Qld State of Environment Reporting .

NSW State of Environment Report 2009 .

Australian Government State of the Environment Reporting

North Coast Bioregion (NE NSW and SE QLD, Australia)

Ongoing habitat clearing is a main cause of biodiversity loss in the Northern Rivers of NSW and in SE QLD. Habitat clearing, on large scale,  is done by wealthy corporations, individuals and governments that seek to create growth in the name of  “SUSTAINABILITY”. The habitat destroying infrastructures, developments and industries that are created by greedy, selfish people are usually created under the guise of  “Sustainable Enterprise“, Social wellbeing and more recently, saving the world.

B is for beauty,  wild bounty blessed
I is for insects, not seen as a pest
O only treads with respect on the ground
D dreams of nature’s deep secrets  and sounds
I is for instinct, information, ideas
V is variety, birds voices you hear
E is for earth, as it welcomes each day
R  respects  nature and its complex way
S is for  simple life, to use less is more
I instructs industry to respect nature’s law
T takes the time to heal our earth’s health
Y is young futures that share nature’s wealth

environmental advocacy collage showing Biodiversity, Bioenergy, Biofuels and Wisdom thereof, concerning the Northern Rivers, NSW, Australia approach to Camphor Laurel Habitat harvesting

The people who condone, support and profit from habitat destroying  infrastructures, industries and developments are seen to be holding money, power and prestige as their “God”. In the light of eternity, these moneybag people are the destroyers of earth’s biodiversity. They create lies and deceptions, social myths and fear agendas in an attempt to control the populations of Australia.

Bluecray calls these people “moneybags“.  They are often mean spirited people who pretend to be caring, loving and supporting of the future world for our youth. They are far from that.  The moneybag people are takers and userers. They act without honour. The moneybag people usually hold more possessions, land and monetary assets than others. Moneybag people support unequal distribution of wealth. Moneybag people create, support and profit from the insanity that is called war. Not all wealthy people are “moneybags”. Not all people fighting wars are “moneybags”.

The moneybag people are often hidden from public scrutiny or behind overwhelmingly complex  man made laws, technologies and physical barriers. The “LAWS” that the moneybag people create and support, on close scrutiny, are either against the founding laws of our Australian Nation or against International laws agreed upon to preserve the human rights of our innocent youth .

These moneybag people work against the Law of God and the Law of Nature. Often these moneybag people are seen to exhibit great religious self righteousness and Socially accepted responsibility. Often they have friends, associates  and colleagues who are also corrupt and greedy. These moneybag people profit from the victimisation, propaganda and powerplay of the average Australian citizen. They are often sociopaths. They often operate under the guise of being “needed” for the well being of the Australian people.

Moneybag people like to be “in CONTROL”…………of everything they can see, hear, feel, and think of. Moneybag people have been on earth for a long time, through many generations. They feed off  the “depowering” of individuals. They create people power structures and values via indoctrination, fear, propaganda and other manipulative human tools. Moneybag people create wars, insanity, suffering, co-dependent social structures, market based “realities” and toxic wastes to help with their survival.

The moneybag people are destroying our beautiful biodiverse world. In the end, all that they will destroy is their souls. Mostly, moneybag people know that what they are doing is wrong, evil, unfair, without honour. Mostly they have sociopathic sickness, that creates a false reality in their minds. They work hard to ignore that they are heading down the path towards their soul’s destruction. The harder they work to cover up their lies and false realities, the more others see them. Little children and animals see them for what they are, increasingly, these days. God always saw them, and always will see them for what they are.

said the “Powerful” moneybag………..

Peaceful koala asleep in your tree
can you find a new home?
‘cos I want this for ME!
My smart homes of luxury,
devices and cars
Can you find a new place please?
we’re beginning to tar
the roads to our golf courses, shops and afar
dear Koala, please move
‘cos I want this for me!

Iconic koala, so high in your tree
can you find a new home, cos your home pleases ME!
I know that since owning your home many years
my promise to plant more has gone in arrears
But my bank balance thins, and development’s slow
so dearest Koala – could you please go?
My token tree plantings show ALL that I care
My bulldozer mates made a nursery with flair
cleared ground, sterile landscape, is full of gum trees
waiting to plant out in near coming years

so, Koala please go
‘cos I want this for ME!

Maaate, Koala, climbing slowly, to tree top so high
could you please come down quickly, my bulldozer’s nigh
My authority’s sanctioned, I’ve owned this land years
So Koala, please come down, and please disappear

Hey Koala, dear icon, I’ve found a great zoo
I can put you in bars, charge a fortune to view
Now my lots are all ready, the buyers are here
So Koala, please answer – you’ve nothing to fear

I see that you’re ill, fevered, trembling and scarred
relocators are here, so don’t make this hard
How can you stay, when I’ve planned all my life
to get rich from your home. Stop giving ME strife!

Koala in MY tree, My lots worth much more
Please come down, I promise to plant trees – lots more
I promise, I will, though I know it takes time
my bank balance dwindles – it’s no longer PRIME
I need this development to help me spend more
on energy rich lifestyle that opens the door
To boys’ clubs, and honour, as I sponsor the host
to gaming, recreation, shopping centres and most
of the god given pleasures that make me prestige
I’m rich, and your poor – you’re out of my league

So Koala, marsupial, dwindling here
I’ve made millions from your home – and much more through next year
yes, Koala, I ignore that your sick, threatened, ill
cos this home is ALL MINE and the money’s a thrill

I’m hidden from scrutiny, my buddies back all
I’ve invested in infrastructures, parks and a mall
So, Koala – please leave here, and live by the road
While I wait at heaven’s gate, with my life soul’s great load

Oh koala – what’s this, you’ve escaped – now you’re here
In god’s arms, oh so peaceful now ’tis i have the fear
And god’s angels tell me, the gate here is closed
and my goods and great doings are ALL now MY LOAD
Dear god, can I pay you, my hotels, and shops,
my real estate legacies – though they’re all at a stop
But I promise, the trees, that I never got round
to planting – well, god, can I offer bare ground?

I see that the gates to the heavens stay shut
Oh god, please tell me why, I’m in purgatory’s rut?
My chattels and cargo, are heavy and bleak,
I am grand! I WANT heaven! what’s that? I’m not meek?

said the Koala……
w’ell you were warned, Maaaate

Concreting the Coastal 2003 : Clearing and Development Pressures on the NSW Coast 2003 Total Environment Centre PDF – this compiled resource by the TOTAL ENVIRONMENT CENTRE show problematic development, land clearing activity, approvals and proposals in coastal nsw 2002 -2003. It looks at the larger, more controversial, uncompleted developments at that time – (not the smaller, under the radar ones, nor the already completed ones). This is an excellent recent historic resource.

By working with Forests NSW to destructively harvesting Camphor Laurels as biofuels to create GREEN ENERGY. They are currently doing this in the TWEED SHIRE, NE NSW, Australia. The NSW Government and the Tweed Shire Council supports and approves of this “WAR on BIODIVERSITY”.

Note from Author:- I first wrote this article when the Bioenergy Habitat destruction was coming into full swing in Burringbar, NSW. Upon talking to locals recently (December 2011), what I had feared appears to be occurring. Those local machine operators who were contracted by the  ENTREPRENEURS  of this BIOENERGY MOVEMENT have apparently  been left high and dry with machinery that they have now limited use for, as the BIOENERGY clearfelling appears to have ceased, with funding withdrawn.

The local people, who were possibly promised much work, and may have been misled into investing heavily in machines for this failing enterprise now are without the envisaged work. Where does this leave them. ? Is it fair to have roped local people into such a disgraceful, unscientific and wastefully destructive enterprise?  Over-capitalizing in machinery for ignorant CARBON FARMING, CARBON MANAGEMENT, CARBON TRADING – CREDITS and OFFSETS etc is just one example of how this new “GREEN INDUSTRY” is potentially harmful in the long run. This can be particularly so for the little investor, the average local man or woman who is misled by ENTREPRENEURIAL HYPE.

Were these people adequately informed that this venture was based on highly  ignorant Land and Water Stewardship? Where do these locals sub-contractors go to from here? Is there support for them, given that they have probably been misinformed about the nature of the enterprise right from the start? Why weren’t these subcontractors and landholders adequately informed about the current LANDCARE information concerning gentle remedial approach to CAMPHOR forest management and native vegetation /habitat restoration and revegetation. If the camphor clear felling by bulldozers resulted in more agricultural land for cattle, where was the net benefit in CARBON MANAGEMENT? and WHERE was the follow up AUTHENTIC LAND AND WATER grazing land management promoted – improved pastures, appropriate fencing, native “vegetation corridors”, seed bank management (both for weeds and native vegetation), creek line restoration following the destruction of camphors along creek lines, sedimentation in creeks by bare soils created by the camphor clear felling. This list is pretty long. I shall stop here.

Some answers need to be given here. Who contracted who? Who spearheaded this waste of money, misuse of people’s  time, energy and local subcontractors’ and landholders’ investments? What happens to the landholders who were so badly informed as to  how to manage the Camphor Laurels on their land?

Perhaps the NSW Labour Party individuals, the Tweed Shire Councillors who supported and signed off on this venture, the Australian Government’s advisors and associated ENTREPRENEURS of this venture can give answers? Perhaps the Senator the Hon.  Penny Wong could find it in her heart to ask some questions as to why this venture was ever allowed to occur in the first place? We are all on a steep learning curve, here in Australia, concerning our LAND and WATER management skills. However, while we, as a country, can hopefully learn from our mistakes, it may be a good thing to at least honour those who have been severely misled, concerning the green harvest opportunities of clearfelling  Camphor Laurel forests with heavy machinery. This is especially so, when science and local knowledge pointed to it being a big mistake, right from the very beginning.

AND NOW.. back to the older 2010 articles:-

Forests NSW :- and their Sustainable Forestry Management statements including  their voluntary certification under the Australian Forestry Standard – AS 4708:2007 (AFS)

When this Australian Forestry Standard is agreed to, it means that the operations of the industry support SUSTAINABLE Forestry Management.

DISHONOUR:-  legal meaning of dishonour – this can include breach of faith, shame, nonadherence, noncompliance and LACK of PRINCIPLE

HOW does this Australian Forestry Standard stand with the environmental non-sustainability of destroying habitat -largely a key threatening process (in a region where many Australian native wildlife animals are already undergoing habitat destruction, habitat fragmentation and biodiversity loss pressures)?

• Biodiversity Impacts of Bioenergy Production: a modelling approach using GLOBIO Rob Alkemade, Mark van Oorschot, Nichel Bakkenes, Ben ten Brink, Lera Miles, Jorn Scharlemann . www.globio.info

• “How to reach an interdisciplinary research community“- Bioenergy as a Pilot study and “Map of expertise: previous studies related to bioenergy and biodiversity” . This website shows some recent information about Bioenergy and Forestry; Bioenergy and Agriculture. There is an informative PDF also : Impacts of biofuel production on biodiversity in Europe (ECNC; pdf-file, 4,3 Mb) 2008

• model climate law project discussion paper edo : policy and law reform Australian Climate Law .
• “The Value of Voluntary Simplicity” by Richard Gregg , published by Pendle Hill as Pendle Hill essays No 3 (1936)
• National Pollutant Inventory “The NPI  is based on similar international inventories known as pollutant release and transfer registers (PRTRs), which were developed in response to demand from community groups for greater access to information about industrial emissions in their local environment.“
• Australian Fugitive Emissions – You can find climate change links at this Parliament of Australia Parliamentary Library website.
• Fugitive Emissions at bluecray environmental search engine
• Biofuels and Biodiversity .
• The Convention on Biological Diversity .
• Environmental Justice Society – “environmentally conscious lawyers, doctors, scientists and campaigners who want to empower individuals and communities with the knowledge and resources to rally support and take action to bring negligent companies to account“
• North Coast Weeds Advisory Council – Camphor Laurel Kit – Chapter 4 – LEGISLATION & Chapter 9 – REGIONAL STRATEGIES.

