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Community Health and Tweed Coast Koala Populations

al — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 01:48:05 +0000

Community Health

The Community Health Centre to be built at Pottsville has been approved by the Tweed Shire Council. This is a NSW Government Project for Community Health (Northern NSW Local Health District) . This is an important initiative for the increasing populations of the Tweed Coast Region, and is deemed to be worth $2.5mill. This Community Health Centre is to be built on Tweed Shire Council owned land, Elizabeth St, Pottsville, next to the Pottsville Neighbourhood Centre.

Koala and Wildlife Community Health

Key Koala habitat trees, situated along the southern and eastern section of the land are deemed to be earmarked for destruction, so that the community health centre can be created, according to local Koala advocates – Team Koala

Projects such as these are designed by architects and engineers. They are then approved by the NSW Government. I would guess a tender process would have been involved, followed by design of the centre, then the approval by a committee of some sort? I am not sure when the local wildlife people were involved in the community wildlife consultation process. Was there any prior community wildlife consultation?

Agreements and Regional Visions

The Northern NSW Local Health District Board is set up in accordance with the National Health and Hospital Agreement.

Information concerning the NATIONAL HEALTH REFORM AGREEMENT can be found at the COAG ( Council of Australian Governments) website. (1) see below for more info on where COAG fits in the scheme of this article.

As outlined in the Northern Rivers Regional Plan 2011 – vision to 2020 ( published by Regional Development Australia – Northern Rivers Board), our Regional Issues and Priorities APPEAR TO BE as follows:-

BIODIVERSITY * IMPACTS FROM CLIMATE VARIABILITY * LACK of JOBS * AGEING INFRASTRUCTURE & STRESSING OF SERVICES * HIGH RATIO of AGED to WORKING POPULATION * HIGH RATIO of SOCIO-ECONOMIC DISADVANTAGE * EXPENSIVE HOUSING * LIMITED TRANSPORT OPTIONS * HIGH RELIANCE on a SMALL & AGEING VOLUNTEER SECTOR * TELECOMMUNICATION “BLACKSPOTS” & LIMITED INTERNET CAPACITIES * CROSS-BORDER REGIONAL IMPACTS

The guiding principles from the above Regional Plan (page 12) were “adopted from the Northern Rivers Regional Strategy work based on legislated sustainability principles from the NSW LOCAL GOVERNMENT AMENDMENT (Ecologically Sustainable Development Act 1997 that were signed off by key regional stakeholders (Northern Rivers regional Economic Development Organisation, NOROC, NSW Department of Urban affairs and Planning, NSW Premiers Department and North Coast Environment Council in 1998)” They are based on Sustainability Principles.

AND NOW, back to the POTTSVILLE COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTRE KOALA CORE HABITAT TREES:-

The Tweed Shire Council believes that trees and Koalas are so important, they should be “protected”. However, this protection is governed by “rules and regulations”.
The NSW Government believes that trees and Koalas are so important, they should be “protected”. However, this protection is governed by “rules and regulations”.
The Australian Government believes that Habitat and Wildlife are so important, they should be protected. However, this protection is governed by “rules and regulations”. The Australian Government does not consider the Koala merits legal protection. There are however some plans and guidelines
VOLUNTEERS of the TWEED COMMUNITY CONSIDER KOALAS a PRECIOUS Australian Native MARSUPIAL that is worth every effort to SAVE. WHY are these “on the ground community volunteers not being listened to??? If proper consultation had occurred before any design process was created, then perhaps this article would not even be here. The trees would be properly design about, and everyone could get on with the joy of living.
Other towns and cities go to great lengths to protect their trees. What is so different about this developing coastal town, Pottsville, on the Tweed Coast of NSW?????
Large Eucalypt in Adelaide protected, not cut down because it was in the way

?

Let us now look at BIODIVERSITY.

The definition of BIODIVERSITY, according to the Australian Government biodiversity conservation research – AUSTRALIA’s PRIORITIES is this:- (from the Australian Government Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities )

“biodiversity means the variability among living organisms from all sources (including terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part) and includes:
a. diversity within species and between species; and
b. diversity of ecosystems.”

WHY is Biodiversity important?

Well, why don’t we firstly look at the NORTHERN RIVERS REGIONAL PLAN 2011 – vision to 2020. The Regional plan says it is important.

And i will tell you why it is important. Without biodiversity, the planet will cease to be able to support life as we currently know it.

The building blocks of life, the biological components, the ORGANIC components – these are the little pieces of the JIGSAW PUZZLE that make up life. If the jigsaw puzzle is made up of only the same pieces, all colored red, say, then all you will have is a red picture. If the jigsaw puzzle is made up of many different colors, then you will have a multi colored jigsaw puzzle. AND, if each piece is made up of multi colors, in many combinations, then what you get is a magnificent picture, that has many compnonents. THIS IS LIFE. A jigsaw puzzle made up of many different little pieces, each with its own unique color and combination AND SHAPE and SIZE. THIS is BIODIVERSITY.

Let me put it another way. If most of the bats and many of the birds of australia were to disappear, and the bees , ants and butterflies along with them, then most of the flowering plants of australia would disappear. These animals are necessary for the pollination of most australian native flowering plants. Sure, wind may pollinate some (such as grasses), and water may help the ferns and mosses grow, but mainly, it is the animals, in varying sizes and forms that carry out pollination of the FLOWERING (Angiosperm) PLANTS. The food, that we grow would also disappear, as the food needs these little pollinators as well. And then, there are the birds and marsupials that rely very much on the flowering trees for food and shelter. Some will feed from the PINES and CONIFERS (Gymniosperms) (such as cockatoos), but mainly, it is the flowering plants that give the great biodiversity to the world. Australia, with its beautiful flowering biodiversity, is a home to hundreds of species of Australian native birds. Everything in the world, that is living, relies on many other living things. These living things help each other to stay alive.

