Bare plan for koalas
While the drastic reduction in Bellingen Shire Council’s Comprehensive Koala Plan of Management continues to send shock waves through local conservationists, it’s also captured the attention of Greens MLC David Shoebridge.
Mr Shoebridge met with Bellingen Environment Committee (BEC) members and concerned residents on Friday to discuss the implications of scaling back the protected area from 2863ha to 1730ha - a near 40 per cent reduction to what was first considered a vital zone for koalas.
The revised plan, made after the NSW Environmental and Protection Authority (EPA) advised council it should “redefine the scientific justification” for “core koala habitat”, means more land will be free for private logging ventures and this has Mr Shoebridge worried.
“If Bellingen Shire Council is serious about protecting the koala population, those protections must extend to all threatened habitat whether or not it is covered by private native forestry operations,” Mr Shoebridge said
“Self-regulation in private native forestry is a green light for the destruction of critical koala habitat, there is a culture of don’t ask, don’t look, don’t protect and that has to end.”
Given the scope of changes, at last month’s council meeting it was determined the management plan would go back for community consultation and exhibition and, in addition, landholders who are affected by the plan’s restrictions to log will be contacted by council to gauge their thoughts.
The BEC’s Caroline Joseph said the plan was a retrograde step in the provisions for protecting local koalas.
“The koala in NSW is in massive decline and the main reason for this is the destruction of suitable habitat. Experts are warning the authorities that if this onslaught on forested areas is not curtailed we will be unable to accommodate koalas in the wild,” Ms Joseph said.
”If the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Bellingen Shire Council (BSC) are not able to protect the mapped koala habitat in the shire, with the excuse there’s not enough research and data available, then they should support the community’s request that a moratorium be placed on all identified koala habitat until such time as funds can be found to carry out appropriate koala studies in the areas that were originally agreed to by the koala committee, and council staff.
“We understand council is unable to apply such a temporary ban as it is outside their jurisdiction, only the NSW Government can do that … but if the council is fair dinkum in wanting to preserve the vision of a Great Northern Koala Park then they can join the community in writing to the Government with such a request.
“It’s time to take a stand and protect what native forest remains and the numbers of this iconic species so that the koala can continue to be part of our biodiversity and heritage.”
Ms Joseph told the Courier-Sun BEC had written to Minister for the Environment and was seeking “wide consultation from every level of government and with the Bellingen community”.
The Comprehensive Koala Plan of Management returns for community consultation and public exhibition later this month.