ComLaw Act Compilations – Renewable Energy (Electricity) Act 2000 -      “The objects of this Act are:

• (a)    to encourage the additional generation of electricity from renewable sources; and

• (b)    to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases in the electricity sector; and

• (c)    to ensure that renewable energy sources are ecologically sustainable.“

Ecologically sustainable is defined in this above act as:-

• “ecologically sustainable means that an action is consistent with the following principles of ecologically sustainable development:
  (a)    decision?making processes should effectively integrate both long?term and short?term economic, environmental, social and equitable considerations;
  (b)    if there are threats of serious or irreversible environmental damage, lack of full scientific certainty should not be used as a reason for postponing measures to prevent environmental degradation;
  (c)    the principle of inter?generational equity, which is that the present generation should ensure that the health, diversity and productivity of the environment is maintained or enhanced for the benefit of future generations;
  (d)    the conservation of biological diversity and ecological integrity should be a fundamental consideration in decision?making;
  (e)    improved valuation, pricing and incentive mechanisms should be promoted.“

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

This “War on Biodiversity” is being carried out by clear felling native  (including endangered) wildlife habitats -  using many bulldozers, heavy machinery, trucks and other vehicles -  working  10 hours  per day, up to 6 days per week on private land. They have caused the habitats that they are clearing and demolishing,  to become bare, steep sloped exposed soil.

Environmental advocacy collage showing BIOENERGY (green energy) habitat destruction where the endangered Rufous Bettong lives, in Upper Burringbar, Tweed Shire, NE NSW (Mt Warning Caldera Region), AUSTRALIA. The Wallaby and Joey (to right) actually live in the “bioenergy” area you see being cleared. That is their home being destroyed in August/September 2010. The frog and snake also live only 500m away.  There are many snakes, frogs, birds, lizards, small marsupials, insects that lived and are still trying to survive in this clearing of habitat that is going on all about them. Three Richmond Birdwing Butterflies were seen 100m from the sites being cleared by bulldozers.

• “Converting stands of camphor laurel to rainforest” – here you will find some excellent information about “Current approaches to Camphor Control” and management-  (John Kanowski and Carla P.Catterall – Griffith University’s Centre for Innovative Conservation Strategies and the Northern Rivers CMA). The information given, shows that Camphor Laurel stands can contribute to biodiversity and if managed environmentally sustainably, can lead to increased biodiversity.

• Camphor Kit at NSW North Coast Weeds Advisory Committee

• Far North Coast Weeds – information about Camphor Laurel Management .

• Bioenergy at wikipedia

• Regional Development Australia – Northern Rivers :- and their Timber and Forestry Information for the Northern Rivers, NSW. This information includes the PDF :-  From Pest to Profit. Prospectus for the commercial utilisation of camphor laurel in the Northern Rivers region of NSW.
• “Power Energy From Renewable Energy Sources” – article at Sunshine Sugar stating that  “The project is one of the largest renewable electricity generation projects currently underway in Australia and from mid-2007 at Condong and late 2007 at Broadwater, these two generators will supply the total electricity needs of the towns of Lismore, Casino, Ballina, Byron Bay and Murwillumbah – all from accredited renewable fuel sources.“
• “Green Power” Landline 28th November 2008 (Pip Courtney)
• “Tree Harvests not so Sweet” article at the Northern Star by Dominic Feain 11th January 2010 – Lorraine Vass (President of  Friends of the Koala) was quoted as saying that the Camphor Laurel clearing was increasingly happening and ““It’s becoming very obvious driving around the region, and we are deeply concerned about damage to biodiversity, habitat for significant species, soil erosion and the risk of further weed infestation.”" The article goes on to state that there was an urgent need to reassess Camphor Laurel management and clearing due to the Ecological and habitat issues surrounding the increased clearing rates.

IN CONTRAST to Authentic Land and Water Stewardship and authentic ecologically sustainable land management, the following has been observed concerning the Bioenergy, Green Fuel  and NSW Forestry approach to Camphor Laurel management:-

Very little native wildlife HABITAT is left, where they have carried out their destructive work. They then, prepare the vegetation they have  taken, (via habitat destruction of endangered species habitats), into vaste piles of  “BIOFUEL” – or camphor laurel chip/dust, which is then trucked away to their storage areas for conversion to 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.

Burning of vegetation is also occurring onsite, with the smell of Camphour Laurel burning weeks on end. Camphour Laurel is known to produce TOXINS that may cause  illnesses and health problems in humans, and probably animals as well. This is a disputed scientific agenda that has become somewhat of a red herring in the case of the management of Camphor Laurel.

• Camphor laurel (Cinnamomum camphora) most toxic chemotypes – rejection of key threatening process listing .

Bluecray reminds anyone that is experiencing health issues due to dust, smoke and related water contamination from this War on Biodiversity to consult their Doctor, and register their situation. Native wildlife that experience health problems, including death of their family members, unfortunately, have no one to tell – no one to go to for help – and indeed, no home either. Bluecray suggests that the benefits of current Camphor Laurel populations for native wildlife habitat survival outway the “toxins” considerations, when taken into the context of having either Camphor laurel stands that are regenerating habitat areas in highly disturbed landscapes or clear felled, bare landscapes, with limited habitat value, and disturbed soils immediately vulnerable to increased weed emergence and growth.

The Broadwater Action Group Ltd bravely took the Richmond Valley Council, and the NSW Suger Milling Co-operative Limited to the NSW Land and Environment Court in 2003, attempting to contain this destructive, toxic and high energy form of harvesting biofuels.

Many – most- conservation groups in NSW will be aware of this issue, and some will have documents concerning the issues of clearfelling native wildlife habitat, under the guise of “green energy” and “weed management”.

BIOENERGY AUSTRALIA -  and its  MEMBERS .

National Strategy for Ecologically Sustainable Development at Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts :-Objective 16.2 is “to incorporate ESD principles as a fundamental objective of relevant government authorities involved in economic, environmental and social decision making” . By this objective,  Governments   WILL “incorporate ESD principles into the objectives of relevant legislation as appropriate, particularly for legislation concerning natural resource use and management”

Energy and Water at the Public Interest Advocacy Centre .

biofuelsaustralasia.com.au :- “Farmers welcome move to turn noxious weed into biofuel”

thinkgrowsustain.com :- Future Focus – current information on green tech and green technology projects in Australia:-

• 9. Innovation in harvesting, processing and transporting camphor laurel “It is proposed to harvest and deliver at least the equivalent of 40,000 green tonnes of camphor laurel over a two-year trial period. If successful, the system will be expanded in an endeavour to control the several million tonnes of camphor laurel estimated to be standing on the north coast of New South Wales.“   “With the assistance of a $500,000 grant under the Renewable Energy Commercialisation Program, camphor laurel will be harvested to supply efficient year-round energy production for the power station at Condong sugar mill. The project stems from an innovative idea put forward by State Forests of NSW and is co-funded by the NSW Wales Sugar Milling Co-operative and Delta Electricity.“

• 11. Factory- based “cane trash” separation system .

DISHONOUR:-  legal meaning of dishonour – this can include breach of faith, shame, nonadherence, noncompliance and LACK of PRINCIPLE

The Wallaby in the above photo has been seen living in the area where the work is being done for BIOENERGY. There are many birds that use the area  being cleared. The Spangled Drongos have just arrived, the wrens and scrub birds are building nests. I see these birds each day, and they used the area being cleared as habitat…many species fauna flora, being killed and moved away, stressed, surviving. I have seen at least two Rufous Bettongs 500m from the Bioenergy extraction and processing work. Wompoo and Rose-crowned Fruit Doves have also been seen in the areas being cleared, prior to clearing.

AUSTRALIAN CENTRE FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY . Programs at the Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism . They said ontheir ENERGY page:-

“The Australian Government is committed to the provision of adequate, reliable and affordable energy to meet future energy consumption needs and to underpin strong economic growth, consistent with the principles of environmental responsibility and sustainable development. “

BIODIVERSITY THREAT + HABITAT CLEARING  =   ??

Soil Degradation  + Habitat Loss  =  ??

BIODIVERSITY LOSS  + CARBON STORAGE LOSS  =  ???

THREATENING PROCESS  + DECREASING CARBON STORAGE   = ?????

• Your “GREEN ENERGY” money that you pay is going into NOT WHAT YOU THINK . You Green energy money may  be going into HABITAT CLEARING, BIODIVERSITY LOSS and IMMEDIATE release of Carbon via bulldozers, machinery, habitat clearing and biodiversity loss. This is because of?
• What about the Law. Where is the contract here?  There are farmers, landholders and heavy machinery local contracters who have been very ill advised, concerning this method of “green energy harvests”. There is a certain shame attached to those who have ill advised these local landholders and contracters/subcontractors. Perhaps some of these people should examine the basis of their contract. Especially in the light that this industry will eventually prove to be environmentally harmful. It may prove to be socially and regionally economically harmful to those who, as local individuals, have invested in this form of harvest, under the ill-advised guidance of corporate (overseas and Australian) opportunistic green energy “entities”. These “entities”  have clearly carried and acted out a lack of due regard and care  for those locals,  who have invested in heavy machinery and land clearing, following advise from these opportunistic CORPORATE ENTITIES. Not to mention the lack of care to the environment, wildlife habitats and ecosystems of the TWEED SHIRE.
• Who contracted WHO to do this work? The NSW Government and the Tweed Shire Government have answers here.  The Land and Environment Court could possibly see this type of work in a very clear way? Judges working with contract /common law areas?  How would they view this? I am not a lawyer, but it would seem that there is something not honourable in this approach to BIOENERGY. Somewhere, the process has become NOT what it should be.

Camphor Laurel Abundance in the Tweed Shire 2004:- (map3A.pdf) -

Northern Rivers Invasive Plants Action Strategy 2009-2013 for the use of all public and private land managers

NSW Industry and Investment/ NSW DPI  fact sheet 733 – Camphor Laurel PDF and Noxious Weed Declarations showing an extract of the LEGAL REQUIREMENTS from the Noxious Weeds Declaration Data base (This web page provides access to the details of weeds declared in New South Wales, Australia under the Noxious Weeds Act 1993. The information is taken from the Orders published in the Government Gazette. The Order lists the weed, the control class and the control requirements for each species declared in a Local Control Area.)

CLEARING VEGETATION – EDO Fact Sheet 5.3

Native Vegetation Management and Clearing at NSW Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water.