The fabric of life is a complex wonder. As each species disappears, other species also disappear with them, eventually leading to LACK of biodiversity. When all the little insects, marsupials and reptiles, frogs, spiders, birds and other beautiful animals of the world disappear, then life becomes less, and the bigger elements of life begin to take over, such as the wind, the rain, the sun, the heat, the cold, the fires, and life becomes even less. Life is a fragile, balance, made stronger by the biodiversity that holds the larger elemental forces at bay.

Australia is losing its biodiversity at an unprecedented rate. Hundreds and hundreds of species are at risk, and are threatened or endangered. Some have gone forever. The koala may be one of these soon. It WILL be one of the locally extinct marsupials on the Tweed Coast, if we keep clearing “just one more tree” at a time. This WILL occur in your life time, and definitely your children’s lifetime, if we keep clearing the tweed at it’s present rate of land clearance. It has come down to this. This sad and shameful fact. WE are all responsible now, every single one of us, for saving the biodiversity of our region.

Why people want to help Koalas from local extinction.

“Appeal to save Pottsville KOALA tree” – article at Tweed Shire Echo (5/1/2012 by Luis Feliu) in this article Jenny Hayes, the president of Tweed-based Team Koala told The Echo “that the redgum, grey gum, swamp mahogany and tallowood on the vacant block were vital to the survival of the Tweed Coast’s endangered koalas which numbered around 140…….. that the health centre and the trees could co-exist.”

These KOALA TREES are considered by LOCAL WILDLIFE CARERS to be critical for the local POTTSVILLE KOALA populations to maintain HEALTH and to remain in existence, in this highly developed part of the TWEED COAST SOUTHERN KOALA CORE HABITAT.

TEAM KOALA has raised very serious BIODIVERSITY and THREATENED SPECIES issues concerning Eucalypt Trees that are KEY Koala corridor trees for the local Pottsville KOALA POPULATION. You can view a VIDEO of the trees and area at Elizabeth St, Pottsville HERE.

(Some people like Koalas because they think they can make money from them. ”Koalas could be a tourism booster” article in Northern Star (12/1/2012 by Dominic Feain) concerning the Lismore City Council’s Koala Plan of Management for SE Lismore).

Who is caring for WHO?

The Health District Board and Cheif Executive are responsible for:-

“Improving local patient outcomes and responding to issues that arise throughout our Local Health District.
Monitoring the performance of our Local Health District against performance measures in the LHD Service Agreement.
Delivering services and performance standards within an agreed budget, based on annual strategic and operating plans. This forms the basis of our Local Health District Service Agreement.
Ensuring services are provided efficiently and accountably. Production of Annual Reports that are subject to State financial accountability and audit frameworks.
Maintaining effective communication with local and State public health stakeholders.”

(from Northern NSW Local Health District Website)

The Tweed Shire Council has 3 Tree Preservation Orders (at time of writing this article – 12/01/2012). You can find these Tree Preservation Orders HERE. “With these principles in mind, Council’s TPOs seek to retain trees that contribute to the general health and well being of the Shire’s residents” (from Tweed Shire Council website). The Tweed Byron Bush Futures Project can be found HERE, at the Tweed Shire Council website. There are many other rules, regulations and policies that the Tweed Shire Council endorses, to help protect Koalas and Habitat.

The NSW Government cares for Koalas, however, under guidelines and legislative actions, Koalas can be treated like pawns in a chess game. The NSW Government can approve bargains to create something for Kolas “here”, while something for koalas “there” can be taken away. Biobanking, offsets, viable populations – things like these are now also in the equation of caring for KOALAS.

THE DESIGN PROCESS and ECOLOGICALLY SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

The architects and engineers associated with the design of this Community Health Project???

It appears that they were unable to design a Community Health Project that incorporated ECOLOGICALLY SUSTAINABLE PRINCIPLES, thus encompassing a community local wildlife knowledge, and hence, local wildlife populations that are on the point of local extinction, into the design process.

People can create wondrous engineering and architectural feats, however, if the design principles have a fundamental flaw in them, they will not work to their full capacity.

The design process of this Community Health Centre has a fundamental flaw.

THE DESIGN SHOULD BE FIXED to incorporate these critical habitat trees. These types of trees are at the species edge of local extinction.

These trees are PRECIOUS to our children’s children’s children. These trees are precious to the KOALA’s future generations, as well.

The design process should not be wasting valuable regional community volunteer resources. The design process should have had a strong consulting element in it, whereby the local wildlife carers were consulted and listened to.

The design process is flawed. It can be fixed. However, this is the job of the NSW Government, District Health Boards, Tweed Shire Council. It should not be up to the valuable regional volunteers to fix it.

And, as for the NSW threatened species – KOALA ? I am pretty sure they do not even have a say in this at all. They are just too busy surviving.

