent to this area over the past  years. Habitats that they are clearing and demolishing   become bare, steep sloped exposed soil.  Vegetation  taken, (via habitat destruction of endangered species habitats), is conveyed via machinery, into vaste piles of  “BIOFUEL” – or camphor laurel chip/dust, which is then trucked away to their storage areas for burning as GREEN FUEL.  This work has been going on for some time now, under the umbrellas of  “save the world from greenhouse gases” and “lessen the Mining of non renewable resources” pressures. This is weed management gone mad, is highly destructive to native flora and fauna “remnant habitats”, and gives the appearance of  using more energy to create less energy. This type of vegetation management gives the local area of Upper Burringbar, NE NSW  decreased habitats for endangered species and short-medium term loss of carbon stores and overall biodiversity loss. I call this “war on Biodiversity”.  What laws protect biodiversity, at a local level, in this situation????
  • Rufous Bettong at NSW Threatened Species – Northern Rivers
  • Some bluecray educational storyline articles about the Rufous Bettong and Habitat Clearing :- “PK and Litoria look for Rufous Bettong, and on the way, meet up with Goanna” ;  “Rufous Bettong and the Glyphosate Bank” ;   “Goanna leaves the glyphosate bank, the butterflies leave too” and   “Wildlife leaves glyphosate bank – finds refuge in organic garden“.


***You can click on each of the illustrations in this article to get a brief idea of the body of this article, if you are in a rush!!***

Collection and distribution of local, native seed.

Largely an unmentored industry, a strong and diverse Australian Native Seed Industry offers a practical, low energy solution to Australia’s Weed Management issues.

Australian_choices_to_destroy_or_to_nurtureHabitat and ecological community restoration projects, developments, infrastructure landscaping and environmental rehabilitation programs -  all of these require a concerted, coordinated Vision and National Direction concerning their use of local provenance and provincial native plant species.

To date, this has not been effected by the Australian Government, nor any State government or Local Authority. There are some token gestures in place. There is some  work on a handful of native pasture grasses. Native plants are required to be used in development and infrastructure works, but not always local provenance or provincial strains. There has been some funded work for plant species that make up a large percentage of Australian Vegetation communities, but  that are relatively unkown in economic terms. (See LINKS below)

The Nursery Industry has many cultivars for Australian trees, shrubs, groundcovers and vines . With the rise of plant variety rights in the 80′s, the trend to market same style, same shape, uniform product has trended the development of Australian native species towards  cuttings (the same genetetic source) for mass growing and planting. This isn’t helping biodiversity, as it promotes the same genetic species being spread throughout an area, whilst the other genetic strains die out. This has occurred already in our food industries, and shouldn’t be allowed to happen in our natural environmental industries.

The Forestry industry has a large network of Australian native seed available for distribution – mainly trees and shrubs. Greening Australia has a mentorship program for native seed. There are also a number of other small seed industries that promote Australian native plant seed via collection and distribution. CSIRO  has some great information on native seeds and native seed banks.

The Society for Growing Australian Plants has been at the fore regarding work done on Native Plants. However, much, much more needs to be accomplished, if we are to replace our vaste weed inhabited, poorly managed landscapes with a diversity of local provenance and provincial native plant species.

Instead of focusing on the WEED, the focus is better centred about the SEED BANK.

the_seedbanks_of_australian_native_species_need_your_helpEnvironmental Management, under the leadership of the Australian Government,  has mentored the use of  herbicides over large scale areas of weed infestation, as well as fostering the use of herbicides in small scale revegetation and habitat rehabilitation projects. This is a destructive form of habitat restoration. Scientifically scrutinised, trials show varied results from these methods, depending on the agenda of the trials. Once the weed infested area is sprayed, then there are a number of possible outcomes:-

  • the weed or another weed reinfests the area
  • the habitat, weakened by the destruction, loses initial biodiversity
  • the area remains low in biodiversity after only a small population of native plants are established through plantings and sowings (mainly plantings)
  • other plants and animals (Australian Native) become stressed and ill
  • the area, if allowed to naturally regenerate, without continual slashing, mowing, burning and herbicide spraying, may regenerate with increasing biodiversity, once animals (birds, marsupials, insects etc) move back into the area and act as seed vectors.
  • planting of selected, same type species of native plants may struggle to form healthy habitats, due to lack of initial biodiversity planning and plantings.
  • overall short term biodiversity loss until the future vegetation community and/or ecological community begins to function, often at least several years after spraying and destruction.

Australian Higher Learning and Understanding about Seed Banks (weed and non weed)

Historically, (and fairly recently), Australia has condoned  ill informed higher educational and extension practices that have also led to many weed infestations. Examples of this ?

  • Tertiary and college teaching of species lists that include potential environmental weeds – for landscaping, architecture, agriculture, forestry and horticulture students.
  • Tertiary teaching of Integrated Pest Management, yet focusing largely on the Agricultural Chemical Industry and it’s use of herbicides in pasture, recreational, infrastructure and development land and water management. ( I was extremely lucky to study, for part of my Bachelor of Applied Science with the (old) Plant Protection Department at the Gatton Agricultural College – Now University of Queensland Gatton Campus , where the dedicated staff gave me a sound,  very informed background in both Integrated Pest Management AND Pesticide Application Technology and Safety. )
  • The use of herbicides for many government sponsored environmental rehabilitation projects:-  Landcare, Land for Wildlife, Large scale/regional Weed Management – (eg Bitou Bush, Lantana), environmental training projects for the unemployed and a range of scientific trials in development of food and textile cropping for the high energy, biologically wasteful practice of monoculture.
  • The use of herbicides in Environmental training projects without consideration to gentle bush regeneration methods, without use of local provenance and provincial native seed and without habitat care.

bush_regeneration_the_choices_mainstream_madness_or_holistic_helpThe above picture shows two flowers. The flower on the right shows good Land and Water Stewardship. The flower on the left show very poor Land and Water Stewardship. Both flowers have, at their centre, the SEED BANK. {I use this term rather loosely here, as some plants self propagate by tuber, rhizome, suckering, air layering, leaves, stems. Some “seed banks” are held in the ground, some above ground on the plant, whilst, as in rainforests, the seed bank germinates, but often the plant is held, as a seedling, in a dormant state, awaiting an opportunity to grow bigger.} I have used the words seed bank, or reserve of future plants (native and weed) to keep this story simple.

The left flower is ill formed, out of balance and sick looking. It shows the current types of weed management practices that appear to be advocated for, by the NSW, Qld and Australian Governments. Herbicides are offered as a solution to weed control over and above the growing of native local provenance and provincial stock “seed” plants for seed collection, distribution and growing on in areas infested by environmental and noxious weeds. Extension methods, as perceived by bluecray, are in the main, for herbicide use.(Reference:- “Noxious & Environmental Weed control Handbook – a guide to Weed Control in non – crop, aquatic and bushland situation.” Rod Ensbey, Regional Weed Control Coordinator Grafton NSW (NSW DPI Bookshop, ORANGE, ISSN 1443-0622)

The flower on the right is full formed, balanced and well. It shows the type of educational and practical solutions to weed management that cater for BIODIVERSITY and Habitat care. (Reference:- see ##below)

So now you have the lowdown on my practical understanding of this issue, let us continue…..

The Flower on the right has biodiversity as one of the PETALS of knowledge. Biodiversity is all essential, when it comes to Environmental Stewardship.