Native Vegetation Act 2003 – Public Register – what is it? NSW Government

the DECCW’s Public Register LINK is HERE .

Many semi trailers of Camphor Laurel “dusty ground fibres” taken away to the Green Energy Storage, each day  – at Condong Mill?? Murwillumbah

In bluecray’s article “Weeds, Biodiversity and Australia’s Land and Water Stewardship Practices (17th November, 2009), you will find some of the principles of Weed Management that are largely ignored by mainstream land and water custodians. There is reference to:-

“Converting stands of camphor laurel to rainforest” – here you will find some excellent information about “Current approaches to Camphor Control” and management-  (John Kanowski and Carla P.Catterall – Griffith University’s Centre for Innovative Conservation Strategies and the Northern Rivers CMA)

The Tweed Shire and NSW Government is allowing mass clearing of Camphor Laurel Vegetation communities and Native wildlife HABITATS across the Tweed Shire, in the name of “GREEN ENERGY”.  The immediate results are bare lands, native flora and fauna losses, multiple localised biodiversity losses, loss of seedbank containing native vegetation, loss of the humus layer that is essential for soil health and loss of ( carbon storing) soil holding tree root systems across steep sloping land, in the foothills of the Burringbar Range.

Some of this destructive habitat loss, being engineered by local land owners, eco clearing consultants, machine operators, the Tweed Shire Council, Northern Rivers Catchment Management Authority, National Parks and Wildlife NSW, Condong Mill, Sunshine Electricity, Delta Energy, the NSW Government and the Australian Government (to name some of the groups involved in this mass biodiversity and native wildlife habitat destruction)  includes HABITATS of ENDANGERED SPECIES.

As far as I know, ground trials for this type of work began over ten years ago, at least, if not further back. (Still gathering information here). Also, regulation of this type of INDUSTRY (Bioenergy) possibly operates against  the laws concerning destruction of habitats that relate to the well being of endangered species in NSW.

Office of the Renewable Energy Regulator .

Land and Environment Court NSW .

You can access the Vegetation pages for Tweed Shire here, and download the Camphor Laurel Abundance PDF for the Tweed Shire  at  Tweed Shire Council Flora and Fauna Management : Includes PDF’s on Vegetation Management Strategy ; Vegetation Types and Communities ; Camphor Laurel Abundance ; Koala Sightings ; Soil Landscapes, Steep Land and Drainage Lines ; Ecological Values and Rehabilitation Priorities

• “Fence jumping weeds kill NSW’s natural biodiversity” article at WWF – Garden plants that have escaped into the wild make up 69 per cent of Australia’s population of threatening weeds. Of the 127 individual weed species identified as threatening NSW biodiversity, 82 were deliberately introduced as ornamental plants and 56 of these are still available for purchase in Australia“   The editor of WWF article reminds us “The threat posed by weeds to Australia flora and fauna as a single factor is second only to land clearing.”

Camphor Laurel is a CLASS 4 Noxious Weed. More info about Class 4 Noxious Weeds can be found in the bluecray environmental search .

Bluecray has commenced a new campaign concerning this type of approach to ENERGY CONSUMPTION, Marketing and production, due to perceived destructive consequences on local habitat and biodiversity within the Mt Warning Caldera Region of NE NSW and SE QLD.

This article has been written to help explain Biodiversity, Bioenergy, Biofuels the Wisdom therein – and how this all relates to the Mt Warning Caldera Region of NE NSW and SE QLD.  Bluecray will endeavour to show how the current approach to harvesting certain biofuels will promote net increased atmospheric carbon release, net carbon storage loss, on a local level, and direct loss of biodiversity in the immediate and possibly short & long term future.

Bluecray also QUESTIONS the FOLLOWING ways

• that the current, above “green energy” extraction of Camphor Laurel demonstrates an illegal act,
• that the way some land holders in the Tweed shire have permitted these actions, demonstrates either an illegal act, or has been done following professional consultation that has advised illegal acts
• that way that the Tweed Shire Council and the NSW Government has permitted and endorsed these Camphor Laurel Extraction Industries could be shown to be  illegal. Bluecray believes that the extraction process for Camphor Laurels, as done in the Tweed Shire, for BIOENERGY contravenes current laws and agreements in place, within Australia and Internationally.

Bluecray will welcome any discussion about these matters, as many minds make a greater “wit”, and it is With Intelligent Thought, that perhaps the perceivable outcomes of this current “War on Biodiversity” can be led to armistice.

Firstly, to help you with some ecological and environmental background:-

“potential value of weedy regrowth for rainforest restoration” -

Loss of Biodiversity – at bluecray environmental search engine.

Evolution and Development of a Code for Private Native Forestry in New South Wales, Australia – search results at bluecray environmental search engine – some of these links may help you understand the current, evolving state of play concerning Private Forestry practices

It is hoped, that with this series of articles, the people who have been affected  by or advocated against this habitat destroying activity by bioenergy entities, will become better informed as to the legal venues which they can use to create a legal argument that will lead to a moratorium and injunction on this form of Camphor Laurel habitat clearing, until it is further understood within the full scope of BIODIVERSITY and ENERGY use in NE NSW and SE QLD (and beyond).

Some of the people who are operating in this industry could lose  income through this action, and so it should be seen as important that decisions to halt this Camphor Laurel extraction not be taken lightly. In fact, in preference to injunction and moratorium, these people who are engaged in this industry should be employed, rather, to work towards habitat restoration in a legal, and environmentally sustainable way. However, the “might is right” tendencies of the Corporate energy groups may chose not to agree, as their profits, projected agreed quotas and economic viability may be at risk. Corporations and agencies need to think outside the square and work within Authentic Land and Water Stewardship Principles. They could perhaps do some sums and work out a more cost effective, environmentally sustainable way to create fuel from biowaste and living organic matter.

NSW Constitution : about the Land and Environment Court – extract from a Chief Judge (Mahla Pearlman) Land and Environment Court of New South Wales Paper entitled “The Role and Operation of  The Land and Environment Court of New South Wales”

“The Forgotten Forests the environmental regulation of forestry on private land in NSW between 1997 and 2002 by James Prest,  University  of Wollongong 2003:- the paper can be found at Research Online http://ro.uow.edu.au/theses/413 .

The Pursuit of Practical Wisdom by vice-chancellor Steven Schwartz, of Macquarie University. (August 25th 2010).  ”Wise up: Restoring wisdom to Universities” .

A final word here, for this first article of bluecrays’ journey into the world of BIODIVERSITY, BIOENERGY, BIOFUELS and WISDOM:-

Court Cases, Lawyers, Corporations, individual workers, politicians, beaurocratic representatives can all be tied up , very expensively, in COURT ROOM SCENARIOS. Bluecray believes that it is better to educate, advocate, honour individuals’ Constitutional rights and the rights of individuals, under the LAWS of GOD and NATURE, over the seemingly endlessly increasing LAWS of COMMERCE and ENVIRONMENTAL LAW.

It is better to change our ways, accept that we have done wrong, and move ahead speedily, in a creative and harmonious way, than to stop, argue, debate endlessly and waste valuable resources of the people of Australia.

• 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“  – this ARTICLE  describes the habitat that the Rufous Bettongs have been seen and heard in, over the past years, adjacent to habitat destruction being conducted by NSW “green energy groups and individual landholders; “Goanna leaves the glyphosate bank, the butterflies leave too” and   “Wildlife leaves glyphosate bank – finds refuge in organic garden“.
• Habitat Loss /Change :- key threatening process (NSW GOVERNMENT) .
  

Bluecray also believes, however, that one of the most powerful and important resources available to the people of Australia, is its BIODIVERSITY and WISDOM thereof.

tread lightly, my friends. Alison Polistchuk

……..about 17 years ago, I was invited to be part of a steering committee for developing protocols re clearing under powerlines in Queensland – the big powerlines that you see transversing the landscape, bringing power to your locality. Back then, environmental considerations were deemed of minimum importance, when it came to electricity, power generation, and land and water stewardship management issues. I suggested back then that heavy machinery operators should be given training in a national standards approach to habitat management issues and understanding of soil/natural vegetation dynamics. The idea fell on deaf ears, and today, the idea is still, apparently considered non essential for heavy machinery operators within the elctricity/power industries. As I write this, the bulldozers are still relentlessly killing and destroying poor Rufous Bettongs’ habitat, and the habitats, homes and food sources of our other precious little native animals. Shame on you, NSW Government. Shame on you, Tweed Shire Council, Shame on you Bioenergy providers.  Mammals – marsupials, are disappearing at an unprecedented rate in Australia, and still the emperors of power play their tunes of glory.

The above picture of habitat destruction in the Tweed Shire, by the extraction of Camphor Laurel creates immediate loss of carbon storage that may take many years to replace. THIS form of harvesting habitat trees under the name of “weed management” is based on high energy inputs with immediate habitat, wildlife and native emergent flora losses. There are documented scientific research articles, as well as in principle demonstrations that show this to be a destructive and wasteful, non sustainable approach to energy resource management.

Conservation of Australia’s BIODIVERSITY at Australian DEWHA

The Precautionary Principle . OnlyOnePlanet

The Rainforest Information Centre .

Australian Government State of the Environment Reporting . and BIODIVERSITY .

Habitat advocate – Habitatadvocate.com.au

Public Interest Advocacy Centre :- “The Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) is an independent, non-profit law and policy organisation that works for a fair, just and democratic society, empowering citizens, consumers and communities by taking strategic action on public interest issues. ”

Total Environment Centre .

a balance of faeries :- you will find bluecray’s story “A Balance of Faeries” here – telling the true story of how bulldozers and fuels, powered together with mankind’s lack of WISDOM, results in loss of the smaller, essential biological components of our wonderful Australian landscapes. This makes the degraded landscapes lose their biodiversity, and lessens the landscape’s ability to withstand the greater forces of nature- wind, sun, heat, cold, fire, rain, flood etc.

Loss of Hollow-bearing Trees – key threatening process determination:-

(a) it adversely affects threatened species, populations or ecological communities, or
(b) could cause species, populations or ecological communities that are not threatened to become threatened.

“Trees retained during harvest are susceptible to damage from logging operations and post-harvest burning, or can suffer poor health owing to changes in abiotic conditions (Gibbons and Lindenmayer 2002). Consequently, retained trees are prone to early mortality, especially with repeated exposure to harvesting events over their lifespan. Prescriptions for forestry operations also stipulate that young trees are retained for long-term replacement of hollow-bearing trees, typically with one recruit for every hollow-bearing tree. The age structure in natural forests, where recruitment and loss of mature trees is at equilibrium, indicates that only a small proportion of younger trees survive to reach maturity. A ratio of one-to-one will be inadequate in itself to sustain the stipulated minimum densities of hollow-bearing trees in harvested areas. In addition, the average age of hollow-bearing trees in harvested areas will continue to decrease as the few remaining very old trees die. Trees are also retained in areas excluded from harvesting, such as along drainage lines, with the aim of creating a matrix of harvested and non-harvested areas. In the longer term as trees mature in exclusion zones they will help to provide hollows across production forest landscapes, yet their usefulness to fauna is affected by the reduction in hollows and the quality of foraging habitat in the surrounding forest.” from http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/determinations/lossofhollowtreesktp.htm

DISHONOUR:-  legal meaning of dishonour – this can include breach of faith, shame, nonadherence, noncompliance and LACK of PRINCIPLE

“Ecologically Sustainable Development: Legal Principles “  a paper by Justice Peter Biscoe, Land and Environment Court of New South Wales delivered on 15 April 2009 to the postgraduate course in Environmental Law and Policy conducted by the Institute of Environmental Studies at the University of New South Wales .