Notes for this article:-

(1)”The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) is the peak intergovernmental forum in Australia. COAG comprises the Prime Minister, State Premiers, Territory Chief Ministers and the President of the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA). The then Prime Minister, Premiers and Chief Ministers agreed to establish COAG in May 1992. It first met in December 1992. The Prime Minister chairs COAG. The COAG Secretariat is located within the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.“

from http://www.coag.gov.au/about_coag/index.cfm

(2) the following is taken from http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/publications/research-priorities/appendix3.html

“ ecologically sustainable use of natural resources means use of the natural resources within their capacity to sustain natural processes while maintaining the life-support systems of nature and ensuring that the benefit of the use to the present generation does not diminish the potential to meet the needs and aspirations of future generations.”
“Habitat means the biophysical medium or media: a. occupied (continuously, periodically or occasionally) by an organism or group of organisms; or b. once occupied (continuously, periodically or occasionally) by an organism, or group of organisms, and into which organisms of that kind have the potential to be reintroduced.”
“threatening process has the meaning given by subsection 188(3)… it threatens, or may threaten, the survival, abundance or evolutionary development of a native species or ecological community.”

KOALA * HEALTH * BIODIVERSITY * ECOLOGICALLY SUSTAINABLE * HEALTH * COMMON SENSE * THREATENED SPECIES

Incoming Searches: community health centres in tweed, koala care centres pottsville, tweed koalas pottsville health

Kings Forest Submissions 2012

al — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 02:54:44 +0000

Public submissions for the Kings Forest Development were discussed last night at a community public information night in Cabarita, on the Tweed Coast of Northern NSW. Over 60 individuals and representatives of a number of Community Groups and alliances turned up to hear speakers on a wide variety of critical issues, concerning this massive Tweed Coast Development. The peaceful meeting attracted no “hecklers”, and participants were shocked as to the extent of foreseeable problems that were attached to the planning documents.

SAMPLE SUBMISSIONS AND INFORMATION can be downloaded in the PDF’s below. This public information meeting was facilitated by the Caldera Environment Centre. Submissions are due 25th January 2012.

If you find that your submissions are to cumbersome, long, or if you realise that you want to say more, (but have already lodged one submission – then DO NOT WORRY, according to the NSW Department of Planning, you CAN make more than one submission.

Whilst due date for Submissions is 25th January. If people are mailing submissions and they are sent prior to 25th January but, due to mail, are received a few days later, they will accept if the office is called and alerted. Ph # (02) 9228- 6461 to alert office, if this is your case
The STAGE 1 PROJECT APPLICATION attachments and resources, supplied by the developer can be accessed at the NSW Department of Planning HERE.

Submissions Information discussed at public Meeting

Presentations were made on Water issues, wildlife issues, Koalas and other threatened species affected both already, and into the near and distant future, as this development is “rolled out”. Concerned community members, including those from landcare and environment groups covered topics such as loss of biodiversity, habitat destruction, water table alteration, facilities for youth education, the lack of community outreach by the developer ( concerning understanding the planning documents) and the current physical state of the Kings Forest Site. Many more concerns were raised regarding this Part 3A State Significant Site development on the AT RISK wetlands and threatened species habitats of the Tweed Coast, NSW.

Submissions for this round of development’s application will be accepted by the Department of Planning, NSW, until (and including) 25th January 2012.

Submissions can be sent to:-

Dept Planning, GPO Box 39, Sydney, NSW 2001 Or by email to: plan_comment@planning.nsw.gov.au

Planning applications, for this round of submissions are for :

(08_0194 Stage 1 Project Application and Minor Modification to the Concept Plan (MOD 2)

Stage 1 Project application Precincts 1 and 5.

Subdivision to create new lots for future development;
Construction of the entrance road to the site and associated intersection works on Tweed Coast Road;
Subdivision and associated infrastructure works for the first stage of urban development;
Bulk earthworks and planting for the proposed future golf course;
and a service station and fast food outlet.

________________________________________________________________________________________

SUBMISSIONS INFORMATION that may help ( PDF’s on Cudgen Nature Reserve; Cudgen Lake ; DOT Points for Kings Forest Submissions and Form submission Letters below )

For some info on the illegal clearing of Cudgen Nature Reserve, please see this article:- “Illegal clearing Cudgen Nature Reserve – a balance of faeries revisited” .

“SUMMARY_Cudgen_Lake” -

You can also look at Tweed Coast Estuary Management Plan HERE.
The Cudgen Nature Reserve Plan of Management link is HERE.
There is a fair bit of information about, but it is in many places. Some information and links for ACID SULFATE SOILS is HERE.
Australian Wetlands Data Base – NSW References
The 13 Threatened Native Wildlife Species listed by the developer’s documents for this current application are listed further down in this article.
Many experts and local Tweed Coast residents are calling for a moratorium on the Kings Forest Development application process until the illegal clearing that has taken place is REMEDIED, (and other non ecologically sustainable site management issues are remedied). (**see the very bottom of this article – past the PDF’s, pictures, more writing… go right to the END of this article….. for more information re this)
NOTE from author at bluecray: Please note that recent and historical benchmark scientific information concerning groundwater health, ecological units, flora, fauna, soil degradation, native seed banks (above and below ground), soil health and condition, general property natural health and condition appears to be lacking for future monitoring purposes. There seems to have been much land, drainage, habitat and vegetation disturbance occurring on this Kings Forest site for many years now. Hence, one would hope that these benchmarks have already been documented, prior to the existing disturbances – benchmarks concerning environmental parameters and issues such as – general and threatened wildlife habitat alteration, drainage pattern alteration, acid sulfate soil disturbance, native seed banks. Concerning demonstrating compliance with legislative obligations and requirements, this benchmark information is essential. (see end of article for more info re this)
“Dog Ban lifted at Kings Forest“ by Tweed Councillers – article at mydailynews.com.au – 24th January 2012 “Councillors Kevin Skinner, Joan van Lieshout, Cr Polglase and Phil Youngblutt voted in support of the motion to remove the ban recommendation……..The motion to remove the ban from the submission was successful four votes to three.“

If you want to understand some of the main points, have a look at the following Kings Forest dot points…….