The petals on the flower are not all encompassing, as there are a number of other “petals”  that I could add, but in order to keep it simple, let us look at the PETALS on the Right Hand FLOWER:-

weed_management_choices

  • BIODIVERSITY : speaks for itself!!!
  • Competition :- bare topsoil, degraded, overgrazed land with poor water runoff management offers little competition to weed invasion. On the other hand, a resilient and biodiverse vegetation community offers good competition to invading weeds
  • Rain:- rainfall can trigger weed seed germination & invasion. It is also a useful natural aid for cultivating out weeds from an area. Run-off can carry both weed and native seed. Pooling of nutrients, after run-off can help create little islands of biodiversity.
  • Soil and Water Health :-weed infested water and weed infested soils contribute to poor land management hygeine. They can be sources of future infestations via seed bank stores. Degraded topsoil can foster the increase of opportunistic weed species as opposed to Native Seed regeneration.
  • Fire:- over burning can create bare degraded soil – thus increasing the opportunistic weed seed bank’s capacity  to colonise the burnt area. fire can also release native seed that is held in above and below ground seed banks
  • Weed Map:-knowing where and when the weeds occur is essential to understanding the overall situation of the land being managed. Knowing where outbreaks are high or low can help you decide where to start your weed management strategy. A good focus for a weed map is to show the areas of HIGH RESILIENCE of native vegetation or working pasture. These are the areas that, if protected at their “edges”, can expand, as the seed source of wanted plants is already there.
  • Seed Map:-knowing where to get native seed from, locally or regionally is essential to replacing vegetation. This is especially so where over grazing, over clearing, over cultivation and over spraying occurs. Your SEED MAP can also include the local seed resources nearby to you, where birds and other animals may act as vectors to carry the seed to your “weeded” or “regenerating” area.
  • Time Management:- this is a pivotal knowledge point. If you do not have the time to manage your weeds, then perhaps you can look at how your time is managed. Herbicides are often used, due to time shortage. However, they are increasingly energy reliant. Also, naturally occurring cycles of weeds need to be understood, if management is to be successful. The biological and seasonal/yearly timing,  with regard to the overall weed and native seed cycles needs to be understood. Some weeds may stay in the seed bank for a number of years, until the conditions are right for germination. Planning ahead with a good supply of native seed for competition with weed seed germination can be helpful, when the conditions are good for germination events (after rain, seasons, disturbances, flooding etc)
  • Cultivation:- cultivation primarily disturbs soil. This can give the seedbank signals to begin growing. If you know what weed or native seed is in the soil, then once cultivation begins, you can expect that seed to germinate, to some degree (depending on the season, rainfall, temperature, soil conditions and so on)
  • Grazing:- over grazing, overstocking and disturbance by hoofed animals created degraded land. Weeds, if present in the seed bank, can then colonise the disturbed site unless other legumes, pasture grasses and herbaceous native plants are present and resilient in the grazed area.
  • Wildlife:- wildlife often help seedbanks function – they eat and transfer (vector) seed, fruit and other plant material. Birds are an excellent indicator of how successful a weed management program is. A general rule of thumb:- more bird species, the more biodiversity. Wildlife disappears when overly destructive weed management techniques are used. Wildlife can carry both weed and native seed. If you look under a tree or post where birds sit, you will often find seedlings coming up. Some are weeds, some are native. You can help native wildlife by planting native, local plants, and they can help you by bringing in more seed, when they visit the plantings. Nice one, nature!!!
  • Overwhelming:- some weeds, if in their initial colonisation period throughout an area, can be overwhelmed by native plantings. Time is important here, and patience. Shading out, nutrient competition, drought tolerance and native plant survival strategies often allow native plants to prosper where non native plants die. However, weeds, as opportunists, mainly do the overwhelming, in disturbed, non resilient, native remnants.
  • Suppression:- techniques such as mulching, shading, high native plant densities and lack of disturbance can act to suppress weed cycles.
  • Eradication:- this is best done at the initial onset of a weed infestation. This is best done where the weed has only spread to a small area. Eradication, on a larger scale demands strict replanting, resowing, non disturbance follow up practices. It often involves follow up weed seed bank germination for following seasons, and hence, more maintenance.
  • Co-existing:- weeds infest an area and compete successfully, where the native seed bank has diminished or is supressed by the invading weed, cultural practices and disturbance. Co-existing of weeds and native vegetation is prevalent throughout much of Australia. some weeds co-exist so well, that they have become “naturalised”. Many flora and faune co-habit successfully with these weeds. However, co-existence of weeds with natural landscapes can offer a source of further weed spread in surrounding disturbed, non resilient habitats and ecological units.
  • Habitat Enhancement:- at the crux of all weed management should be Habitat Health. The killing of weed vegetation en masse destroys whatever habitat there is, creating stress for our native wildlife and often destroying small surviving native plants that struggle to live with the weeds. Constant mowing, constant spraying, constant traffic and cultivation, constant burning – these things destroy habitat.
  • Life Cycles:- the life cycle of the weed must be fully understood. some weeds have yearly lifecycles (annuals), some are herbaceous perennials (long & short lived), some are long lived woody species (small and large trees). Weed cycles give us an idea how and why they have invaded a disturbed area. Weed vectors such as wind, animals, human traffic, run-off, soil movement need to be understood. Weed propagation and renewal processes need to be understood fully. Where weeds have infested an area to the point of lack of biodiversity of native plants and animals, their growth and regeneration cycles need to be fully appreciated. These areas of widespread, non biodiverse areas of weed are often the target for herbicide use, burning, mowing and other destructive forms of habitat management. The life cycles of native plant species endemic to the area need to be understood fully, before any destruction of the existing weed infestation occurs. Otherwise, if there is no native seed bank to replenish the area, the habitats will suffer short term, and possibly long term.
  • Resilient Areas:- where native vegetation is biodiverse and functioning with fewer weeds. These areas are to be treasured and enhanced. It is from these areas that native fauna help disperse native seed into surrounding weed infested areas. These areas can also be at risk of weed invasion, once disturbed. These areas are at the forefront of the weed infestation line. Spreading the resilient areas outwards, into the weed infested area is recommended. This can be done by either edge weeding (Bradley Method style) or by planting “islands” of similar vegetation comunities nearby, thus creating a chain of native vegetation stands that offer native fauna a refuge, habitat and food source. The native vegetation “islands” become future sources of seed bank, that can then naturally spread further or be used for future plantings of more “islands”.

Now let us look at the PETALS on the government extension offered by the NSW Government for Weed Management:-

  • Slashing
  • Mulching
  • Fire
  • cultivation
  • Reafforestation
  • Biological
  • Flame Weeding
  • Goats
  • Herbicides
  • Land Management – Pasture, grazing, cropping, hygeine, weed identification
  • I should add one more petal as of about 2008 – the use of BULLDOZERS and FORESTRY HEAVY MACHINERY for CLEAR FELLING, as a method of WEED MANAGEMENT. This clear felling includes clearing creek banks down to the water line. Apparently Tweed Shire Council, the NSW and Australian Governments endorse the CLEARFELLING of mature stream bank holding trees along creek systems in the Northern Rivers of NSW.  The photo below shows typical BIOFUEL industry WEED MANAGEMENT. The trees are removed from the creek bank and surrounding flood plain. This is done by bulldozer type heavy machinery.

  • And another petal I have observed over the past years. A method of weed management endorsed by the QLD , NSW and Australian Governments. This is the piling of clear felled vegetation matter into large heaps to be subsequently burnt through the evenings and into the next day or so. This method is employed by the BIOFUEL INDUSTRY in the Northern Rivers of NSW. Farmers in SE QLD and NE NSW also do this. In some instances, these piles are left some weeks before being burnt, but not always.

weed_remnant_vegetation_interface

NATIVE SEED BANKS and WEED SEED BANKS

**Bluecray does not advocate the taking of seed from just anywhere, should you wish to collect native seed for yourself. You can, of course, take the seed from native plants on your own property, however, be mindful that the seed is also part of the functioning ecology in situ. To take from, usually means that you will also have to give back. This is especially true for endangered species and seed that doesn’t germinate easily. Taking this seed may mean a net loss in the overall seed bank, should your seed not germinate, and be wasted.

The interface between a weed area and a native bush area can be very dynamic, and hard to map out. It can change dramatically season by season, and is not something that can have a “line” drawn to show the weed from non weed area. Much of the seed bank is either under the ground, held in the above ground vegetation or growing nearby to be dispersed by wind, water, soil movement, animals and traffic.

Weeds and native plants compete for food, light, space, water. Weeds are often tough, adaptable, both by genotype and phenotype, opportunistic and are very good at renewal of themselves,usually by prolific seeding, suckering, tubering, leaf fall or air layering. Weeds, like some native plants, can produce chemical inhibitors that hinder the germination of other seeds nearby . Weeds method of spread also help them succeed. They often are wind born, but also eaten by animals, transported by water, animals, vehicles, movement of soil and dumping of vegetation “waste”.

