The NSW Government recently announced $10 million to
voluntarily acquire properties with core Koala habitat across the north coast
of the state, as part of the Save our Species program to save Koalas.
$10 million in this day and age does not go far, particularly
when managed by bureaucrats who will spend a large portion of that on touring
the state running workshops and think-tanks. Air travel, hire cars,
accommodation, venue hire, and catering, not to mention the employment of
project coordinators, and experts in the field.
While grateful for any action to save koalas, those currently
on the 'front line' of this struggle to save the species from almost certain
extinction in this region, question the effectiveness of buying, at most, 10 -
15 properties across an area of perhaps 20,000 square kilometres.
Recently, various stakeholders received a letter from the
office of Environment and Heritage, signed by Steve Hartley, Director Public
Land and Aquatic Ecosystems Policy Branch, proudly announcing the Government's
Koala initiative, and inviting suggestions.
It should be noted that Mr Hartley previously worked with the
Forestry Policy and Regulation Unit of the
Environment Protection Agency, watching on as Forests NSW rode rough-shod
through our native forests, flouting regulations in regard to threatened flora
and fauna, and destroying Koala habitat with impunity in state forests such as
Boambee, Orara East, Clouds Creek, Double Duke and Royal Camp in the Northern Rivers.
So here is a logical solution. If the government is
really serious about saving Koalas, how about putting an immediate halt to
logging in any state forest where Koalas are known to occur? That would achieve
much better results, and cost taxpayers nothing. In fact, $10 million is little
more than native forest logging has cost taxpayers each year for the past
decade and a half, so we'd actually be saving money!
And just
think of all the hundreds of other threatened species that would benefit along
the way, while the money saved each year could be added to the $10 million and
start making a real difference through their strategic acquisitions program.
- John Edwards
This article was originally published in the VOICES FOR THE EARTH column in The Daily Examiner on December 12, 2016