Some KINGSFORESTdotPoints

**Examples of the types of submission outlines that were presented include:-

Kings Forest form submission 1

Kings forest form submission 2

Kings Forest form submission 3

The Caldera Environment also has some project and submission information. Information, other than via the NSW Planning Department has been very “thin on the ground”, and public consultation by the developer with an interested and concerned Tweed community has been virtually non-existent.

**NOTES on copying these form submissions:-

A. You can either download the above form submission by clicking on the above individual PDF logos or form submission links, OR

1) Click on whichever of the above form submission LINKS, that you chose to use

2) If you wish to make a copy:-

SELECT the text of the submission, then, RIGHT CLICK and select copy and then, paste your selection of the submission, into a notepad / text document. You can then edit and / or print it out.

3)You may wish to add your own comments. OR, you may simply use the “form submission” as is, please feel free to do so. They have been given as a resource to the community at large, for using as a template submission in this complex development.

OR……

4) you may just wish to take points, that you feel are important to you, concerning this complex development, and create your own submission.

good luck!!

Kings Forest on GOOGLE MAPS if you go to this map, you can see the area of Kings Forest – NW of the Cudgen Nature Reserve – yes, that’s right folks, that big scar on the landscape – all cleared or partially cleared of forest and wetland / woodland. That is where all the dear little native wildlife creatures and remnant native flora are trying to eek out a living. At least 20 threatened wildlife species are connected to this Kings Forest Development, with *13 threatened wildlife affected by the current development stages 1 and 5. TWO of these species are listed Nationally, as threatened species. 3 Endangered Ecological Communities are under threat.

You can have a look at the Tweed Council’s report (submission?) to this Development application, which is in the Tuesday, January 24, 2012 – Ordinary Council Meeting Agenda (item 24). The developer’s application was reviewed by Council’s technical staff. The report is a compilation of the assessments which have been derived from various divisions of Council.

—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

The local environment will become increasingly loud, traffic will dramatically increase as people move into the new homes built. The amenities of the beaches and nearby little villages will be overwhelmed by more traffic and people. The site has numerous areas of toxic and potentially toxic soils (eg Acid Sulfate Soils). Because it is a Part 3A Significant Site Development, the State Government has the controlling say on how it goes ahead. The developer has given very little outreach to the community concerning information, and many locals have found it hard to find out even what is going on, behind the fences. This is going on in your own back yard, residents of the Tweed Coast. Please have a look at the above letters and documents, and have your say, to help keep this Coastline from being over developed in a non ecologically non sustainable way. (*see list of 13 threatened wildlife species list below )

Already many experts and local Tweed Coast residents are calling for a moratorium on the development process until the illegal clearing that has taken place there is REMEDIED.

HAVE YOUR SAY!!!!

Threatened FAUNA species in regard to the KINGS FOREST DEVELOPMENT:-
*Stage 1 Project Application Work Precincts 1 and 5 (Project 28 Pty Ltd)*
*Rose-crowned Fruit- Dove (Ptilinopus regina) *
*Grass Owl (Tyto capensis)*
*Masked Owl (Tyto novaehollandiae) *
*Black Bittern (Ixobrychus flavicollis) *
*Black-necked Stork (Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus ) *
*Bush stone-curlew (Burhinus grallarius) *
Bush-hen (Amaurornis olivaceus)
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)
Eastern False Pipistrelle (Falsistrellus tasmaniensis)
*Yellow-bellied sheathtail Bat (Saccolaimus flaviventris) *
Common blossom Bat (Syconycteris australis)
*Common Planigale (Planigale maculata) *
Long-nosed Potoroo (Potorous tridactylus)
Red-legged Pademelon (Thylogale stigmatica)
*Grey-headed flying-fox(Pteropus poliocephalus) National Listing *
*Olongburra Frog (Litoria olongburensis) (wallum sedge frog) National Listing*
*Wallum Froglet (Crinia tinnula) *
Glossy Black-cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus lathami)
Large-footed Myotis (Myotis adversis)
*Little Bentwing-bat (Miniopterus australis) *
Black flying Fox (Pteropus alecta)
*Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) *
3 NSW Endangered Ecological Communities in the vicinity of
Precincts 1 & 5 – Swamp sclerophyll forest on coastal floodplain, Freshwater wetlands &
Subtropical coastal floodplain forest

Kings Forest Investment Property – Wetland Habitat Destruction on the Tweed Coast

al — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 22:13:11 +0000

The Property Investment Market and Residential Development Opportunities, on the Tweed Coast of NE NSW, rely largely on the following 3 things:- 1) destruction of Threatened Native Wildlife Habitat, 2) Wetland Destruction and 3) increased lack of safeguarding for Sustainable Social Wellbeing within the Tweed Shire Council area.

This is an historically SHAMEFUL situation. The shame is continuing, and soon, more shame will be forthcoming. Not all property investment is shameful. Property investment, when combined with AUTHENTIC ecologically sustainable principles, a good heart, and reasonable duty of care to the future populations of the Tweed Shire – property investment based on these authentic principles, can go a long way to heal the destruction that has been rampant on the Tweed Coast for well over 50 years.

WHAT COSTS?