Remnant vegetation is disappearing along much of our coastal strip, and also inland. It is becoming fragmented, weed infested and losing resilience.

Resilient remnant vegetation is important to protect. Weeds to not readily invade intact, resilient native remnant vegetation. Weeds invade disturbed landscape situations. The following diagram shows the hard to define line between weeds and remnant vegetation.

weed_remnant_resilient_vegetation_interfaceThe capacity for the remnant vegetation to buffer up against incoming weed populations and spread depends in part, on its resilience. Resilient native remnants have capacity to withstand  opportunistic weed spread, via having enough seed bank and vegetation cover to outcompete the weed. They can  “win” by having reserves of seed, soil cover, niche populations via biodiversity and sheer domination over incoming weed populations by giving little  soil, light, water for the weed to grow. However, once the native vegetation stand loses its resilience, loses its biodiversity, and particularly, once it is disturbed, then weeds can gain a foothold.

Regarding time and space management in the world of weed and remnant vegetation “frontiers”?  Remember, weeds compete with the native stand for the resources of space, light, water and food. The weeds may co-exist with the remnant stand. They may suppress the native stand. They may overwhelm  or strongly compete . They may eradicate the native stand. This can also work the other way. The native vegetation may co-exist, suppress, overwhelm, eradicate or just compete with the weeds.

weed handbook response

##Reference:- (My own experiences:- Many years of varying types of seed bank studies(under and post graduate), native seed collecting, distribution and growing, environmental consulting for Department of Transport and power utilities, Integrated Catchment Committees, landcare groups, liason with organic growing and permaculture communities, foundation teacher and set up for TAFE horticultural studies, Bremer, 2nd paid landcare coordinator in QLD (100,000ha – lower Brisbane Valley and Bremer River- almost twenty years ago), award winning schools project on environmental weeds, training council and groundspersons in pesticide application and safety technology and integrated pest management, numerous habitat restoration and revegetation programs, training Greening Australia staff for native australian grasses educational extension- mid 90′s).

The following excerpt is from “Clearing the Habit of Habitat Clearing” – at Journey for Wisdom in the Land:-

HABITAT
H – for humanity, its history and  its law
A – for Aborigines and their ancestors before
B – biodiversity – to me it spells out “FREE”
i – for the little guy – that means you and me
T – for the teacher that leads us through the land
A – for AUSTRALIANS that learn to understand
T the Trust of wildlife friends living hand in hand

CLEARING
C is for cutting and clearing their land, taking their bedding, dispersing their clan
L is for larsony, looting and lost
E is for Everything in rubbish piles tossed
A is for Arid Lands’ creep from the west, and
R is remorse for failing this test
i is the little guy – that means you and me
N is right NOW. Wake up!!! LOOK and SEE!!!!
G is for Global, Gaia, God, Gift and Ground

Gracious abundance for many times round!!

Incoming Searches: collage on natural vegetation and wildlife, ecology of weed seed bank, natural vegetation and wildlife collage, short poems on biodivercity&forest, seq catchments biodiversity, short poems on biodiversity, methods of mulching, wallum animals and plants, lantana weed diagram labeled, lamington blue cray

]]> http://bluecray.org/education/weeds-biodiversity-and-australias-land-and-water-stewardship-practices-17.11.2009/feed 0 Koala Conservation and Queensland Government Draft SE QLD Regional Plan 2009 to 2031 http://bluecray.org/environment/koala-conservation-and-queensland-government-draft-se-qld-regional-plan-2009-to-2031-10.03.2009 http://bluecray.org/environment/koala-conservation-and-queensland-government-draft-se-qld-regional-plan-2009-to-2031-10.03.2009#comments Tue, 10 Mar 2009 13:34:56 +0000 al http://bluecray.org/?p=1018 ...»»]]> Koala Advocacy was reaching a critical level many years ago in SE Queensland. Draft South East Queensland Koala State Planning Regulatory Provisions at bluecray Environmental Search.

I have tried to update this article a number of times. The Qld government appears to keep rearranging itself, its departmental responsibilities and Koala Habitat visions. I wonder now, if anyone there even knows what they are doing??? (SEE BELOW##). Perhaps, for more info, you could try searching the QLD GOVERNMENT .

{###(UPDATE 25th August 2010)I wrote an article more recently on Koalas – “I Will Protect You and Teach You” (30th July 2010) which has more recent Queensland Koala legislation, policy, ecology info. Also, see my article in Balance of Faeries blog – “I will Jail you and Feed you” – which is more about the NE NSW Koala situation concerning the Tweed Coast Koala Advisory Group. Koala populations in SE QLD and NE NSW  are still decreasing rapidly.} However, what I have written below will possibly still give you more background info… good luck!!!

Submissions are currently invited on two issues shown below: (click HERE for the link to these DETAILS at the QLD Department of Infrastructure and Planning)

* 1. The moratorium on clearing vegetation, part of the Draft South East Queensland Koala State Planning Regulatory Provisions (PDF icon 151 KB). Submissions close 24 December 2009.
* 2. The biodiversity development offset area policy, part of the Proposed South East Queensland Koala Conservation State Planning Regulatory Provision (PDF icon 794 KB). Submissions close 1 December 2009.

Please remember, there are areas where Koalas are not deemed as important, within SE QLD Koala Mapping – some of these areas, West and South-West of  Brisbane, will now be seen as opportunities for inappropriate development, despite Koalas actually being present there. Koalas need these areas, deemed less important by government planning, for their health, and movement. It is important that inappropriate development in these areas doesn’t destroy what remaining koala “corridors” are in place, and the chance for future Koala “corridors” to be created and enhanced.

Recent Background:-

Back in the mid nineties, the Queensland and SE Qld Local Governments’ approved ongoing development processes were continuing the 20th century’s relentless rate of clearing & destroying coastal wetlands and Koala habitat areas. This rate was far from environmentally sustainable for future generations of South East Queensland, and indeed, the world.

Rates of development are currently still environmentally unsustainable, despite Ramsar Convention, Agenda 21 and protection of threatenend species and ecological communities at various levels of government ( SE QLD ; NE NSW ; AUST ).

Koalas have long been a political and development “football”, and now issues of relocation,  infrastructure development, and conservation / habitat status are again being re-defined by governments and “scientists” throughout the Mt Warning Caldera Region.

Now that we have almost completed our first decade of the 21st Century, the environmental law capacities of the combined Australian Governments have vastly increased. They have become much more complex, supported by an array of GIS and mapping data, studies, scientific processes and protocols.

Study after study has been completed. Map after map has been produced.

Regional Planning instruments have multiplied faster than wire coathangers in a wardrobe, AND  YET – Koala corridor after corridor is still being destroyed, even as I write this article. And,  -  more elections and regional plans are looming!

Dedicated on the ground Koala carers, hard working community groups, well meaning scientific researchers, and informed environmental legal advisors have gradually impacted on the Government. There still remains

  • developer trends to clear land in a wholesale manners
  • government trends to implant infrastructure as a necessity that over-rides environmental sustainability
  • increasingly complex regional planning documents.

The Queensland Government has closed the comments for the new Koala Planning Regulation provisions, but the Draft QLD Government SEQ Regional Plan 2009-2031 is still open for submissions. Workshops around SE Qld have been held, and are still being held.

Invitations for Comment closed for the SEQ Koala State planning regulatory provisions on Feb 27th. Information concerning these Koala Planning Provisions for SE QLD appears to be in the hands of the  Queensland State Government Department of Infrastucture and Planning .

Regional Workshops and Articles:-

**Qld Department of Infrastructure and Planning : DRAFT Qld Government SE QLD Regional Plan 2009 – 2031 Submissions close on April 3rd 2009.

There is, however……. A PLAN… yes, another PLAN!!! The National Koala Conservation Strategy !

And so, summing up, and I am sure that I have missed lots of links and info, but have a search around, and you are sure to find what you need. Just be tenacious.

1.The Koala’s well being in SE QLD appears to be in the hands of Qld Planning and Infrastructure.

2.As I mentioned above, there is a new SEQ Regional Plan for 2009-2031 being put together now, in its DRAFT form and submissions are still open.