NSW  Sugar Industry Renewable Electricity Generation : a case study presented by the University of Ballarat. This Case Study explains the processes involved in creating the NSW Sugar Industry Renewable Electricity Generation.

• It shows timelines and technical information that is easy to understand. It is well presented and worth a read. Unfortunately, it does not indicate the ecological significance of clearing Camphor Laurel on a large and lengthy scale, as is being done in the Northern Rivers Shires in NE NSW, Australia for renewable electricity generation. There is a link to the environmental impact statement for the Broadwater Biomass Cogeneration Proposal (I couldn’t get it to work, though).
• It also does not show the calculations concerning the energy that is required to create the “green fuel” from Camphor Laurels and the “energy calculations” for the loss of biodiversity and ecological sustainability  from systems being destroyed by camphor extraction.
• It does not show calculations for biodiversity and carbon storage losses such as carbon storage in root systems, trunks, stems etc , soil and seed bank sustainability factors and calculations relating to individual habitat threatening processes, the loss of native flora and fauna in the extraction process and soil degradation calculations.  These calculations, when compared to the time and energy that it will take to repair the camphor extraction sites, once the machinery and trees have gone, would be interesting to see.

EDO Scientific advice and fact sheets : here you will find helpful info regarding “how to review an air quality assessment & how to calculate the greenhouse gas emissions associated with development proposals, with a focus on coal mines.”

photo of  how your green energy is made by NSW  Sugar Industry Renewable Electricity Generation – Burringbar, Northern Rivers, NSW, Australia

WAKE UP!!!

Wilderness Society “Would you burn their homes to power yours?” “An absurd loophole in the federal legislation means that burning forests is eligible for the same Renewable Energy Certificates as power generated from the sun and wind.” All over the world, people are beginning to realise that the use of Bioenergy, Biofuels and Habitat Clearing for Energy Consumption is causing mass destruction of BIODIVERSITY.

The Australian Federal Government will eventually come to realise – and already SHOULD KNOW – that this type of Habitat Clearing will have net biodiversity loss in the near and far future. The “credentialled” advisors and consultants, eco clearing “tradespeople” and environmental advisors who recommend such Habitat Clearing carry with them liability that will eventually lead them to having to rectify and compensate for the damage that they have profited by.

Profits from misleading the general public and landholders about the biofuel industry, under the guise of clearing rubbish vegetation, noxious weeds and providing clean green fuel will not be enough to pay for the eventual regeneration works that will be required to remediate the habitat destruction that has been promoted by their unscientific, adhoc industry. Once a habitat, that has taken over thirty years to evolve,  is cleared it cannot be repaired in a few years. It can take a lifetime. In the case of clearing endangered species habitat, complete repair may never occur again, ever, as the endangered species may have disappear forever before the repair is done. This is part of the precautionary principle’s essence. Taking due care.

We hear about these dreadful things that are happening in our world  – fires, floods,  droughts,  earthquakes,  war,   oil / gas disasters, species extinction, habitat loss,  increasing pollutions and nuclear threat, but often, we are so busy in our own little world, that all these things seem far away from the safety of our homes here.  Living safely in our homes, we also forget that there are many homeless families and individuals in Australia.

Homeless Persons’ Legal Service .

youhaveafriend.org.au – sign the petition here to help the Tweed get a drop in centre for homeless people. The Tweed district has the highest per capita homeless rate in NSW, Australia. “homeless forced to camp on the street” article in Tweed Shire Echo 7th October 2010

The ACE Study – “Bridging the gap between childhood trauma and negative consequences later in life” Adverse Childhood Experiences Study & Score

Public Interest Advocacy Centre :- “The Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) is an independent, non-profit law and policy organisation that works for a fair, just and democratic society, empowering citizens, consumers and communities by taking strategic action on public interest issues. “

Below is a poem about a mother and her young son. In the poem, the mother is looking after her son with love and care, teaching him all she knows…..but harsh circumstances prevail  upon her and and, uprooted from her home, she endeavours to find a new place to live with her son….

I will protect you and teach you……..

(an environmental advocacy  poem )

“For you, little young one, as you sleep with your dreams
cradled in arms of protection, it seems
that your future on earth faces heat, drought and less
than the past futures made by “them” leaving this mess.”

“I cry for your children, your hopes dreams and cares
As mysterious moneymen count ill gotten fares.
The userers wallow in time stole from you
Masked wasters of life , toxic moneys accrued.”

“You stir as  the night owl glides from its tree
And the howling of dogs surrounds you and me
My arms close  about you, ancestral strength
I’ll protect you and feed you,  I’ll teach you at length”

“Now waken my dear one, the night closes in
And it’s time that we moved through this forest -so thin
We’ll find a tall tree where the shelter is safe
To keep us till morn – ”

They moved on in good faith.

Following tracks, the mother  showed son
what she’d learnt and had followed when she had been young
But tracks, trees and wetlands – were now tarred concrete
It went on for miles,  it hurt their bare feet.

“For you, my dear young one, hold fast on my back
I promised to lead you, but I’ve lost my old track
The morning approaches, dogs bark -  so near
My darling – please waken – I smell a great fear”

The mother and child then ran for their lives
straddling a fence and cut by the wires.
The fierce dogs chased them and hounded them hard
as a tall tree loomed up – unfenced in its yard

Scrambling treeward  they climbed, then looked down
three dogs barked out loudly with dark dogged frown
Up in the tree, confused,  bleary eyed
Mother cradled her child -  with full strength of the wild.

.  … ….    ….   .   ….    …. …  .

It was a crisp winter’s morning……..a young child woke up and looked out of her window.

(She had woken suddenly from a nightmare, where, as she played in a faery glade,  large fierce dogs came to attack her.  In her dream, she had run into a tall building where smiling business suited men , dripping with oil and tar, offered her suitcases filled with plastic money . )

The young child cried out to her mother,  “Oh Mother – look see – a Koala is in our tree!! Oh, Mama, I think it has a baby with it!!!”

Concreting the Coastal 2003 : Clearing and Development Pressures on the NSW Coast 2003 Total Environment Centre PDF – this compiled resource by the TOTAL ENVIRONMENT CENTRE show problematic development, land clearing activity, approvals and proposals in coastal nsw 2002 -2003. It looks at the larger, more controversial, uncompleted developments at that time – (not the smaller, under the radar ones, nor the already completed ones). This is an excellent recent historic resource.

“I will Jail you and Feed you” – Balance of Faeries article at bluecray.wordpress.com – includes links to help you understand SEPP’s for NSW Koala Plan of Management.

Clearing the habit of Habitat Clearing .

“Koala warning ignored in assessment” article at Tweed Shire Echo 30th September 2010 which states:- “A draft habitat study which warned about the plight of the Tweed’s dwindling koala population had been kept secret by Tweed Council while the state government assessed the controversial township of Kings Forest which it recently approved”

SEPP 44 koala plan of management – search results bluecray environmental search

State Environmental Planning Policy 44 - Koala Plan of Management – NSW  Consolidated Regulations

Below is some Koala Legislation, policy, koala advocacy, habitat management information for NE NSW and SE QLD, Australia:-

(not exhaustive, but includes links to some current (2010)  ways in which the governments of Australia steer people and their industries  to save the Koala on the east coast of Australia from increasingly localised Extinction -  habitat clearing and koala corridor destruction-  death and illness.)

• Spatiotemporal dynamics of habitat use by koalas: the checkerboard model .   William A.H. Ellis, Alistair Melzer, Fred B. Berkovitch  Behavioural Ecology and Sociobiology Volume 63, number 8,1181-1188, DOI: 10.1007/s00265-009-0761-2.           find at http://cat.inist.fr/ or   SpringerLink .  Published online 31st March 2009 – the keywords are :-  foraging strategies , koalas , phascolarctos, resource use, spatial ecology, home range.

• Bluecray now has a number of Koala Articles and LINKS to Koala info, and so searching the KEYWORDS and using the Bluecray Environmental Search Engine may turn up more info to help you understand.

joint submission prepared by the North Coast Environment Council and the NSW Nature Conservation Council:- Re: Phascolarctos cinereus (Koala) – Assessment of Koala’s eligibility for listing as a threatened species under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999

Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) EPBC Act nomination to list as a threatened species , ( link disappeared!.. like the Koala?)  at Australian Government Department of  the Environment, Water, Heritage & the Arts.  FIND  the KOALA info the Australian Government makes available…..

by searching for KOALA listings  at the Australian Government Department of  the Environment, Water, Heritage & the Arts.

• Threatened Species Scientific Committee assessment of the koala – Australian Environment Minister Peter Garrett Interview with Annie Gaffney ABC Sunshine and Cooloola Coasts         25 May 2010

NCC of NSW = Nature Conservation Council of NSW – their Assessment of Koala’s eligibility for listing as a threatened species under EPBC Act 16th June 2010

KOALA at Qld Government Department of Environment and Resource Management .

KOALA Response Strategy at Qld Government Department of Environment and Resource Management – this link has the following information, mostly  in PDF format :-

• South East Queensland Koala Conservation State Planning Regulatory Provision

• State Planning Policy 2/10: Koala Conservation in South East Queensland

• Offsets for Net Gain of Koala Habitat in South East Queensland Policy

There is also the following information:-

• The  State Government Supported Community Infrastructure Koala Conservation Policy .
• Koala Habitat Mapping .  This section deals with the 2009 SEQ Koala Habitat Values Assessment map & the GHD Report: SEQ Koala Habitat Assessment and Mapping Project .
• Koala Habitat Programs :- This Koala Habitat Program is focusing on the Koala Nature Refuges Program.

I am not sure as to what “on the ground IMMEDIATE SOLUTIONS ” to the plight of the Koala all these initiatives are creating.

The information about koala habitats and the capacity to create useful extension tools and outreach programs for KOALA GUARDIANS and koala future wellbeing has been about for decades. Whilst new techniques, scientific studies and all typesof “credentialled experts” and authentic Koala HABITAT guardians have contributed to this “new approach” from the Qld Government, the fact remains that Koalas are and HAVE disappeared from many KOALA HABITAT areas in SE QLD and NE NSW. KOALAS are, right NOW, and in the near forseeable future, GREATLY AT RISK

The above poem about habitat destruction and its consequences on wildlife mothers and their young shows us that the education of young wildlife by their parents can be very stressful in a constantly changing environment. This is especially so when the native fauna habitat is destroyed or altered dramatically. Non environmentally sustainable development and its related infrastructure nightmare in SE QLD and NE NSW are two of the many factors destroying habitat for native Australian wildlife.