Looking for Investment Property? Do NOT look at a place such as the Kings Forest, Kingscliff development. This Development is pointing to ecological and financial failure:- expensive outlays that may not be recuped over time, unless further, costly investment is created to rectify the ecological damage that has, is and continues to occur. The profit margins attached to such a development are highly DUBIOUS. The historical evidence points to an extremely poorly managed property, with dubious legal frameworks and processes involved.

“THE ROLE OF REGULATION IN FACILITATING OR CONSTRAINING ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE FOR AUSTRALIAN INFRASTRUCTURE” – a report by Maddocks ( ISBN 978-1-922003-03-4) to the Federal Government Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency. This report outlines scenarios of regulatory concern, with regard to the impacts of climate change and extreme weather events in Australia. The coastline of eastern Australia, and the development and infrastructure occurring there, has plausible chances of incurring extreme weather events, such as storm surge and related groundwater alteration, water security issues and threatened species survival consequences. The issues surrounding infrastructures and development along the coast may involve scenarios of higher level sea changes than previously thought. This may occur in the lifetime of our children.

Infrastructure and urban structural maintenance and repair, populations’ wellbeing during extreme weather and climate events, ability to rehabilitate disturbed ecological communities, wetlands, rehabilitation of poorly managed forestry and grazing lands, increased competition from weeds on natural vegetation remnant communities that have been disturbed…. this list is incomplete. I could add many more scenarios to this list, as examples of what type of future costs and maintenance, social issues may occur, concerning poorly implemented Wetland coastal developments. The impacts on Acid Sulfate Soils, and surrounding wetlands, creeks, lakes and estuarine areas along the Tweed coastline, as the sea levels rise ( and on other land fill locations) – what are the short term and long term consequences here? What are the impacts for the waterways and their sustainable management, and how do the costs of management become allocated? Will it be the property owners who will bear the costs? The rate payers?

Threatened Species, beautiful wildlife habitats, endangered Ecological communities, ecologically sustainable development and SAFEGUARDING for SOCIAL HEALTH and WELLBEING – none of these things are being cared for , by certain regional public and non-local, evasive, ignorant yet powerful entities active in the Tweed Coast Council area.

Living with Climate Change - Climate Change Adaption and Impact Fact Sheets for Australia at the National Climate Change Adaption Research Facility. Here you will find reference to Wetland Destruction being counter productive to surviving climate change.

Adaption Research Network (NCCARF) – Terrestrial Biodiversity. Here you will find a link to the KOALA CASE STUDY. Koalas are threatened in NSW. The biggest threats to Koalas are habitat fragmentation (habitat clearing), dogs, cars and disease. Koalas are considered to be highly vulnerable to climate changes, as predicted by current scientifically modelled scenarios. Inappropriate and non ecologically sustainable development of coastal wetlands not only threatens many native wildlife species (such as the Koala), but listed threatened species run the risk of completely disappearing.

The environmental costs of such species disappearing are hard to put into monetary terms, regarding the future wellbeing of human populations on earth. Loss of Biodiversity is the most critical issue facing Australians and the world, right now.

Developments such as those occurring in the Coastal Wetlands of the Tweed Coast have incredible costs associated with them, that are not fully accounted for, by mere monetary balance sheets. To invest in wetland habitat destruction is to invest in loss of BIODIVERSITY. Pretty stupid, eh what?

Better to invest in coastal wetland restoration, coastal habitat retention, linking of fragmented coastal wildlife habitats, minimising coastal (ASS) wetland soil disturbance and maximising coastal/marine zone conservation. better to invest in wise democratically elected representatives who want to support biodiversity, rather than those who seek to sanction its destruction.

Better to invest in areas where urbanisation has already occurred, but requires enhancement and rejuvenation/restoration. Better to invest in areas where the development has already occurred, and is being brought up to date with sound ecologically sustainable rejuvenation.

The cost to volunteers – the valuable community volunteers and spokespersons for the voiceless native wildlife of the disappearing and destroyed Coastal Wetland Habitats is immense, as they seek to find a way to halt the ongoing Wetland Habitat Destruction along the Coastal Zone of the Tweed Shire. This cost must also be put into monetary values, and if it was… well, what would it be???? Community Volunteers are considered a valuable resource to the Northern Rivers Region, as outlined in the Northern Rivers regional Plan 2011 – Vision to 2020. Volunteers and and Biodiversity = 2 important priorities for the Regional Vision of the Northern Rivers.

And so, I ask you…. WHAT COST, regarding the Wetland Habitat Destruction as it relates to the associated time, money and effort spent by volunteers organisations and their committees and individuals, does Non Ecologically Sustainable Development bring to the Tweed Coast Community? WHAT COST, regarding the loss of biodiversity from WETLAND HABITAT DESTRUCTION, as it relates to non ecologically sustainable land use management practices? This is something that investors, in Australia’s future, investors in the TWEED COAST should be asking themselves, and others.

This is a question you should be asking yourself, dearest reader!!

see “Rally calls for Koala Protection” article Tweed Shire Echo 15th December 2011

Who is destroying koalas on the Tweed coast?

see the Australasian Legal Institute databases for the Supreme Court of NSW : William Robert Ell v Katie Milne [2011] NSWSC 645 (27 June 2011)

see the article in the Tweed Shire Echo 21st December 2011 “Leda implicated in illegal clearing”

Short poem honoring Trees

“Dodgy Dossiers on Demand”, an editorial at Tweed Shire Echo (3rd November 2011). see Freedom of Information Act 1989 at the NSW Government Legislation Website

The Australian Government’s “Australian Institute of Criminology” website has some useful INFORMATION on illegal native vegetation clearing. Environmental crime in Australia “Research and public policy series no. 109″, by Samantha Bricknell (ISBN 978 1 921532 64 1 ISSN 1836-2079) Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, October 2010 . This publication is available at the AIC’s website.