3.The Australian Government has a National Koala Conservation Strategy, but does not actually protect the Koala by Legislation.

4.The Environmental Protection Agency, the Agency acts under legislation listed at this Link:  Legislation .

5.The KOALA is recognised by the Queensland Government under the Nature Conservation Koala Conservation Plan 2006

6.The key Koala Corridors of the old Beaudesert Shire and Boonah Shires – Now the Scenic Rim Regional Council – have been left out of these reasonably new SEQ Koala Plan documents due to the KOALA populations, distribution and Planning guidelines.

**Draft South East Queensland Koala State Planning Regulatory Provisions at the Qld Department of Infrastructure and Planning. You can view Maps here, documents etc concerning the future direction of Queensland Government Development protocols and the threat to Existing Threatened Koala Populations of South East Queensland. Keep all this in mind if you are commenting on the new SEQ REGIONAL PLAN 2009-2031. The Koala Maps provided by the website of the Qld Department of  Infrastructure & Planning seemed  exceedingly frustrating to read, over technically presented, and are extremely slow to load if you do not have high speed internet!

Ipswich Koala Protection Society – (IKPS) – wild life rescue, image gallery, how you can help Koalas of the Ipswich Region, and LINKS

##PLEASE NOTE : The Links  that do not appear to work anymore are mainly the QLD EPA LINKS. The Google search engine now resends many of the links to the  DEPARTMENT of  ENVIRONMENT & RESOURCE MANAGEMENT.

And so, what we appear to have is a sudden change in where all the KOALA information can be found, concerning recent internet public information on the KOALA in Queensland.

When this article was written, the Department of Planning and Infrastructure appeared to be holding much of the information about planning for the KOALA 2009.   Here is the current (October 2009) info available at the QLD Dept. Planning & Infrastructure KOALA PAGES . It shows timetables for the events surrounding Koala Planning 2008-2009 and the Queensland Governments State Planning Policy.

Also, it shows how this Department (QLD DIP)  is responsible for introducing interim development controls, updating the SEQ Regional Plan Section2.2 Koala Conservation and “fast-tracking the development of a state planning policy for koala conservation in SEQ, in collaboration with the Department of Environment and Resource Management.”

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Remember: The Queensland Government Environmental Protection Agency has a copy of the KOALA Conservation Plan 2006 for the Management of Koalas in SE QLD 2006-2016. In this Plan, the Koala appears to be left out of consideration within  Scenic Rim Regional Council Areas. This statement is now obsolete, as the EPA appears to have disappeared from the QLD Government to be replaced by the Department of Environment & Resource Management. Talk about keeping people confused! This is amazing. No wonder the Poor Koala is disappearing and facing entrapment in this region, when the Government Land Stewards can’t even show consistency in their own organisation.

And you should see what is happening just over the border on the Tweed Coast , NE NSW, concerning KOALAS. It is ongoing development that appears to be relentlessly and carelessly repeating the mistakes of the SE QLD non sustainable Development agendas of the past two decades.

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***”New nominations for species and ecological communities will be assessed under the EPBC Act by the Threatened Species Scientific Committee (TSSC) according to the criteria for the new categories and listed accordingly. The TSSC will reconsider the status of the initial list of threatened species and communities in line with the new refined EPBC categories as information is updated and made available for assessment” from  : EPBC ACT LIST of Threatened Species

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And where is the KOALA?????

Phantom Koala and Benoit compare biodiversity with moneybags. They decide that biodiversity fills the world with beautiful things, and moneybagsmakes lots of dangerous empty spaces full of machinery and bare earth

Phantom Koala and Benoit compare biodiversity with moneybags. They decide that biodiversity fills the world with beautiful things, and moneybagsmakes lots of dangerous empty spaces full of machinery and bare earth

“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). Whilst this investigation was in NE NSW, there are implications for Koala populations in SE QLD, so why not have a read!.

9-07-2009

Phantom Koala (PK) articles  at  Bluecray Balance of Faeries blog  &  Bluecray Wisdom in the Land blog :  there may be some more useful links here in these articles:

LINKS:

thekoala.com – simply presented koala information for the lay person or young student

Koala at Wikipedia

Koala Research at the Environmental Protection Agency – QLD Government

Griffith University : Griffith Research online – The Research and Management of Non Urban Koalas – oops, couldn’t find it!!!

Koala research LINKS : at Koala research site

Koala Links : at koala research site (I contacted this research team, a number of weeks back, for more information to put into my articles, but have yet to receive an answer)

My own personal  experiences with Koalas and Koala advocates includes having shared habitat with them on the Marburg Range, west of Brisbane, Qld  for many years.  Living between the Nightcap National Park and the Whian Whian Forests – Fox Road, Rosebank, Lismore Shire. And living at  Upper and Lower Beechmont in the Hinterland of the Gold Coast.

Koalas have come to my door, talked to me from the trees. I have watched them eat leaves from trees that are not on  koala tree lists, watched them climb trees that are not on any koala tree lists, talked to volunteers that have released Koalas into the Scenic Rim Regional Council Area (old Beaudesert Shire), talked and worked with Koala carers, scientists and advocates who have testified in Court on behalf of Koala’s when Highways have been built through the SE QLD Region. I have also talked with wildlife workers who have worked with entrapped Koala Populations on the Gold Coast, SE Qld.

My art for Phantom Koala (PK) was conceived many years ago, as a vehicle to explore and portray the Koala as an animal that is largely misunderstood, romanticised, politicised and exploited for monetary gain.

“A Balance of Faeries” 1989 by al at bluecray.org – a story about habitat clearing, Koalas, and how little by little, the Koala Habitat clearing in SE Queensland has  implications for more than Koalas

If you look at the trend for infrastructure development within the SE Qld Region, there will be a focus to develop the west of the Brisbane metropolitan region. Infrastructure of vaste arterial road systems and associated developments will occur, and if the KOALA is not included within any protective legal mechanism, this will mean a halt to Koala Population travel along the current, already fragmented “corridors” west of Brisbane and Logan Cities and the Urban Development to the Qld border and into NE NSW. The Old Shire of Boonah and Beaudesert (Scenic Rim Regional Council) are in this region, as is Ipswich City Council . To the south of the Border, in NSW, lie the Tweed Shires, Kyogle Shires and Lismore City Council areas.

****example of proposed development areas west of BRISBANE:- “Supercity plan to cope with population growth in southeast Queensland” – as told by the Courier Mail May 2010 – “The ULDA will now take planning control for the identified areas from the Ipswich and Logan councils to assess their capacity to deliver more than 100,000 new homes.”****

  • Entrapment of Koalas in fragmented, localised, often non biodiverse vegetation communitites and habitats logically can cause stress, and much work on the part of caring koala workers , to maintain their upkeep.
  • Koalas do not read maps, understand planning documents, line up willingly at scientific or ecological expert’s offices and ask to have trackers put onto them, or be examined (even if this is done “with care”).
  • Koalas do not understand state borders, council boundaries or roadside signage.
  • Koalas do not line up to be taken to zoos, be cuddled by people eager to have their photo taken with them.
  • Koalas do not form lines in eager anticipation of  being rescued, when engineers of infrastructure, mines and housing developments bring in bulldozers and large mass destruction machinery.
  • Koalas have, however, been documented to run extremely long distances, under stress, when released into unkown habitat areas.
  • Koalas have been documented to come to people, when they need help.

If you have read to the end of this article, I congratulate you. It is, indeed, a very long article. But it barely scratches the surface of what is required to help Koalas of the Mt Warning Caldera Region.

Become informed, listen to your heart and  try not to become exhausted by the  rigidity & rigmarole of bureaucracy.

Above all, inspire others to create a world where  ”laws” to protect these beautiful and unique animals are no longer necessary, due to increased respect for  Natural Law and true custodianship and stewardship of  of Koala habitat in Australia.

Back in the 1990′s I was involved in a number of different community environmental initiatives – landcare co-ordinator, ACF Gold Coast Inc. committee member / campaigner  and  ICM Committees (Lockyer Ck SEQ & Loders Ck SEQ) rep.