BIODIVERSITY LINKS : -  some useful  links for Biodiversity, Flora, Fauna, Koalas, Ecology and Catchment Management  (NE NSW and SE QLD – Mt Warning Caldera Region)

Animal Law Centre :- nice animal advocacy site – giving an overview of Animal Law in Australia – references and links to Australian and State legislation. Includes animal law and the Australian Constitution, enforcements and threatened species laws in Australian States

KOALA SCHOOL

Biodiversity Certification :  enabling ” local government in areas with high development pressure to provide for the protection of biodiversity, including threatened species at the strategic planning stage. These are likely to be mainly urban and coastal areas.

Certification can switch off the need for threatened species assessment under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, providing more certainty for local government, development applicants and other stakeholders. Biodiversity must be improved or maintained for certification to be conferred. ” from environment.nsw.gov.au  – biodiversity certification”

More plans, more paperwork, more “expert opinion” and re-hashing of studies, more re-arrangements of habitats and ecosystems to justify heavy machinery handling and toxic lifestyles???? hard to say, but more than likely it is going to be the same as it always is……. better to focus on education of our young in environmentally friendly ways of living… then, instead of  regulations, paperworks, endless time and money spent on professional “spin”, people may just end up walking gently with the earth….

PLANNING GUIDELINES FOR KOALA CONSERVATION AND RECOVERY – C McAlpine – 2007:- search results bluecray environmental search engine

Advocacy for Animals at Encyclopaedia Britannica and Kangaroo Culling .

Wildife – Native Australian Wildlife Advocacy at (We)  can do better .

Meanwhile, at Kingscliff,NE NSW:-  large developments (that will further fragment our native wildlife habitats) are planned nearby (Kings Forest, Cobaki Lakes ) and the sea is moving inwards – “Hungry Mother Nature bares her teeth” -  infrastructure damage at Kingscliff on the NSW North Coast -  by coastal erosion (2010): SMH article by Saffron Howden

Kingscliff battles beach erosion (story 11th august 2010):- at ABC local + other local beach coastal erosion stories from NE NSW (Tweed and Byron shires)

the above environmental advocacy images by al at bluecray

Tread lightly, honour the earth – it is the only home we have.

..                             and now,

for some philosophical freedom food

TRY

*******************FREEDOMAIN RADIO***************

blogs + philosophy + podcast+ videos +philosophical conversations….

“The Bomb in the Brain”

Human Contraptions: Episode Guide - “Academy Award-winning animator and political cartoonist Bruce Petty takes us on an anarchic journey for five minutes each” topic.

Ideas Serving Knowledge and Vision .  Some astrobabble for the anarchist – Includes Australian Federation Astrological Chart.

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.

• ” The Roles of Biodiversity in Creating and Maintaining the Ecosphere” by Ted Mosquin .
• National Weed Incursion TOOLKIT can be found at Weeds Australia .
• National Weed Incursion Response Plan at Weeds Australia .
• Weed Warriors : “Weed Warriors program is adaptive to all levels of education however the program is most often targeted at grades 3 to 6 in primary schools and years 7 –9 in secondary schools.” – whilst having some great info, this NSW website has very conventional vision – highlights how lack of practical level environmentally sustainable teachings can be fostered by inappropriate educational vision.
• Weeds and Biodiversity : search results at bluecray customised environmental search engine (remember- some more recent info will also be available, if you take the time to look in recent journal publications and Government/CSIRO updates)
• Ranking priority environmental weeds for biodiversity conservation in NSW:- Search for Regional weeds Management Priorities at  the NSW Office of environment and Heritage.  AND –  “Ten Worst Weeds” in the Gold Coast City Council Area, SE QLD .
• “Converting stands of camphor laurel to rainforest” – here you will find some excellent information about Camphor Laurel management (John Kanowski and Carla P.Catterall – Griffith University’s Centre for Innovative Conservation Strategies and the Northern Rivers CMA)
• Camphor Laurel Abundance in the Tweed Shire 2004:- (map3A.pdf) -

• 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“.
  

• BIOENERGY AUSTRALIA -  and its  MEMBERS .

• Invasive Weeds at Australian Botany Pages (ANBG) and Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research (CPBR) (includes article on Bitou Bush)
• Byron Environment Centre’s “weed control without chemicals” articles (4 in all), by Geoff Dawe can be found HERE .
• “Clearing the Habit of Habitat Clearing” :- bluecray article at Wisdom in the Land blog
• Animal-Plant Interactions in Rainforest Conservation and Restoration – Rainforest CRC proceedings – workshop 11th November  2003 and a few other interesting links
• Monitoring Revegetation Projects for Biodiversity in Rainforest Landscapes (Rainforest CRC Report 51) John Kanowski and Carla P. Catterall ISBN 0 86443 767 6
• Society for Ecological Restoration International : “to promote ecological restoration as a means of sustaining the diversity of life on Earth and reestablishing an ecologically healthy relationship between nature and culture.”
• The Ecology Centre – University of Queensland, Australia
• Plant Nurseries and the Australian Nursery Industry have much more to offer in the way of some  gentle, energy efficient weed management solutions. Sustainable management solutions!  The growing of local provenance and provincial native plant species and seed for sale is one of the best answers that a Nursery can offer, when it comes to helping Land and Water Stewards (Environmental Stewards).
• Northern Rivers Invasive Plants Action Strategy 2009 – 2013 NE NSW for the use of all Public and Private land managers -( it is  the “NCWAC-Weed-Book.pdf “  at northcoastweeds.org.au/ )
• The Council of Australasian Weed Societies Inc (CAWS) – here you will find some interesting info about weeds and their spread. This site appears to be weighted towards chemical control of weed, however they have some useful information. Past conference proceedings can be found at their website .

***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.

Habitat 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.

• SGAP SEED BANK information about the Society for Growing Australian Plant’s Seed Banks – Queensland Branch
• Australian Native Plants Society – Australian Seed Suppliers for Native Seed .
• Native vegetation Management: A Needs Analysis of Regional Service Delivery in Queensland – a state summary : search results at bluecray Environmental Search
• NATIVE SEED IN AUSTRALIA: A COMMUNITY PERSPECTIVE – search results at bluecray Environmental Search Engine
• “Seed dispersal science used to combat weed invasions” ; article CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems
• Australian Tree Seed Centre (CSIRO )

• ENSIS : CSIRO and SCION
• ANBG Seed Bank at  (Australian National Botanic Gardens):- this link has changed, but perhaps you can search the Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research for seed bank information ( BOTANICAL WEB PORTAL)
• NSW Seed Bank (NSW Botanic Gardens Trust)
• Australia Advances series 15 :- Seed Bank (CSIRO)
• Greening Australia SEED & NURSERY
• Australian Government Grains Research & Development Corporation :-WEEDLINKS
• Land & Water Australia. 2009. The Lower Murray Floodplain seedbank: status and response to flooding. [Online] (Updated July 3rd, 2009)
  It was available at: http://lwa.gov.au/node/2931 , however the link has disappeared
• “australia native grass sustainable agriculture” search results bluecray environmental search engine – you may like to try other searches about weeds and weed alternatives, or native seed production etc
• Weed Seed Wizard – Weeds CRC – now a NON updated site
• “War against weeds goes underground with DPI&F-GRDC collaboration” 24 September, 2008 :-article about seed banks and the Qld Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries
• search for BRADLEY METHOD of WEED REMOVAL here.
• Philosophy of Environmental Destruction in the Name of Healing
  By al at bluecray on March 3, 2009
• Effects of Pasture Management on Germinable Seed Bank in a Degraded Phalaris Pasture  – Jim Virgona and Annabel Bowcher :- Australian Society of Agronomy article at the Regional Institute .
• Soil Seed Banks of Adjacent Unlogged Rain-Forest Types in North-Queensland by AW Graham and MS Hopkins in the Australian Journal of Botany 38(3) 261 – 268 (CSIRO)
• Biotechnology online : SEED BANKS - the Australian Government and the  Millenium Seed Bank Project
• Native Seed Pty Ltd : Native Grass Seed Suppliers in Australia

• Looking for some native pasture Alternatives? try here:- Grasses of Subtropical eastern Australia Margaret Elliott : search results bluecray Environmental Search Engine

• and, Grasses of Subtropical Eastern Australia by Penny Watsford & Margaret Elliott Nullum Publications, Murwillumbah .at Brunswick Valley Landcare Inc. BOOKSHOP. This book is worth buying or finding in your library. It comes with a CD, photos and clear illustrations. You may even like to purchase a copy and donate it to the library of your local school or TAFE!!

• Grassed up – guidelines for revegetating with Australian native grasses (Released/reviewed: 27 Jun 2001   Authors:Cathy Waters, Wal Whalley, Charles Huxtable) NSW Department of Primary Industries and here is a link to some of their useful publications .

• Weeds, Pests animals and ants at Qld Primary Industries and Fisheries
• North Coast Weeds Advisory Committee
• Weeds at Qld Biosecurity
• Australian Weeds : Australian Government – includes ID, management, biological, physical, cultural, preventative, integrated and chemical control chapters
• Natural Sequence Farming : search results at bluecray Environmental Search

• National Toxics Network:
• Australian Weeds :- search results at bluecray Environmental search Engine
• Integrated Pest Management (IPM) at bluecray Environmental Search

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

Environmental 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.

The 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:-

• 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.

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.

The 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.

• A Balance of Faeries – revisited:- a story about clearing fragile remnants where Koalas and other vulnerable species live, and why recovery of those remnants may never occur unless immediate authentic land and water stewardship  action is taken.
• Goanna leaves the Glyphosate Bank
• PK and Litoria look for Rufous Bettong
• Living with and managing Fireweed in SE Qld and NE NSW By al at bluecray on September 26, 2009
• Land and water stewardship : Rescuing Remnants By al at bluecray on October 24, 2009
• Macleay’s Swallowtail – a beautiful green and brown butterfly By al at bluecray  on March 15, 2009 (this article covers some information on LANTANA management that is being carried out by the Australian, NSW and QLD Governments, in association with local councils, community groups and Catchment Management Groups)
• Centre for Spray Technology Application Research and Training at School of Land, Crop and Food Sciences, UQ, Gatton Campus :- research and training support programs are provided in agriculture, public health and forestry
• Seed Bank Research :- at bluecray enviromental search
  
• Seed Bank Research Australia :- at google search
• Australian Native Seed Suppliers:- at google search
• Australian Native Seed Growers:- at google search
  

##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!!

The above photo is of PK, looking out from the Hinterland, over the Gold Coast, SE QLD, Australia

The creation of an environment that is both sustainable for our Childrens’ Future and yet high in life quality is often deemed to be the domain of Engineers, Scientists & Politicians.  And, these days, Science, Politics and Engineering appear to be intrinsically linked.

