Every year tens of thousands of hectares of Australian bushland are bulldozed, chained or poisoned to ‘improve’ land for forestry and agriculture. This is particularly the case in NT, Tasmania and parts of NSW. Clearing is a significant threat to wildlife and source of greenhouse gas emissions.
Land Clearing in Queensland
Huge bulldozers using chains to drag down swathes of native bushland were a common sight in western Queensland for many years – but thanks to pressure from the community the State Government has acted to phase out broadscale land clearing by December 2006.
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Impacts of Land Clearing
The disastrous impacts of Land Clearing have been well documented. Land clearing directly kills millions of birds and animals leading to the extinction of species, it is the biggest cause of salinity ruining farmlands and farmers’ livelihoods and it causes a significant amount of Australia’s greenhouse gases. Land clearing is destroying our wildlife, rivers and farmland…
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Logging in Melbourne’s Water Catchments!
Melbourne’s water catchments lie in the Central Highlands. Five of these catchments, which supply 40 per cent of Melbourne’s drinking water, are open to clearfell logging. Several independent studies have found that clearing and regeneration of these forests has a dramatic effect on water yield.
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Land Clearing Updates
Historic trial: farmer fined $408,000 for illegal landclearing – March 02, 2009
Thanks to the efforts of The Wilderness Society in investigating and publicising illegal landclearing and urging the authorities to act, the landowner behind the Gwydir wetland clearing was prosecuted and this month, the Land and Environment Court of NSW imposed a fine of $408,000 on two counts of breaching the NSW Native Vegetation Act. This is one of the first successful prosecutions under the 2003 legislation and the largest fine imposed to date.
Garnaut shows native forests part of climate solution – October 02, 2008
The final report from Professor Garnaut’s Climate Change Review says that Australia’s greenhouse emissions can be reduced significantly if logging of native forests and land clearing are stopped immediately.
Help protect the Tiwi Islands from land clearing – August 23, 2008
The Tiwi Islands are a tropical paradise whose forests and wildlife are being destroyed for woodchips. If Stage 2 is approved by the Northern Territory and Commonwealth Governments, approximately 1/8 of the Islands will be destroyed in Northern Australia’s single biggest land clearing operation.
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Land Clearing Media Releases
David Campbell’s Corrimal Office ‘Rebranded’ with River Red Gum message – July 01, 2009
Members of the Wilderness Society have today rebranded David Campbell’s Keira electoral office to promote the protection of the River Red Gum Forests of south western NSW. “The government acknowledges the conservation of these forests is a priority, but it is still allowing logging for low value products including fence posts and firewood” said Peter Cooper, campaigner with the Wilderness Society.
The Wilderness Society calls for a more immediate stop to re-clearing – February 18, 2009
The Wilderness Society has welcomed the release of figures from the Queensland Government showing that a reduction in tree clearing, but says more needs to be done urgently to stop re-clearing.
Gwydir Wetlands landclearing illegal – February 11, 2009
The Wilderness Society has welcomed the successful prosecution of illegal clearing of an important wetland in North West NSW.