Community environmental education and activities that I engaged in included:

  • Government policy planning
  • lobbying for Koala corridor linkages
  • vegetation mapping
  • community workshops
  • land & water  management issues
  • development forums
  • roadside management
  • habitat fragmentation
Incoming Searches: koala corridor, mullumbimby flood levels, Koalas and corridors, koala corridors, koala corridor maps, scenic rim koala map, frogs of the northern rivers nsw, food chain goannas, butterflies s e queensland, koalas vegetation

]]> http://bluecray.org/environment/koala-conservation-and-queensland-government-draft-se-qld-regional-plan-2009-to-2031-10.03.2009/feed 0 Richmond Birdwing Butterfly – conservation, recovery and community action http://bluecray.org/education/richmond-birdwing-butterfly-conservation-recovery-and-community-action-08.03.2009 http://bluecray.org/education/richmond-birdwing-butterfly-conservation-recovery-and-community-action-08.03.2009#comments Sun, 08 Mar 2009 09:56:51 +0000 al http://bluecray.org/?p=991 ...»»]]> pararistolochia_praevenosa1The Richmond Birdwing Butterfly is a truly beautiful butterfly. Listed as threatened by the Qld Government, this Birdwing Butterfly has a renowned presence in the Mt Warning Caldera Region of NE NSW, Australia.

The Richmond Birdwing Butterfly is cited as one of the many outstanding evolutionary features of the World Heritage Listed Central Eastern Rainforest Reserves that occur in the Mt Warning Caldera Region.

This large green, black and yellow butterfly has inspired community action resulting  in many Pararistolochia praevenosa (see picture below) and P. layehana vines to be planted back into the region. There is still, however, much more work to be done. Although the Richmond Birdwing Butterfly is dependent on these vines for its continued lifecycle, it will be the planting of biodiverse forests, woodlands and other vegetation communities, that will help it’s long term survival.

Increasing biodiversity helps the survival of many plants and animals, in their complex lifecycles, just as increased diverse  community involvement in  projects for the Richmond Birdwing Butterfly has helped improve the Butterfly’s survival chances.

25th March 2009 – interview with Ray Seddon,  Co-ordinater of the Richmond Birdwing Butterfly Network, Qld.

Richmond Birdwing Butterfly : at the Queensland Museum PHOTO

Insects of Lamington National Park – Richmond Birdwing Butterfly PHOTO

Richmond Birdwing Butterfly  (Ornithoptera richmondia) : Queensland Threatened Species Listing – VULNERABLE.

  • The 2009 link I had to the QLD EPA is now not working, as the Qld Government keeps changing their website links and departmental names and responsibilities : they have not kept a redirection to their new link for the Richmond Birdwing Butterfly. However, you can now access information on the vulnerable listing and this butterfly HERE ( the Qld Department of Environment and Resource Management ) . The information on the new Qld Government  DERM webpage will give you the conservation status, habitat and distribution, description, threatening processes and actions.

Richmond Birdwing Recovery Network : lots of information here on the butterfly, it’s host plants, it’s life cycle, mapping, photos & community networking. This is a volunteer network based in QLD, Australia

The cultivation of Pararistolochia layehana from richmondbirdwing.org and much more on other Pararistolochia species –  Vines, Nurseries growing vines.

Please note that vines are covered by Qld legislation, and as such, you should be careful where you buy your vines from, lest they have been stolen from wild habitat areas.

Qld Society for Growing Australian Plants – native nurseries, plant information, local branches and more

Maroochy Birdwing Butterfly Project at the Maroochy Catchment Centre, Qld, Australia.

The Richmond Birdwing Project – photos, results, information – Qld.

Richmond Birdwing Butterfly vines (Parastolochia praevenosa and **P. laheyana)  : listed as RARE  ( Nature Conservation (Wildlife) Regulation 2006) under the  Qld Nature Conservation Act 1992 .  This rare status may change over the coming months, due to a reorganising of the threatened species listing categories . Pararistolochis praevenosa is the main vine being used in SE QLD and NE NSW for the Richmond Birdwing Butterfly recovery

Richmond Birdwing Butterfly Ornithoptera richmondia : Biodiversity Assessment NSW North Coast – species at risk, and their recovery process . This document recommends research, habitat retention through reserves, and records that there is little data known (Australian Government’s  Australian Natural Resource Atlas)

Australian National Botanic Gardens

Park and Fire Management Plans – NSW Government

Lismore City Council encourages planting of the Richmond Birdwing Butterfly vine (Parastolochia praevenosa)

Case study 3: Adopting caterpillars – the Richmond Birdwing butterfly :This is  one of 13 case Studies of Community Involvement in Recovery and Threat Abatement at the NSW Department of Environment & Climate Change :  Community Involvement Guide for Threatened Species

“Australian Butterfly performs for World Media” -CSIRO media release Sept. 2000 – this article will give you a little history on the Richmnond Birdwing Butterfly and why is a THREATENED SPECIES

Ecos Article Jan. 2001 “Changing habitat: the revival of the Richmond birdwing butterfly offers hope that through research, education, dedication and teamwork, local communities can secure a future for threatened species.”

Land for Wildlife – Queensland

Land for Wildlife – New South Wales

Richmond Birdwing Butterfly Part2 : Their Host Vines by Deborah Metters (Regional Land for Wild Life SEQ Catchments) April 2007 Newsletter Land for Wildlife SEQ.

Land for Wildlife at Greening Australia .

Land for Wildlife at SEQ Catchments .

Wildlife Preservation Society of Qld .

** Pararistolochia laheyana PHOTO – is this species the fomer Aristolochia deltantha var. layehana?

  • I have seen one Richmond Birdwing Butterfly at Lower Beechmont, SE Qld, from memory back in about 2000, then another flying through Upper Burringbar, NE NSW, in 2009, and as an update to this article, in late September, 2010, I observed three Richmond Birdwing Butterflies flying high in the air at Upper Burringbar within the space of three days.  They really do look like small birds, at first, until you realise that the wings are going very slowly compared to a small bird flying, and on closer looking, you see the green and black of the wings. Each time that I have seen them flying, they have been about  10-20 feet up in the air, and at elevations over 750 feet above sea level.
Pararistolochia praevenosa - drawing of a plant near the Lamington Plateau, SE QLD

Pararistolochia praevenosa - drawing of a plant near the Lamington Plateau, SE QLD

Incoming Searches: richmond birdwing butterfly, richmond birdwing butterfly location, birdwing butterfly vine, richmond birdwing butterfly information, richmond birdwing butterfly life cycle, richmond birdwing butterfly habitat, facts about the Richmond Birdwing butterfly, richmond river blue butterfly, pararistolochia laheyana, richmond birdwing vine

]]> http://bluecray.org/education/richmond-birdwing-butterfly-conservation-recovery-and-community-action-08.03.2009/feed 0 Kings Forest Project Development in Tweed Shire by the Leda Group has Public Submissions extended by NSW Department of Planning http://bluecray.org/environment/kings-forest-project-development-in-tweed-shire-by-the-leda-group-has-public-submissions-extended-by-nsw-department-of-planning-26.02.2009 http://bluecray.org/environment/kings-forest-project-development-in-tweed-shire-by-the-leda-group-has-public-submissions-extended-by-nsw-department-of-planning-26.02.2009#comments Wed, 25 Feb 2009 14:13:08 +0000 al http://bluecray.org/?p=681 ...»»]]> The Kings Forest Project Development in Tweed Shire  ( Mt Warning Caldera Region – NSW,  Australia ), by the property Group, Leda, has had an extension for Public Submission made, by the NSW Department of Planning. Kings Forest,on the coast near Kingscliff, NE NSW, is a beautiful, bio-diverse State Significant Site (Part 3A of the NSW Planning Law) with Koala and other fauna habitat, freshwater coastal wetlands, swamp Schlerophyll Forests.

**FOR People wishing to find useful community submission information please see this article: – January 2012 SUBMISSIONS for Kings Forest INFORMATION**

 

Acid Sulfate Soils Background Information

  • ACID SULFATE SOILS are a component of the Kings Forest Project Development, Kingscliff. I have recently added some ACID SULFATE SOIL (ASS) links in bluecray’s  Ecosystems Links PAGE . 