Coastal Development & Sea Levels – some Australian Links:-

• National Sea Change Taskforce: Link to – Conference at Byron Bay 2-3 March 2010 “The program will focus on the complex issues currently facing coastal LGAs including sea level rise, the legal implications of climate change and ageing populations………Byron Bay has been selected to host the event because of its relevance in terms of coastal hazards, development pressures and issues associated with climate change impacts”

• The 18th NSW Coastal Conference 2009 – 3rd-6th November 2009 to be held at Ballina,  Mt Warning (Wollumbin) Caldera Region, NE NSW. The Theme is “Staying Afloat – Rising to the Challenges”. The Conference involve government sectors, planners, consultants, engineers, community and user groups & will present awards for outstanding achievement in coastal zone management activities. ABC  North Coast News has nice updates for local info, including this Coastal Conference.
• Planned retreat, climate change & biodiversity – Byron Bay :- this is a workshop by the EDO Northern Rivers on 3rd December 2009

• Sea level Rise Policy Statement by NSW Government (late October 2009), and
• the Draft Coast and Flood Risk Assessment Guidelines – that are now open for submissions at the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water NSW (Urban & Coastal Water Reform Branch). Closing date for comments are December 11th 2009
• National Sea Change Taskforce : “national body to represent the interests of coastal councils and communities experiencing the effects of rapid growth and development” – includes Conference, Committee, Publications & links to the Federal Parliamentary Coastal Inquiry (report released 26th October 2009)
• EDO NSW (Environmental Defender’s Office) has the following publications available:-   Climate change and the legal framework for biodiversity protection in Australia: a legal and scientific analysis &   Climate change and the legal framework for biodiversity protection in NSW: a legal and scientific analysis
• Draft Queensland Coastal Plan : at Queensland Department of  Environment & Resource Management . Submissions due by 30th November 2009.

This is a photo for environmental advocacy : showing how coastal development and infrastructure is still going ahead, near the beachfront, at Byron Bay. The houses on the beach side of the photo have already lost their dune frontage to the encroaching sea, and the Council and Landcare are spraying the vegetation (albeit Bitou Bush!) with herbicide, for future regeneration, thus facilitating more habitat destruction in the name of healing.

• “Administrative Law in an Environmental Context” search results at bluecray Environmental search engine

The TWEED COAST is also experiencing engineered non sustainable development:-

Maps for the Tweed Coast Area near Casuarina, Kings Forest, Cudgen, Cudgen Creek , Wooyung – in fact much of the coastal area of the Tweed Shire!

Meanwhile, at Kingscliff,NE NSW:-  large developments (that will further fragment our native wildlife habitats) are planned nearby (Kings Forest, Cobaki Lakes ) and the sea is moving inwards – “Hungry Mother Nature bares her teeth” -  infrastructure damage at Kingscliff on the NSW North Coast -  by coastal erosion (2010): SMH article by Saffron Howden

Kingscliff battles beach erosion (story 11th august 2010):- at ABC local + other local beach coastal erosion stories from NE NSW (Tweed and Byron shires)

Here are some more google search results for NEWS about Coastal Zone Management and Climate Change - remembering that much of Australia’s Population is centred on or about our Coastline. And now, back to

ENGINEERS…..

Engineers! Do you think that the word comes from building engines? oops… wrong.
the etymology of the word engineer has the word coming from…………………go ahead, guess first, then look and see if you were close!

Definitions and etymology of the word “ENGINEER”

• Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
• The Free Dictionary online dictionary
• engineering at wikipedia
• engineering etymology at spiritus-temporus.com
• etymology of engineer at the online etymology dictionary

Article at Sydney Morning Herald about the Association of Consulting Engineers Australia’s ideas to abolish councils, make drivers pay and transform public transport subsidies (October 23rd 2009 – SMH Paul Bibby, Urban Affairs)

Photo of Engineering the Hinze Dam Catchment for the SE QLD Water Grid – or, as I like to call it “Stream Stealing“ 2009**(see below)

google search results for Association of Consulting Engineers Australia .

e - earth
n – noise
g – grandeur
i – illogical
n- non-sustainable
e – every day
e – easy
r – repeating
s – stuff

Now, thanks to the world engineers, and the ancestral contribution of engineers long gone, we have fantastic and celebrated networks of “stuff” all over the world.

Stuff that is slowly making our world a sick place.

• Petro chemical bi-products that do god knows what to our ecosystems and food chain, when combined in their ever increasing lethal dose combinations.
• Climate change, monoculture to the n’th degree, genetic engineering that is making our planet dependent on food sources that have no true genetic source from adaption and selection processes but rather laboratory type “births” and “heritage”.
• This list is endless. Always behind the grand schemes in humanities slow slide into extinction, are engineers. Planning and engineers often go together.

Now, again, as I am sure bluecray has confronted some of your more intrinsic values, I do not want to target engineers, who are after all people like you and me, with some kind of  “let’s get rid of the engineers” post.

Collage of Engineering & Biodiversity – Byron Bay Style (October 2009)

Far from it. why, My uncle was a well known, highly regarded engineer and I admired and respected him greatly.  Some of my best friends are technical and computer engineers. I love to ride my motorcycle, which is itself an engineering wonder, along roadways engineered by many people. This ancient computer that I use here is an engineering wonder, as is the internet connection and associated satellite and electrical paraphenalia that is required to put my words onto the screen that you are currently watching and reading.

I have also met engineers who have transformed great stretches of waterways from past mistakes, by bringing in earth movers to recreate riffles and bends where once, engineers had created straight stretches of water flow, that needed constant upgrading and earthworks. It wasn’t until they came back, decades later and recreated the natural meanders and riffles, that the streams  began to “breath” and work as a sustainable  ecosystem.
The purpose of this article is just to get you thinking, like all other bluecray articles that I have written. And to help you make decisions to change the way you live, so that our Childrens’ future is brighter and happier.

Environmental Advocacy Collage : “Choices – Discernment-Integrity – Love“

Just a few thoughts that may help you get back to some more basic loving principles for improved life quality on the planet. And to help you to inspire others to do the same, by setting an example,  slowing down your life, and trying to get some honest love back into your modern day engineered intellectual capacities.

People tend to hand over power readily to engineers. Their brilliance, their contraptions,the ease that their inventions appear to give our lives. Their ever increasing powerful technologies can eventually overwhelm us to thepoint where our simple life values of food, shelter, companionship, love, clothing etc become a massive encumberance that chains the whole planet down to doom.
And so, why target ENGINEERS?

Because everywhere I look these days, they appear to hold a much greater sway over the way things go in life, compared to the other necessary, more basic natural relationships in life.

“It’s All Upsidedown“

Earth moving equipment – a massive industry

Agricultural and Horticultural machinery and chemicals – a massive industry
Telecommunications – a massive industry
Mining - a massive industry
Medical  technology – a massive industry
Genetics - a masssive industry
Transport – a massive industry
Building construction – a massive industry
Military and arms production – a massive industry

and lets not forget the movies, the music industry and entertainment industries in general…..
endless endless lists…..endless endless “stuff”

……………………………………………………………………………………………..

Just how much stuff do we need to feed ourselves, clothe ourselves, protect ourselves and create a quality life?
Just how much stuff do we need to create out of toxic processes to prove to ourselves that our collective wisdom is still in the dark ages???

Modern thought,  with its electric lights and enthusiastic middle men selling more and more products,  is still in the dark ages.

• We misdirect our personal egos towards an ever increasing consumption whilst millions starve elsewhere.
• We are surrounded by climatic, geological, idealogical and industrial disasters. Habitat Clearing and toxic food chains are just the tip of the “iceberg”.
• Do you care to take some personal responsibility for this, and question your personal wisdom?
• Maybe you would prefer to shop, talk and justify your way out of it. If you get really good at this, you can enter politics!!

The engineers will help you. They are, as you read, designing new machines, building new war state of the art contraptions to fill our skies with. They are, as you read, creating new fangled better than the business oppositions’ blackberries, rasberries, tokenberries and genetically engineered betterberries for your healthy berries.
All of this stuff – you and I may benefit from, no doubt, in some way or another. All of this stuff will also, in some way or another, cause untold problems in yours and mine lives, and in the lives of others – all over the planet.
Engineers are largely responsible for the way in which cities have been formed all over the planet:-

• Great dams, irrigation pumping and now water grids that alter our water catchment flows;
• long pipes, roads and electronic networks that, in the end, never DID make our lives that much easier; but alot faster, more complex, more stressful, and more toxic.
• and now, make your own list…..for those in NSW, why not start at…

………………..well, Part 3A of the NSW Planning law?

Now of course, some of this science and grand engineering has its benefits – IF USED WISELY. Moderation is a wonderful word. Moderate use of many substances and technologies is a most amazing thing. However, to keep up with the “Jones’s” – our technologically savvy “neighbours” with their engineered enhanced lifestyles and ahead in the sands of  modern enlightenment, we think we must go faster, harder, smarter, “cooler”.

It is this simple (!!) :- Moderation is a tricky quality to embrace. My Father was a master at it. He led by example. I am not so good at it. I tend to be a bit complex. Nature and nature’s needs in nature shift amazingly slow, complex though they are.. There are some “rushes” of activity depending on natural cycles, but in general, our needs in nature are the same as they were before we created, with the assistance of our engineers and their ideas, grand cities, buildings and infrastructures. Now, caught in the “City of Light”, we no longer see our shadow selves. Our egos, meanwhile, are still running rampant!

Collectively? We lack DISCERNMENT. We lack INTEGRITY. We lack GENEROSITY. We lack VISION. Collectively, I always felt that if enough people wanted war, then WAR we would have. If enough people wanted more than we can eat or carry on our backs, then that is how we would feast and travel. AND, engineers have just kept giving us answers to these requests.

“Wisdom in Engineering“

What about LOVE engineers? The philosophers, the musicians, the artists, the writers?  The engineers that do amazing engineering works, but do it for humanity and have a holistic approach to their work. The little guy down the road who lives a simple life in his organic garden, sharing the food with others, and quietly planting out trees and shrubs for the native wildlife. OR, does he even really exist anymore? Well, yes he DOES! Mainly “he” is living below or just above the poverty level, and his quality of life is just fine, thank you!
Collectively, we are sliding back into a time of “the beast”. Ego driven want,  un-enlightenment and hedonism all appear to be alive and well. And engineers have contributed to our false sense of securities and fantasy that it is ok to continue supporting clever regimes that lack transperancy, integrity, statesmanship and the vision of a loving future for our children.
And so, where do I stand in all of this, after displaying how I see this trend of sanitized, but in reality, toxic engineered insanity?
Like Fukuoka, I believe that the spirit holds the key. That engineering is in essence – like science- a wonderful thing, and has much use. But not ALL of it – just SOME of it. Discernment is not a luxury. It has now become a necessity. Good luck!!

Oh, and just one more thing – imagine a world without all this stuff – except some beautiful basics, with a moderate amount of engineered assistance? Like hand grown and hand crafted textiles, hand crafted buildings, hand crafted vehicles, hand crafted musical instruments, hand grown and prepared foods. Simplified energy use and requirements – add just a few engineers, with discernment, and LOTS of LOVEand everyone will be gainfully employed, sheltered, clothed and fed, and entertained. I know this sounds like I am oversimplifying things.  Perhaps I am….And  the world turns to a new day, and life is most likely, is as it is meant to be……

and, Collectively, we still haven’t found our way back to the GARDEN.

Now something else to look at:-

Dale Jamieson at google search

“A Companion to Environmental Philosophy” by Dale Jamieson ISBN       1557869103

Natural Sequence Farming : search results at bluecray ENVIRONMENT SEARCH

National Sustainability Initiatives at the Australian Government Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage & the Arts. This website page includes links to the related areas of :-  EPBC Reporting, Indicators & Local Agenda 21, as well as to  Ecologically Sustainable Development LINKS .