Adam Gosling’s full paper presentation at the Healthy wetlands 20th NSW Coastal conference 2011 stated ”Australia is reported to have lost between 75 and 90 percent of coastal wetlands over the past 200 years (Finlayson, 2000. Usback & James 1993). Not only have wetlands been decimated historically through land clearing for agriculture and urban development and drained or isolated from adjoining wetlands, they remain one of the most severely threatened ecosystems in eastern Australia through coastal development and land use.“

The following Questions:-

What is Habitat Destruction? What is Wetland Destruction? What is Degrading Development? And, above all, what is Ecologically Sustainable Development? These questions need to be asked by the NSW and Australian Government Departments assessing ALL development on the Tweed Coast.

WHO SHOULD HAVE CONCERNS?

A MORATORIUM and INQUIRY concerning THE KINGS FOREST, KINGSCLIFF investment property development should be created IMMEDIATELY, by all levels of government, as well as by independent Judicial, AUTHENTIC Scientists’ and ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES BODIES.

I refer you to the 2002 Keynote address for the 6th International acid Sulfate Soils Conference, by Professor Bruce Thom, who was Chair Coastal Council of NSW. The article is entitled ” Environmental History and Decision Making”. Professor Bruce Thom is a remarkable Australian, and a member of the WENTWORTH GROUP OF CONCERNED SCIENTISTS .

“Very little research has been undertaken on processes, impacts, and consequences of environmental change resulting from human activities in coastal eastern Australia.” & ”many problems remain in resolving management difficulties because of conflicts in land and water use arising from population growth, persistence of often fragmented administrative structures, case law, divergent community aspirations, economic greed and environmental ignorance.”

in the white room

Whilst I make reference, in this article, to the LEDA (Bob Ell’s development group) KINGS FOREST, Kingscliff investment properties, this article encompasses much more than the LEDA Groups’ Project 28. The entire Coastal Wetlands of the Tweed Coast have virtually been destroyed by

1) the individuals who have lobbied for, granted permission for and voted for such developments and infrastructures – in all levels of government,
2) the Private Investment Property Industries of Australia (and their overseas connections), and
3) every single ignorant person who has invested in, continued to gain profit from and supported the degradation of (the properties) and then continued to further misuse and degrade the property that they have invested in.

Some Where’s and Why’s………?

The misuse of PLANNING INSTRUMENTS, Ecologically Sustainable Development Principles, Policies and Political Lobbying Arenas (concerning NSW Legislations, hidden, backroom deals and agendas, ignorance and greed of a number of wealthy “players”) should be dealt with by an INDEPENDENT INQUIRY .

Part 3a – at EDO website

EDO Fact Sheet 5.5 Coastal Protection:- here you will find references to SEPP 14, SEPP 44 and SEPP 26

Ecologically Sustainable Development – at Australian Government Environment home (currently called the Australian Government Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities). See the current (December 2011) Australian Federal Government cabinet members, and their portfolios:- HERE.

Some WHO’S?

Here are some recent links to look at concerning the highly destructive planning agendas and property investment ignorance of the Tweed Coast “PLAYERS” and legislative protections.

State Environmental Planning Policy (Major Development) 2005 (2005-194) Formerly known as :- State Environmental Planning Policy (Major Projects) 2005 and State Environmental Planning Policy (State Significant Sites) 2005.
Map Index for schedule 3:- Kings Forest Site Land Application Map (SEPP_MD_KIF_LAP_001_20100115) & Kings Forest Site Land Zoning Map (SEPP_MD_KIF_LZN_001_20100201) – this link will give you a couple of the MAPS of KINGS FOREST as per Application and Zoning
TWEED SHIRE COUNCIL and Tweed Shire Councillors
Kings Forest Stage 1 Project Application for subdivision to create new lots for future development, entrance road and associated intersection works (Tweed Coast Road), subdivision and infrastructure works for Urban Development (Stage 1), BULK EARTHWORKS and plantings for the Kings Forest GOLF COURSE which is proposed for the future, within the Kings Forest Development, as well as a service atation and fast food outlets.

***The Kings Forest Stage 1 project application for subdivision is on public exhibition from 22 November 2011 to 23 December 2011. The Department will be accepting submissions up to and including 25 January 2012.

Write to the Premier and Ministers of the NSW Government to INSIST that the KINGS FOREST submissions for this ***latest stage, be extended, due to the many concerns of scientists, locals and wildlife carers regarding this highly inappropriate development

There has already been ASSESSMENTS against this Part 3A Kings Forest Development:- Residential community concept Plan (Part 3a) and modification to the Concept Plan for Kings Forest. See NSW Department of Planning State Significant Sites – Kings Forest, Tweed Shire.