I have recently (Dec. 2011 – Jan 2012) updated some of this article, to include more specific points regarding this highly environmentally degrading development that should have never, in the first place been allowed, in its current form,  by the Australian Government, NSW LABOUR Government and the Tweed Shire Council.

Kings Forest Proposal and Submission Information

below are some  other bluecray articles regarding this Kings Forest Development and the surrounding / adjacent areas:-

 

** A NOTE to the thousands of readers who have visited or are currently visiting bluecray’s articles on KINGS FOREST, Kingscliff, Tweed Shire. ( 12th December 2011) , cheers, Alison Polistchuk 

  • **Due to the ongoing ignorant and at times ruthless battle that is stirring concerning the Kings FOREST KOALAS and other  Endangered (threatened species), the CONTINUED degradation of Australia’s disappearing wetlands,  and lack of care by individuals & corporate entities towards the people of  NE NSW and SE QLD:-  bluecray has decided to tag, point out and consolidate historical investigations, documents, and evidence. (oh, and by the way, I suggest to any that may be involved in considering threat /nuisance toward both bluecray and the author, that there are, as I write, higher entities concerned, who are watching.) Please, to ALL involved…. why not stay in the light, work with creative love and integrity! When under pressure, creative loving educational solutions are much stronger, than brute force, ignorance, back room agendas and subversive threats and bullying tactics.  

If you are searching for information that may be helpful in EDUCATING  Tweed Shire Councillors , individual men and women running and employed by (either directly or indirectly) the Leda (property development group) and the NSW Government, try searching for “ESD Strategies at the Local Government Level”  (environment 21) . This will lead you to a  a Case Study of the City of Newcastle by Darren McKay and Ray Rauscher from the University of Newcastle. This document is a good recent historical educational study on ECOLOGICALLY SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT as conducted via international agreements, Federal / State law and policy procedures and the Role of Local Government. It will bring you up to speed on the background surrounding Ecologically Sustainable Development in Australia. Some of the document’s references to policy and law have changed, (eg. the Federal Labour Government ratified the Kyoto Protocol in late 2007) since it was published, but, it gives a concise historical perspective on many of the issues facing local councils in implementing Ecologically Sustainable Development.

Some general info about KINGS FOREST

  • Kings Forest Development includes areas of cleared land that could be (and could have been) regenerated to enhance the wetland  habitats and nearby ecological units. This “State Significant Site”  has a long history of community, technical and scientific concern about it’s future. In the hands of developers – currently  the Leda Group, it is being scrutinised by the Tweed Shire Council and the NSW Department of Planning.  Kings Forest requires as much public input as possible to ensure that its habitats and the vital “corridor” role that it plays for vulnerable species such as Koalas and other native flora and fauna in the Mt Warning Caldera Region are protected and enhanced.
  • The areas about the Kings Forest site  are already under much development pressure, as is much of the Tweed Shire Region, which is contained completely within the Mt Warning Caldera Region of NE NSW, Australia. These development pressures already include INFRASTRUCTURE and  AIRCRAFT noise components. The  Gold Coast Airport’s Key Flight Tracks detail flight tracks for aircraft both arriving and departing. Information clearly shows many regular nearby & overhead daily flights of large aircraft. The Aircraft Noise Maps for the Tweed Coast can be found here.
  • Sensitive nature and wetland areas are adjacent to Kings Forest. Wetlands have been cleared and almost totally destroyed along the entire Tweed Shire and adjoining Gold Coast Coastlines. Kings Forest is no exception. It deserves much scrutiny and attention by planners and other government authorities and agencies. Wildlife that is still currently surviving by running before the bulldozers, will go into surrounding bushland, where further stresses on Native Wildlife Habitat will occur. Drainage and CATCHMENT ALTERATION will also create stress for Migratory  and other wildlife relying on current water table and wetland habitats, as they try to adapt to a rapidly changing and degenerating ecosystem. This development is full of “Motherhood Statements” and disgraceful “Smoke and  Mirrors” and Machiavellian Scenarios.  The KINGS FOREST Development, Kingscliff  holds many stories. Some are still unfolding. The documents attached to this development are expansive. Take the time to research, as there is much more to this development than meets the eye.

  • Koala Corridors and Buffers Zones should be part of the WHOLE DEVELOPMENT APPROACH. The area being developed for human settlement and infrastructure SHOULD include a whole plan approach, whereby the KOALA and ITS HABITAT is integral and 100% incorporated into the whole design. This should be so for ALL the native wildlife species that rely in part, or totally on the Kings Forest area for SURVIVAL. To do this, the number of houses/ size of urban stages must be dramatically decreased and designed in a way that more open natural space and connectivity is promoted. 

  • This is the same for ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE PRINCIPLES :-  water storage for each house; SUSTAINABLE WASTE MANAGEMENT and WASTE MINIMISATION – throughout both the construction and urbanisation phases; improved and enhanced wetland and INTEGRATED CATCHMENT MANAGEMENT & integrated native wildlife  habitat  enhancement throughout the entire development; sensible covenants on fencing, dogs, cats, rabbits, vegetation; energy efficient materials/design and development procedures & processes; local and regional environmentally sustainable employment opportunities; local food & local sustainable industry creation or mentorship (not just tokenism); fire, flood, noise, environmental and noxious weeds awareness. Town Planners know these lists more comprehensively. Tsunami and FLOOD evacuation procedures should also be incorporated fully into the design, as well as fire evacuation. This is particularly so for children/youth community and aged facilities.
  • SOCIAL INCLUSION and COMMUNITY RESOURCE areas – especially for young families, youth, disadvantaged and the aged. Comprehensive Educational information for all prospective and existing settlers to the REGION can be of great value also – particularly for ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS, and SOCIAL WELLBEING. TRANSPORT should be state of the art Environmentally Sustainably Networked and Implemented, by both the developer (who profits and thus should care where and how his/her profit arises) and the Governments (who should CARE and show diligent leadership).
  • SHADE:- in a time of increasing Sun Cancers, the level of integrated shaded pathways, roadways, parkways, parking areas and recreational areas is important. Energy efficient Shading comes in the form of landscape/Habitat Trees. Eucalypts are not good nor safe landscape trees for this use, due to limbs constantly dropping.
  •  Concerning the road linkages (that are proposed to go through the KINGS FOREST DEVELOPMENT) from the Pacific Highway through to the Tweed Coast Road and other coastal roadways servicing the urban developments on the nearby coastline (Kingscliff through to Wooyung), the question is:-  will this Major Linkage Collector Road have to cater for even more traffic than local residents?  YES, it will. The Kings Forest Stage 1 Project Application “Traffic engineering assessment” (prepared for Project 28 Pty Ltd 2nd March 2011) and the Tweed Shire Council predicts a tripling in traffic along the Tweed Coast Road eventually. Thus FOUR LANE Major Roads and COLLECTOR ROADS will carve up and destroy much more of the fragile remaining ecosystems,  creating Noise and stress  for all residents (non, 2 ,4, 6 and 8 legged).
  • I would rate the  ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY of this project – on a scale from 1 to 10 as about a MINUS 5.
  • Healthy minds, educated people, these days, try to do the right thing by our beautiful endangered species and their homes. However, money and power in the hands of ignorant and unwise people has time and time again created more and more destruction. The Tweed Coast attests to this. This is called “living a lie”, and it makes people sick and delusional  until they wake up and create a change for the better – both for themselves, and for others.
  • The buffer zones indicated in the planning documents are highly inadequate. again, a whole development approach is required.  I recommend that Mr Ell and his team need to go back to school – primary school, and receive some education – where many small children can tell them how to make the world better, rather than making it horrible. It is never too late to change.
  • There are many, many good people in Government and Industry who want to make the world a better place…. whilst compromise is  an essential part of  negotiation, things such as rapidly disappearing wetlands, native wildlife, socio-economic well being, environmentally sustainable practices dictate that a whole new game be presented to this uneven playing field. A playing field called  - Leda and the Kings Forest series of ridiculously stupid mistakes.

And now, back to the original article……………(

(This posting was originally commenced in 2009)

The extended public submissions for the Kings Forest Project in Tweed Shire, near Kingscliff, were  accepted until 2nd March 2009.