The Ecologically Sustainable Development LINKS page includes (as at November 2009) :-

• Conferences and Events
• Sustainability Networks and Discussion Groups
• State Government Sites
• Australian Government Environment Sites
• Local Government Sites
• Non-Government Organisations

Coastal Design Guidelines for NSW (from 2003 ): at NSW Department of Planning (Coastal Protection).

The Sea Level Rise  Policy Statement  by the NSW Government 2009 & and Draft Policy information- :

• The NSW Department of Planning worked with the Department of Environment Climate Change to finalise the draft statement (21st February – 3rd April were submission times).

• Sea level Rise Policy Statement by NSW Government (late October 2009), and
• the Draft Coast and Flood Risk Assessment Guidelines – that are now open for submissions at the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water NSW (Urban & Coastal Water Reform Branch). Closing date for comments are December 11th 2009

** Regarding my term “stream stealing”:- the concept of Stream Capturing, as per the geological process that was created causing the Rhine River to take the waters of the Danube River, via a slow and gradual centuries long process, thus diverting waters away from one catchment to another has implications for how the water of these two Catchments is distributed throughout parts of Europe.

“Stream Stealing”, or taking the water from the catchment and removing it to another catchment is akin to diversion that may have future consequences for that catchment later on. The Murray-Darling system attests to this on a grand scale. The water was purloined (see etymology HERE), and the consequences in the future are already here, to see – in black and white. The Government is now having to rethink where and how this Murray Darling Water actually goes, over time. This is for the sake of future generations and future environmental habitats. Much damage has already be done.

The concept of altering catchment water flows, taking water from one series of catchment ecosystems to completely different catchment systems, can have consequences further down stream.

Many engineers and scientist show, via quantitative and qualitative measures, that Dam Building and altering Catchment flows can be managed in an environmentally sustainable way. However, there are still serious doubts, in my mind,  as to water flows for a catchment’s well being down stream, and ecosystem health when water is removed from one catchment to serve a purpose in another.

The Qld Water Grid of South East Queensland is doing this. Dams and irrigation networks do this. Construction and earthworks within developments can do this. Altering water flows from one catchment, to provide another catchment with that water has historical implications. Only time will tell, and as the benchmarks can keep changing, the ecosystem health consequences further down the catchment, and into the sea may not show up for many decades. “Stream Stealing” is an insidious form of Habitat destruction by “clearing the habitat” via habitat water theft.

This type of activity is stealing from natural ecosystems and habitats (that have little voice in the matter), to serve human consumption and industry.

Capture:-definition and etymology .

Stealing:-definition and etymology .

“Clearing the Habit of Habitat Clearing” – at Journey for Wisdom in the Land

The Beechmont Plateau was largely a cleared section of the Mt Warning Caldera Region during the 20th century. Photos from the 1930′s show the plateau as having large bare expanses from habitat clearing,  clear felling and extensive timber getting.

Many weed species (eg privet, lantana ) and some remnant wet and dry sclerophyll forest  have now revegetated the plateau and its escarpments, which was intensively farmed by the dairy industry up until  deregulation began just before the turn of this century. Fires are a regular hot weather feature on the escarpments and some sections of the plateau. I have spent many nights watching fires burn out of control about the plateau, and quite a few houses have been destroyed by fire and landslides over the years . Indiscriminate clearing and burning off is still taking place.

In this photo, Phantom Koala watches a “farmer” on Beechmont Plateau burn trees that have been cleared

The plateau and its escarpment is under pressure from development as more land is currently being subdivided and sold for housing estates and smaller rural pursuits. This may or may not be a good thing for biodiversity and the water aquifers, depending on the land and water stewardship that prevails into the future.

The Beechmont Plateau is flanked by the open and closed sclerophyll forests and rainforests of the Land Warfare Centre (Canungra), to the west, the Lamington National Park with its Upper Coomera River Catchment to the west and south. These include biodiverse rainforest Gondwana Heritage habitats and ecosystems. To the east lies more diverse Gondwana Heritage wonders of the Springbrook Plateau and much of the Nerang River Catchment and (the Hinze Dam Catchment). This water of the Nerang river Catchment is now part of the SE QLD WATER GRID. The basaltic aquifers of the region are largely unmonitored.

Environmental Advocacy Collage : Beechmont Plateau, SE QLD, Australia

Back in the early 1990′s two gifted environmentalists, Iris Flenady and Ros Woodburn created, a beautiful educational package for schools to use, concerning Remnant Vegetation Restoration and Habitat Rescue. This Book, “Rescuing Remnants” is worth a look at, and bluecray recommends its use in helping teachers grasp Remnant Vegetation Educational plans and methods.

On a more scientific level, Robert Kooyman‘s works, in association with other authors gives us a rich insight into the complexities of Native Vegetation in the Mt Warning Caldera Region of NE NSW and SE Qld. More about some of Robert Kooyman’s work can be seen here at Rainforest Rescue .

Opportunities for combined agroforestry, carbon sequesration and biodiversity within the Scenic Rim (Mt Warning (or WOLLUMBIN) Caldera Region of Australia).

Having attended an agroforestry workshop over a decade ago, in the “high country” of the old Beaudesert Shire, I became convinced back then, that these three components:- agroforestry, biodiversity and carbon sequestration can work very well within the Mt Warning Caldera Region, if put together using the soundest of authentic Land and Water (Environmental) Stewardship principles. The New South Wales Good Wood guide is a splendid start to understanding the types of trees that can be grown within this region. Should you be interested in further discussions concerning this article, please do not hesitate to contact me at bluecray.org

NSW Good Wood Guide :-

Agroforestry LINKS at bluecray.org

Beechmont at wikipedia

The work done by the Rescuing Remnants volunteers , beginning almost two decades ago has created stands of native endemic, largely rainforest plantings that can show the level of Carbon sequestration that is possible in the region of the Mt Warning (Wollumbin) Caldera.

If the stands of trees that have been planted would be measured, (which would be rather easy) they could readily show what level of Carbon sequestration is possible on this and the neighbouring Springbrook Plateaus.

These plantings are a valuable heritage that is directly related to Iris and Ros’s dedication and to the National Parks and Wildlife people, numerous volunteers, landholders, teachers and school children who participated in the Rescuing Remnants program. Some of the Remnant to Remnant plantings are on private land, some on public land. Many are now forming small forested “islands” of rich biodiversity and valuable seed for the birds and other fauna of the area to spread across the Plateau and surrounding region, by natural means. This is a wonderful example of Land and Water Stewardship.

I am not too sure if this program is still running, but I had had some involvement with it years back, and it was a highly valuable education resource for both the school at Beechmont and the community at large. It was dependent on the dedication of the School, community and National Parks to mention some key “players”.

A nice reference for this area is “TAMING the PLATEAU – HISTORY of the BEECHMONT DISTRICT”. compiled and edited by Robert Longhurst. ISBN 064612353X

Rescuing Remnants Beechmont – search results at bluecray Environmental Search Engine. There is not much on the internet about the Rescuing Remnants program. I will ask about it next time I am on the Plateau and see what is happening concerning any recent/ongoing community work with the program, and fill in details as soon as I can.

A beautiful area to the west of the Beechmont Plateau, is the Back Creek Gorge (see google search for Back Creek Gorge conservation association) ( + Killarney Glen – now in the Canungra Land Warfare custodianship?), which the Fitzgerald Family worked hard to preserve and conserve for many years.

The World Heritage listed Gondwana Rainforests are  found along the border of NE NSW and SE QLD, and a map of their location can be downloaded at Australia’s World Heritage page at the Australian Government’s Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts.

Gold Coast City Council, SE Queensland

Scenic Rim Regional Council, SE Queensland

Dry Sclerophyll Forest &  Wet sclerophyll Forest : search results at bluecray Environmental search engine

The geology of this plateau largely explains what type of vegetation units once were present, and why open and closed forests, wet and dry rainforests occur where they do. I shall endeavour to write more on this at a later date.

basaltic soils SE QLD : bluecray environmental search engine results

rhyolitic soils SE QLD : bluecray environmental search engine results

The Rainforest Information Centre .

See also “Carbon Trading in the USA” at ABC Landline archives October 2009. This story illustrate what happens when the “free market” is allowed to take over what is essentially an environmental issue that needs to be kept out of the hands of those people whose ego’s and greed is running amok, and placed back into the hands of caring land and water stewards.

AND LASTLY, here are some links to other stories that I have written about education and biodiversity that you may find interesting:-

Stewardship – the Balances

Australia’s Drop in the Ocean – the Draft Carbon Pollution Reduction  Scheme Bill – and a brief outline as to WHY Australia’s economy would be best suited to being based on BIODIVERSE FOREST establishment across as much of the continent as possible, and employing endemic, provincial, genetically diverse seed and propagation materials for the Forests.

A Balance of Faeries – revisited:- a story about clearing fragile remnants where Koalas and other vulnerable species live, and why recovery of those remnants may never occur unless immediate authentic land and water stewardship  action is taken.

Growing by Organics – food gardens and sharing

Totem Based Education for Biodiversity :a brief outline of how Schools can introduce into the School “HOUSE” system an environmental education template for species recovery and habitat understanding at a basic and localised level.

some Bluecray Murray Darling Links

Goanna leaves the Glyphosate Bank

PK and Litoria look for Rufous Bettong

“Clearing the Habit of Habitat Clearing” – at Journey for Wisdom in the Land

Perhaps you would like to see  other recipients of these developer awards? Try Sylvia Hale’s website – it has all the details. And while you are there, why not give them some support for their work in trying to make our children’s earth environment a little safer, and more secure.

Environmental Advocacy collage reminding us that Caring for our Country is also about Caring for Our Children

And now, a poem about an innocent child, and the questions she asks of some developers,  who are environmental vandals, and who are taking away her future safety by their actions,  perceived intentions and lack of integrity.

Phantom Koala and the Crow
An earthmover grinding the earth to a pulp
ignored the quiet pleas of wildlife it gulped
A single white gum tree alone bare and frail
did little to stop it with it’s lonely wail
Phantom Koala had run to escape
the metal equipment that made the earth shake.

And the Crow flew above seeing real from the fake……..

The grey suited gentlemen clothed in their greed
surveyed the bare landscape – “We’ll spray all THAT weed!”

“We’ll build a great golf course, – town centre or two
we’ve got the approval – it’s from (YOU KNOW WHO)
We’ll plant it with trees from our nursery stand
The Tweed Folk will pay us back tenfold our grand”

Then suddenly out of the dust and the fray
A small child came playing – she was heading their way.
The crow looked on smiling – Pk laughed on too
THEY knew what would happen-what that small child would do!
She fronted the grey suited money men then,
she took out a notebook and proceeded with pen
“My classmates and I wondered why you all lie?
My classmate are asking which drugs make you high?
My classmates and me see you just as you are
takers, deceivers, your game’s ‘below par‘!!”
“My classmates are young yet our lives pay for you,
so my classmates are wondering WHAT IS it you do
with this fortune you take from our years, from our life?
Do you mean to keep taking and give the young strife?”
The grey suited gentlemen, now covered in dust
from the earthmovers’ rampage and their lives filled with lust
puffed up their fat cheeks to start lies afresh
but by now it was out and they’d been caught in a mesh
of innocence asking WHAT WAS IT they did?
and WHY where they hiding – WHAT WAS IT THEY HID?