There are at least 21 THREATENED SPECIES that have, and will continue to lose critical habitat, via this ongoing SHAME that is the PART 3a State Significant Site. All about the Tweed Coast, the native wildlife, habitas, ecosystems and ecological units are disappearing at an alarming rate. Small parcels of land cleared, fragmented, drained, bulldozed, overlaid with costly, non ecologically sustainable infrastructures are far outweighing any OFFSETS, TRADES and Development LANDSCAPE TREE PLANTINGS that do not involve comprehensive Vegetation Community ENHANCEMENT using Scientific and local KNOWLEDGE.
CALDERA ENVIRONMENT CENTRE :- while you are there, why not offer them some support!!!
Development project threatens second largest koala colony in tweed shire - The last stand for Tweed Coast KOALAS – our local heritage and icon at stake - article at Candobetter.net (21st February, 2009 – by Menkit Prince)
coastalconference.com :- 20th anniversary NSW Coastal conference (8-11th November, 2011)
ECOSYSTEM LINKS – including wetland links and Acid Sulfate Soils links
ADVOCACY LINKS : – bluecray.org’s Environmental Advocacy LINKS PAGE for the MT WARNING CALDERA REGION of NE NSW and SE QLD.
“Illegal clearing Cudgen Nature Reserve - a balance of faeries revisited” article at bluecray.org

Incoming Searches: kings forest submissions, destruction of wetlands, isbn 978-1-922003-03-4, north queensland animals droppings, poems about wetlands, kings forest sepp 14 wet lands, kings forest development australia, land cray, land kings forest, mullumbimby earthships

Illegal clearing Cudgen Nature Reserve – a balance of faeries revisited

al — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 03:09:22 +0000

The illegal clearing of a Koala Habitat and home to other threatened Wildlife species of the Tweed shire in the Northern Rivers of NSW has shed yet more attention on the plight of the Koalas of the Mt Warning Caldera Region of Australia. This illegal clearing, whilst being scrutinised by the National Parks and Wildlife Service NSW, serves to remind us all:- that fragmented, cleared, degraded Ecosystems and Vegetation Habitats of Australian Wildlife are still the norm within the Mt Warning Caldera Region (NE NSW & SE QLD).

RALLY for KINGS FOREST KOALAS :- Saturday 10th December, 2011

“Concern over Kings Forest Koalas” – recent historical concerns about the impact of development at Kings Forest and the health of the diminishing local Koala population.

“More time urged for Kings Forest say” at ABC news 9th Dec 2011

SUMMARY_Cudgen_Lake

An article by the Tweed Shire Echo (13th October 2011) outlined some of the concerns about this illegal clearing in the Cudgen Nature Reserve.( see “”cowboys” trash nature reserve” – article by Luis Feliu and Chris Dobney).

Cate Faehrmann of the NSW Greens has attempted to find answers, (site legal notice NSW Govt Hansard) concerning this dark operation of environmental vandalism. Cate Faehrmann is a courageous champion of the voiceless homeless millions, that are our endangered Australian Wildlife.

Senate Environment and Communications Committee (Parliament of Australia : SENATE):- ”The koala—saving our national icon” 22 September 2011 Commonwealth of Australia 2011 ISBN 978-1-74229-524-4
FRIENDS of the KOALA : Koala Carers and volunteer support for the KOALAS of the NORTHERN RIVERS, NSW.
” Your Guide to Living with Koalas” – the City of Ballarat’s excellence award winning brochure (Planning excellence award from the Planning Institute of Australia). If you cannot find this guide, try searching for “Your Guide to Living with Koalas” in the bluecray Environmental Search.

This illegal clearing and environmental vandalism of the Cudgen Nature Reserve, is not the first such case, in the Tweed shire, nor indeed, in NE NSW and SE QLD. This is one of a long line, of illegal and government sanctioned clearings and degrading operations, that have and are still occurring. A careful search of the internet, public libraries (you should be able to find Hansard in the Library) , and news articles in newspapers can show you much more information than I could write here.

Help the NSW Government Office of Environment and Heritage remedy and educate about illegal clearing of Native Vegetation in NSW. This NSW Government Office of Environment and Heritage has huge responsibilities, and a vaste number of (about 45 in total) ACTS that they administer.

You can also look at Tweed Coast Estuary Management Plan HERE.

The Cudgen Nature Reserve Plan of Management link is HERE**
Australian Wetlands Data Base – NSW References
Kings Forest development application process
Consider the following:-
- “The National Parks and Wildlife Act, 1974, requires that a plan of management be prepared for each nature reserve. A plan of management is a legal document that outlines how the area will be managed in the years ahead.” & “Now that the plan has been adopted by the Minister, no operations may be undertaken within the Nature Reserve except in accordance with the plan.” (from the Cudgen Nature Reserve Plan of Management Part A. Introduction).
- In the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Act, 1974, have a look at Part 4 division 6; Part 5; Part 6A; Part 7; Part 8A; Part 14; Part 15… these parts of the Act may help you understand the seriousness of the illegal clearing that has occurred, of vegetation, wildlife habitat and wetland area of the Cudgen Nature Reserve.

Australan Institute of Criminology -” Illegal Native Vegetation Clearing” . Here you will find references to the NSW Native Vegetation Act 2003 . There are also references to the following:-
- Primary Statutes within NSW Concerning Clearing of Native Vegetation are:- the Native vegetation Act 2003, Threatened Species Conseration Act 1995 and the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (Local Environmental Plan)
- Examples of Maximum Penalty for offences
- Much more. This webpage is worth reading.
- Environmental crime in Australia “Research and public policy series no. 109″, by Samantha Bricknell (ISBN 978 1 921532 64 1 ISSN 1836-2079) Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, October 2010 . This publication is available at the AIC’s website.