Proposed and gazetted State Significant Sites : NSW Department of Planning (I updated this above link on 26th October 2009)

The Proposal Information can be found at:- http://majorprojects.planning.nsw.gov.au.

and more information can be found in the links below.

  • **Kings Forest, Kingscliffe, Tweed : 06_0318 Residential Community – Preparing Response. This is the page you can view to find out the specific details for your submission/response to the Kings Forest (coastal area subdivision) Development by Leda, on the NE Coast of NSW, near Kingscliffe.   “Subdivision to create new lots for future development; Construction of the entrance road to the site and associated intersection works on Tweed Coast Road; Subdivision and associated infrastructure works for the first stage of urban development; Bulk earthworks and planting for the proposed future golf course; and a service station and fast food outlet.” (Project application description at NSW Department of Planning)
  • According to the Tweed Border Mail, the **Tweed Shire Council has raised concerns about threats to wildlife, and stormwater, sewerage and roads provisions proposed for the almost 10,000 homes that will be included in this, the Kings Forest Project, and the nearby Cobaki Lakes development, that is also being proposed by the developers.
  • The development is by Bob Ells’ Leda group.
  • Sydney Morning Herald Feb 8th 2003 ”The Trick in the Tweed : take a good look at the Lie of the land” – some interesting history about the Kings Forest site 1970′s-2003
  • Gold Coast City Council – 9th Nov 2007 “ Leda ordered to remediate illegally cleared land” - “Gold Coast City Council yesterday secured orders in the Planning and Environment Court compelling companies owned by Gold Coast billionaire developer Bob Ell to revegetate land that had been illegally cleared in November and December last year.City Planning Chair, Cr Ted Shepherd, said the Court had judged that Leda Developments Pty Ltd and Leda Developments No. 2 had cleared major portions of a holding of about 100 hectares at Pimpama without the relevant development permits from the Council.” view article to read more
  • **  If you follow the links below, you will get to the Planning Documents for Kings Forest (Residential Community Development 06 0318 ) :- START HERE : NSW Department of Planning Home » Development Assessments » Major Project Assessments »THEN click on Major Projects Part 3A then,  Coastal Areas » Subdivisions  . You should find the Kings Forest Documents by this time.  Good luck!!!! Failing that, just click HERE : **Kings Forest, Kingscliffe, Tweed
  • Environmental Assessment Exhibition – Major Project – Kings Forest (MP06_0308) Residential Community Development – Council Submission – this link now gone or moved
  • Kings Forest – on Google Maps –
  • Kings Forest and Development –  North Coast, New South Wales, Australia aerial photos at airviewonline.com.au
  • 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. Well, the submission and position statement of the Caldera Environment Centre WAS there, but now, well, it is gone or moved.
  • Northern River Guardians
  • Big Scrub Environment Centre – Kings Forest - (http://www.bigscrub.org.au/newsletters/e-journal4.html#kings) – link gone
  • Total Environment Centre – Kings Forest
  • Tweed Shire Echo - has some articles relating to the Kings Forest Development
  • Convention on Biological Diversity – Treaty signed and ratified by Australia for Convention on Biological Diversity :-
  • **”Conservation of biological diversity is the subject of Chapter 15 of Agenda 21, which was adopted by the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, in 1992, in Rio de Janeiro. At the same Conference, the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), which has subsequently entered into force, was opened for signature”   (United Nations – Division for SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT in the Department of Economic and Social Affairs)
  • **Tweed Shire Council Flora and Fauna Management ( there appears to be a typo on this page – it says “flora and flora” management… but I guess they mean flora and fauna!!!!) There is plenty in here to show that Kings Forest is indeed both regionally important, and important to Australia and the world, given the pressures of development on and within the region.  Koalas are only one feature of this regional importance that Kings Forest holds…. there is much much more – have a good look!!!!
  • Submission on the Proposed Biodiversity Banking Scheme February 2008 – Environmental Defender’s Office and Total Environment Centre submission:-“Our concerns regarding the variation process are outlined in a letter to DECC, which can be found at: www.edo.org.au/edonsw/site/policy.php. In summary, our main concerns are:………………………………………………………..As a result of widespread development throughout the Tweed Coast in the last decade, many species have had their ranges significantly reduced. Kings Forest is a regional stronghold for many species such as the Long-nosed potaroo and the planigale. This area contains the only viable areas of native vegetation faunal communities across the Tweed Coast. Large parts of this area have been flagged for development in the Far North Coast Regional Strategy because of lobbying by the development industry.”
  • Tweed Development and Employment – with particular reference to the Leda Development at Kings Forest – ( Hansard Transcript – NSW Parliament 18th october 2006)
  • Tweed Daily News – “Developer’s Plans Open to Public” – 16th December 2008   “ BILLIONAIRE property developer Bob Ell’s company, Leda, has lodged formal applications with the NSW Government for Tweed’s biggest yet residential developments — Cobaki Lakes on the Queensland border and Kings Forest inland of Casuarina Beach…….”  read rest of article
  • Tweed Daily News 17th February 2009 “Developments Uncertain” by Peter Caton
Little Bat finds NE NSW Coast Lifestyle, near Kings Forest to much to survive in

Little Bat finds NE NSW Coast Lifestyle, near Kings Forest to much to survive in

This little Bat in the above photo is a consequence of development – dead on the doorstep of a duplex in the housing development west of Pottsville. With 21 threatened fauna species threatened even more by Leda and the development proposed, what will be the costs, if all that stands between them, and survival, is documents written, verbal provisions made and “intentions”  outlined, when the bulldozers and engineering machinery move into Kings Forest and further develop this area?

NSW Native Vegetation Map .

“A preliminary investigation of the distribution of koalas and their potential habitat in the Tweed Shire, and implications for management”  by Judy Faulks .  I can no longer find this article/ reference to it on the internet, but you may have more luck by looking for it. I originally found it  at – Australian Zoologist, June 1991 Vol. 27(1 & 2). You may find it here at the Royal Zoological Society of NSW in the Journals. Alternatively, try this google search : australian zoologist June 1991 Vol. 27(1 & 2)

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]]> http://bluecray.org/environment/kings-forest-project-development-in-tweed-shire-by-the-leda-group-has-public-submissions-extended-by-nsw-department-of-planning-26.02.2009/feed 2 Mullumbimby Woolworths Approved by NSW Department of Planning http://bluecray.org/advocacy/mullumbimby-woolworths-approved-by-nsw-department-of-planning-28.01.2009 http://bluecray.org/advocacy/mullumbimby-woolworths-approved-by-nsw-department-of-planning-28.01.2009#comments Tue, 27 Jan 2009 23:51:02 +0000 al http://bluecray.org/?p=499 ...»»]]> The Mullumbimby Community voice of concern via the Mullumbimby Community Action Network and  the NSW Department of Planning voice of approval, through the  ”  Mullumbimby Supermarket Approved after thorough assessment ” media release are two completely different stories.

They should serve as a warning to many small communities in the Mt Warning Caldera Region of NE NSW and SE QLD, Australia.

Mullumbimby is a beautiful, at times flood prone town that lies on the Brunswick River. Mullumbimby township supports many artists, farmers, families ( who honour the rights of future generations of children to live in an environmentally sustainable community), pensioners, people with disabilities and active community members. It’s town centre is a peaceful thoroughfare and commerce hub that serves regional families and businesses.

The people of Mullumbimby, through the Mullumbimby Community Action Network, have spoken clearly to voice their lack of support and disapproval of the building of a Woolworths Supermarket within the location targeted by the Supermarket giant Woolworths. Woolworths, if built in Mullumbimby, will bring with it a number of extra corporate strengths to this peaceful rural town.