Then as the grey men tooted plans, power, law, the child ran off laughing saying , “you are a bore!”

and Phantom Koala, who’d found a good tree,laughed at the grey guys, and gave the child cheer!
The Crow flew off with her, to her classmates in school
and they all got together to write a new rule
Let the freedom of children and life for the young
be respected by those with power far flung
let the food land and animals waken
each day to loving and caring- a more
honest way.

Links:-

NSW Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water : Summaries of Legislation (ACTS) that the Department operates under

“Administrative Law in an Environmental Context” search results at bluecray Environmental search engine

NSW Department of Planning : … and the legislation and planning instruments associated with it. Including Part 3A of the Planning Law and State Significant Sites.

The EDO (Environmental Defenders Office) has created a Major Projects Toolkit for the people of NSW, Australia. The Toolkit can be found at the EDO website. It is easy to read and understand.

Cumbersome Laws relating to Environment and Planning in NSW reflect a
complicated, alienated and basically not easy to understand environmental planning process.

The EDO  Major Projects Toolkit is a simply presented 21 page downloadable PDF that outlines how people in NSW can interact and become involved in Major Project applications.

Duty of care and the precautionary principle : search results at bluecray environmental search engine.

Coastal Development & Sea Levels – some Australian Links:-

• National Sea Change Taskforce: Link to – Conference at Byron Bay 2-3 March 2010 “The program will focus on the complex issues currently facing coastal LGAs including sea level rise, the legal implications of climate change and ageing populations………Byron Bay has been selected to host the event because of its relevance in terms of coastal hazards, development pressures and issues associated with climate change impacts”

• The 18th NSW Coastal Conference 2009 – 3rd-6th November 2009 to be held at Ballina,  Mt Warning (Wollumbin) Caldera Region, NE NSW. The Theme is “Staying Afloat – Rising to the Challenges”. The Conference involve government sectors, planners, consultants, engineers, community and user groups & will present awards for outstanding achievement in coastal zone management activities. ABC  North Coast News has nice updates for local info, including this Coastal Conference.
• Planned retreat, climate change & biodiversity – Byron Bay :- this is a workshop by the EDO Northern Rivers on 3rd December 2009

• Sea level Rise Policy Statement by NSW Government (late October 2009), and
• the Draft Coast and Flood Risk Assessment Guidelines – that are now open for submissions at the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water NSW (Urban & Coastal Water Reform Branch). Closing date for comments are December 11th 2009
• National Sea Change Taskforce : “national body to represent the interests of coastal councils and communities experiencing the effects of rapid growth and development” – includes Conference, Committee, Publications & links to the Federal Parliamentary Coastal Inquiry (report released 26th October 2009)

• EDO NSW (Environmental Defender’s Office) also has the following publications available:-   Climate change and the legal framework for biodiversity protection in Australia: a legal and scientific analysis &   Climate change and the legal framework for biodiversity protection in NSW: a legal and scientific analysis

The TWEED COAST is also experiencing engineered non sustainable development:-

Maps for the Tweed Coast Area near Casuarina, Kings Forest, Cudgen, Cudgen Creek , Wooyung – in fact much of the coastal area of the Tweed Shire!

Koala planning habitat loss se qld - search results environmental search engine at bluecray

Koala planning habitat loss ne nsw – search results environmental search engine at bluecray

“A Balance of Faeries” 1989 by Alison Polistchuk :- a story about Koala Habitat destruction west of Brisbane, SE QLD :- Why the Koalas’ Habitats, when slowly taken from them, over time, piece by piece, leads to increased biodiversity loss on a much larger scale for many of the other Australian Native Wildlife and Vegetation Communities AND why it is important to respect the “LITTLE THINGS” in life.

Land and Water Stewardship : Rescuing Remnants .

• The Hinterland of the Gold Coast, SE QLD and the Scenic Rim Region of SE QLD  adjoin NE NSW. The Mt Warning Caldera Region contains important habitat areas that are at risk to native wildlife. This Region is under increasing pressure from development and infrastructure implementation, as well as exceedingly poor land & water stewardship.
• The Koala is just one of many native Australian marsupials at risk by over clearing and fragmentation of habitat, largely due poor planning on the part of the Qld & NSW Governments.

• The concept of rescuing remnants and degraded landscape enhancement via participation of school educational systems, community involvement and dedication of State Planning Authorities lacks integration with developers of land, infrastructure and townships.

• The native Australian plant nursery and seed bank distribution industry for local endemic (provincial) native plants is largely  unsupported by all sectors of Australian Society. Reliance is on volunteers and government funding for programs such as Remnant to Remnant to succeed.
• Developers of towns, urban and regional centres, infrastructure and recreational facilities rarely support authentic Land and Water Stewardship on a scale that is meaningful to lasting and real outcomes. This needs to change, and State and Federal Government planning is responsible, in a large part for implementing the change.

National Sustainability Initiatives at the Australian Government Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage & the Arts. This website page includes links to the related areas of :-  EPBC Reporting, Indicators & Local Agenda 21, as well as to  Ecologically Sustainable Development LINKS .

The Ecologically Sustainable Development LINKS page includes :-

• Conferences and Events
• Sustainability Networks and Discussion Groups
• State Government Sites
• Australian Government Environment Sites
• Local Government Sites
• Non-Government Organisations

Coastal Development : search reslults at Environmental Search Engine

Planned retreat, climate change & biodiversity – Byron Bay :- this is a workshop by the EDO Northern Rivers on 3rd December 2009. Whilst this is for Byron Bay, you may find some interesting information at the EDO website

Giri and the 22 Arrows of Truth – Myths for a Modern Age Part 3 A bluecray story about integrity and honesty and the machiavellian nature of a person who was once a key political “behind the scenes” player.

Kings Forest Project Development – sleepless days & nights to come for endangered species at Balance of Faeries bluecray blog

“Kings Forest and the future Tweed” – search results at Bluecray ENVIRONMENTAL SEARCH ENGINE – a search engine designed mainly for the Mt Warning Caldera Region, NE NSW and SE QLD. It’s up the top of the page, on the RHS – ENVIRONMENT SEARCH – can you see it? you may like to try your own “keywords” search. We are still improving it, to make it even more useful.

Syrma – Al Ghafar – a fixed star – relating ASAD, stenography and great fortunes and much more than meets the eye. The Sun is currently, as I write this, at approx. 1-2 degrees Scorpio. In a few days, it will reach a conjunction with this Fixed Star.

National Toxics Network .

But firstly , a few words about  bluecray experiential views, philosophies and  responses to land clearing, habitat clearing, inappropriate natural resource management and human consumption in the face of mass extinction.

• Many types of people and views make up our world of human knowledge. Basic human and animal rights are a huge issue globally.

• Some of us think about the above matters (threatened species, habitat clearing, natural resource mismanagement, animal and people advocacy etc) and we have deep concern, seek education, yet we feel that we can do nothing or very little – this is ok – perhaps it is our concern that is important. Never underestimate “concern”, and the passive impact it has on others.

• Some of us work towards action, compromise, practical step at a time issues. For example, realising to halt  development (that is environmentally unsustainable) all at once is not the way. Working slowly and surely towards a better world is valid.  Working with developers – not against them, working with poor land stewards, slowly helping them change their understanding has validity.

• Some of us have no idea that the level of habitat destruction has become critical to our own survival as a species in this world. That, again, is the individual’s path.  Do not think that they have any less a valid right to life and viewpoint than others. They are entitled to their life and the consequences there of, just as we all are.

• Some people see that the consequences of habitat clearing, poor land stewardship and the power of inappropriate persuasion by wealthy “movers and shakers” has become a consequence for many of our children and the future which is to be their life. They speak out about this, and take actions of various types that are aimed at deep change within humanity’s consciousness and spirit.

• Negotiation and honesty is a cornerstone to becoming a better society.

• Tolerance, love, forgiveness, redemption and compassion are powerful tools when dealing with poor land management, inappropriate land custodianship and ignorant land stewardship. These things can open up doors that anger, misdirected ego and intolerance have previously held shut.

In the scheme of things, action (Environmental Action and Activism) to change the world can come in three forms:-

• Identifying the critical issue, passively supporting change for the better in your heart, but recognising that beyond that, you can do little else, except heal your own inbalances and heart.

• Identifying the critical issues, actively supporting the change for the better and recognising that  balance, focus and the “heart” and “energy” behind those actions are to be considered as foundations to those actions.

• Identifying the critical issue, understanding the passive and the active response, then going beyond. Going to and working with, the underlying issue that has caused the initial problem is in this category. Going to the spirit of things, addressing them in a way that can help cause a massive shift in mass consciousness awareneness, thus facilitating change without really becoming involved in the individual issue.

Phantom Koala and the Goanna

“Dearest PK“ asked Goanna wise
“why don’t the Trees now reach to the Skies-
why is the Rain so late to fall?
I know many things but with these, I  stall.“

PK slowly shifted to see
who questioned him so from beneath his tree
“Why Goanna, you smarty, didn’t you know
The government let them clear  the trees,  so….
The rain doesn’t come, the wind blows hard
and everyone’s mowing down their back yard
They’ve channelled the water away from the streams
and ruined the chance of our childrens’ dreams.“

This disturbed the Goanna who said, “But PK, surely not everyone acts in this way?“
Well,  PK just laughed and pulled at some leaves
“It’s what’s in ones heart – that’s what to believe
Does it make sense to kill? does it make sense to steal?
Does it make sense to eat  much much more than your meal?“
“Well, that is what they do – the clearers of land, they kill all the trees and they make out they’re grand. Then they take all the water and pump it away
and they tell us that industries show us the way.
They hop on their jet stream and swan round the world
praising themselves with their grand flags unfurled
saying ‘We have the answer – we are the best‘
(though to you and me both – we know they’re the pest).“
Goanna thought deeply on PK’s last words and dreamily saw that it was quite absurd
“So why do they panic and call each day drought, why do the leaders still hold so much clout?“
“Oh Goanna! Dear friend, you wise brave old soul
because they can’t see from their justified hole. They’ve dug down so deeply, their egos as spades – that the only thing left between them and the hades-

is redemption and love. We must give them a hand, to clamber back up and to save our sweet land“

“Phantom Koala and PART 3A of the NSW Planning Law”

This Goanna photo was taken at Upper Burringbar, Mt Warning Caldera Region, NE NSW, Australia

KOALA at QLD Departmentof Environment and Resource Management : Koala plan, Maps, Information Sheets, Koala Species Outline, Local Government Involvement, Mapping of New Koala Habitat Areas

KOALA PROFILE at NSW Threatened Species pages : KOALA – listed as VULNERABLE

“A Balance of Faeries” 1989 by al at bluecray.org – a story about habitat clearing, Koalas and the consequences. When this story, “A Balance of Faeries”,  which is a true story happened, the land which was cleared – Koala Habitat, was also part of the home to the biggest GOANNA that I have ever seen. It was about eight feet in length. This massive Goanna would have been very very old indeed!

Alan Moir cartoons at Sydney Morning Herald – summing up wealthy corporate and political gamesmanship – these cartoons will make you both laugh and think!

Melissa Merry: “Blogging and Environmental Advocacy: A New Way to Engage the Public?”

Koala School