  • Corporate credit
  • more plastic (- NO – not the bags they pack your stuff in – the plastic that is around all their products  - fresh, processed and pre-packed such as meats, vegies, breads and many imported  products) that will end up in drains, recycling, land fill, animals digestive systems, food chains etc
  • more traffic as delivery trucks, regional shoppers taking advantage of the hours of operation of the supermarket
  • sewerage “the wet weather storage and (required) stringent monitoring and management of the irrigations system … to prevent effluent runoff; and the pumping out of effluent and its removal to Tweed which is illegal in the Byron Shire (Council Policy No. 5.59) which would set a precedent for other potential inappropriate development.” (from Mullumbimby Action Group letter to NSW Premier Nathan Rees, The Honourable Kristina Keneally NSW Minister for Planning, Ms Paula Tomkins)
  • Mullumbimby Town and regional Heritage visual IMPACT

This Planning Right of Way by the NSW Department of Planning appears to be on the side of  the Woolworths giant ( which is also a large owner of Poker Machines in Australia) in this Far North Coast Region of New South Wales, Australia.

The building of this Woolworths Supermarket may herald future NSW Government condoned development expansion and rough riding over local  community well being.

The bluecray vision is that  cultural, community, commonsense, environmental and social  support return this planning right of way back to the town people of Mullumbimby.

And so, if you care about how  government and corporate power uses “behind the scenes” practices and economies of scale  to lever socially and environmentally undesired and harmful projects on to small rural communities, then please go to the Mullumbimby Community Action Network homepage and give the community your support.

YouTube Videos

Byron Shire Echo Article by David Lovejoy “Woolworths blocked at the drain” 16th June 2009 for an update on events

Sydney Morning Herald Article : 28th September 2009 “Woolies forced to explain pokie business”

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]]> http://bluecray.org/advocacy/mullumbimby-woolworths-approved-by-nsw-department-of-planning-28.01.2009/feed 0 Radical Psychology : can we afford to live without it? http://bluecray.org/philosophy/radical-psychology-can-we-afford-to-live-without-it-27.01.2009 http://bluecray.org/philosophy/radical-psychology-can-we-afford-to-live-without-it-27.01.2009#comments Tue, 27 Jan 2009 03:19:11 +0000 al http://bluecray.org/?p=474 ...»»]]> Psychology and its practice, like all mainstream collective attempts to frame and explore human perceptions, has at it’s fringes ( and sometimes deep within its core)  elements of true genius and insight.  This insight has courage to dare step into the unknown with some rather radical approaches. This can comfort those who find that the mainstream collective rationale is no longer serving them.

My own mind has been home to  radical thoughts since the beginning of my conscious life. For years I thought that it was only ME who saw the world differently. Now how innocent is THAT!

Researching for the bluecray.org  website has led me to  discover some inspiring and reassuring people, websites and journals. These discoveries have encouraged me to stand my ground, state my position from creative insight and seemingly go at odds to  mainstream collective thinking and perception.

I found that  there are people, websites, and journals offering independent activism initiatives that fill a mainstream void.  A void  that so readily occurs when the mainstream momentum engulfs creative radical perimeter thinking,  swallowing, chewing it then regurgitating it as popular thought, minus the deeper meaning and context.

Now I am not saying that this eating up of radical thought by the mainstream is wrong. And I am not saying that this process doesn’t  serving humanity or that it is toxic to humanity’s mass conciousness journey – or is it?

All I am trying to say is that  peripheral radical and unique creative elements  of human society are very essential to the overall wellbeing of the direction of humanity.

  • The Change Agency has one such website . While mainstream community environmental workers have undoubtedly helped the environmental “cause”, agencies such as the Change Agency dare to be that little bit different.
  • Radical Psychology - A Journal of Psychology, Politics, and Radicalism by the Radical Psychology Network is one such Journal Website. Questioning themselves in the mainstream flow of Psychological knowledge, they appear to be stretching the creative edge of Psychological reasoning and daring to bring their insights to public awareness.
  • R J Lifton – is one such individual. He has given value to the Artist and visionary, in the scheme of humanity facing mass destruction.
  • Daniel Goleman : Ecological Intelligence, Emotional Intelligence, Social Intelligence and Truth and Consequence

At ground level, I have seen this feasting on the radical edge, by popular mainstream movement, time and time again, within the environmental movement.

Examples are:

  • Organics mainstream:  served to us by popular word, offered as a buffet by supermarket giants and television presentations. To the side still lies true organics, offering a peaceful coexistence with nature that is in stark contrast to the mainstream rush at devouring the earth’s resources.
  • Landcare and other mainstream revegetation programs : that feed on weed infested sites, clearing and spraying their way to a new glorious habitat “presentation”, whilst often destroying delicately balanced micro habitats in the process. A diet of weeds can, in fact, be very healthy for a site that is being regenerated.
  • Mainstream Climate Change and Natural Resource Management  initiatives and products:  absentmindedly allowing us to buy and spend our way out of future environmental consequences whilst the real issues of “living like kings and gods”,  inequality for human rights and markets for weapons and lifestyles of mass destruction lay dormant in our irrational minds as we take our daily diet of mainstream news for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
  • Sustainability : a word so overused now, that it is a frequent term used by the very markets and processes that erode the earth’s environmental sustainability to describe their own financial longevity and practices.

So next time you race out to by the newest “green” product to sponsor a cause, “kill” off that grass with roundup to plant a new forest and decide to buy organic herbs packaged ever so nicely in their plastic container rather than pick your own home grown parsley – have a thought for your own radical psychology – then go to the edge, and THINK AGAIN.

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]]> http://bluecray.org/philosophy/radical-psychology-can-we-afford-to-live-without-it-27.01.2009/feed 2 Environmental Advocacy & the Mt Warning Caldera http://bluecray.org/advocacy/environmental-advocacy-the-mt-warning-caldera-04.05.2008 http://bluecray.org/advocacy/environmental-advocacy-the-mt-warning-caldera-04.05.2008#comments Sun, 04 May 2008 10:56:01 +0000 al http://bluecray.org/?p=52 ...»»]]> Environmental Advocacy within the Mt Warning Caldera Region

Environmental Advocacy within the Mt Warning Caldera Region on East Coast of Australia tells a story as old as human settlement itself. Currently, development pressures, lack of understanding of local habitat issues, a long history of land clearing, catchment flow alteration, aquifer non-management, unsustainable farming methods and human settlement consequences, within the Mt Warning Caldera Region, have compounded the need for widespread Environmental Advocacy.

The subsequent loss of biodiverse habitats, increasing threatened flora and fauna species and water quality issues have resulted in many community efforts to advocate for the unique ecological components of the Mt Warning Caldera Region.

Advocacy for the Environment has become a popularised issue for many people in recent times. However, there are still ill-informed land management practices occurring within the Mt Warning Caldera Region.

One major issue facing the Mt Warning Caldera Region is that, besides the Australian Federal Government, two State Governments (New South Wales & Queensland) hold legal custodianship, concerning Environmental Legislation, Policy Direction and Development Practices.

There are also a number of different Local Government Councils operating within the Region as well.

Environmental Advocacy Groups and Individuals have played an important role in preserving and enhancing the Mt Warning Caldera Region. Global Agreements, Federal and State Government Policies and Legislations from the last few decades of the 20th century have reflected the call for assistance by past and present Environmental Advocates. The Mt Warning Caldera Region has many Reserves, National Parks, environmental strategies and regional plans attached to it. Some of these Parks and Reserves have existed for many decades and others more recent. New species of flora and fauna are still being found in the Region. And development is still a contentious issue in many local areas of the Mt Warning Caldera.

It is also hoped that the legal issues that surround the Mt Warning Caldera Region may be better understood, by reading and studying some of the links below.

Environmental Advocacy can be done at many levels, from helping your neighbour create wildlife corridors, finding a recycling depot and letting others know about it, to writing to your local member or simply learning to respect the inherent values of biodiversity that remain within the Mt Warning Caldera Region.

“Burn out” is a common phrase found amongst certain Environmental Advocates. Often too much is done by too few. This form of Environmental Advocacy has been essential to bring the Region into the 21st century. Now it is up to each and every one of us to work out how we may play our part in Environmental Advocacy within the Mt Warning Caldera Region. No matter how simple or great our efforts are, we all play a part.

We all live here, breath the air, drink the water, share the spaces. Working together, and respecting one another, and listening to our different views, no matter how much we may disagree is part of the process.

One of the simplest Environmental Advocacy methods is to “do it in your own back yard”. So, have a go, create the vision and make a difference.

Advocacy Links

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