And now, back to original ARTICLE:-

However, if pointing a finger at identities and individual men or women who it is only “believed” may have taken part in this current proactive method of Environmental degradation, remember that a “forensic” trail/investigative instruments can be helpful. Sometimes, things are not what they appear. Some more general points worth considering, when abhorrent and illegal clearing occurs may be:-

The Australian Government’s “Australian Institute of Criminology” website has some useful INFORMATION on illegal native vegetation clearing. Environmental crime in Australia “Research and public policy series no. 109″, by Samantha Bricknell (ISBN 978 1 921532 64 1 ISSN 1836-2079) Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, October 2010 . This publication is available at the AIC’s website.
Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales – Zoologist Article 2007 Vol 34 (2) – Milledge D Opinion Piece Threatened species conservation at the local level in New South Wales – this article can be found at the ZOOLOGIST data base for their journal. This article concerns NSW threatened species conservation, refers to illegal clearing, and degrading environmental management practiced by landholders, who then develop the landscape into inappropriate urban developments. Proposed developments ( such as KINGS FOREST – adjacent to where this illegal clearing of Cudgen Nature Reserve took place), then even further degrade the ENVIRONMENTAL and ECOSYSTEM HEALTH, both to the local and regional detriment. It is noted in this article that the NSW government administerd threatened species CONSERVATION was at a low level (2007).
Adam Gosling’s full paper presentation at the Healthy wetlands 20th NSW Coastal conference 2011 stated ”Australia is reported to have lost between 75 and 90 percent of coastal wetlands over the past 200 years (Finlayson, 2000. Usback & James 1993). Not only have wetlands been decimated historically through land clearing for agriculture and urban development and drained or isolated from adjoining wetlands, they remain one of the most severely threatened ecosystems in eastern Australia through coastal development and land use.“
LAND CLEARANCE – a National Key Threatening Process - The threatening process meets s188(4)(a), s188(4)(b) and s188(4)(c) of the EPBC Act. Description of Land Clearance from ” the Advice to the Minister for the Environment and Heritage from the TSSC on a public nomination of a Key Threatening Process under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999″ - “Land clearing consists of the destruction of the above ground biomass of native vegetation and its substantial replacement by non-local species or by human artefacts. Native vegetation is defined as vegetation in which native species constitute more than 70% of the plant cover, or other vegetation containing populations of species listed under the EPBC Act. Substantial replacement by non-local species or human artefacts is defined as the achievement of more than 70% of the total cover by species or human artefacts that did not occur previously on the site. Land clearing includes clearance of native vegetation for crops, improved, pasture, plantations, gardens, houses, mines, buildings and roads. It also includes infilling of wetlands or dumping material on dry land native vegetation, and the drowning of vegetation through the construction of impoundments. It does not include silvicultural operations in native forests and manipulation of native vegetation composition and structure by grazing, burning or other means. ” Endangered Species Scientific Sub-committee, (ESSS).
It would be reasonable to think that the Destruction of the Coastal Strip of the Tweed Coast is looking like a very destructive form of Land Management. Laws such as the afore mentioned EPBC Act, with its key threatening Processes, the NSW Primary Statutes within NSW Concerning Clearing of Native Vegetation - the Native vegetation Act 2003, Threatened Species Conseration Act 1995 and the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (Local Environmental Plan) – these laws are not helping with regard to environmental vandalism, and the mass destruction of remnant, highly disturbed (and fragmented) habitat that native wildlife are currently (and often stressfully ) surviving in, on the TWEED COAST….. Why are non ecologically sustainable developments and their associated destructive practices still occurring? Is this due to due process? Is this due to inadequate legislation? Is it due to discretionary powers as opposed to obligatory requirement? Is this due to lack of education? Is it due to lack of practical management skills in authentic land and water stewardship? OR is it due to the fact that the fabric of society is living a massive lie, and that high energy, wasteful, destructive, non ecologically sustainable practices are still “running the economy, socially mainstream acceptable perceptions, and that, basically, the majority of people just really do not care about the future wellbeing of the Tweed Coast, the wetlands, the ecosystems of Australia, the biodiverse fabric of nature that supports us all, and the future of our Children?????? Where is the common good clearly displayed, within this social and legal machination of Ecologically Sustainable Development?
Perhaps this clearing of endangered Koala habitat in Tweed Shire may have occurred because all about the Northern Rivers, HABITAT CLEARING is occurring as a matter of course, and the clearing agent thought it was OK?
Perhaps the man or woman who cleared the area of Cudgen Nature Reserve, or who INSTRUCTED the Habitat Clearing didn’t know that Australian Wildlife is rapidly disappearing from this area of the Tweed Shire???
Perhaps they needed the money to live, and instructed the clearing to help them survive in this harsh economic environment, where property values are sliding, rents are increasing and non sustainable developments are stressing the land and water health to the point where the little man (and native animal) can no longer survive??????????. I have often observed that where clearing of land occurs, that is damaging to the environment, there is usually a chain of events that can be tracked, that will show where the real responsibility lies. Usually, it is found to be hand in hand with ignorance + the illusion that the illegal/legal clearing will lead to profit.
Occasionally, I have observed that vegetation and habitat destruction is prompted by a basic criminal mindset. Whatever the case is, at Cudgen Nature Reserve – ignorance, greed or amoral /immoral mindset – the man / woman responsible requires immediate attention by all concerned over this illegal act. EDUCATION concerning the plight of threatened species (and disappearing wetland vegetation communities / habitats / ECOSYSTEMS) is lacking – both in the general public and professional/political arenas. The corporate arena ?- this arena has long since lost its authenticity and credibility:- the mass destruction of coastal wetlands from the North of Brisbane (QLD) to Ballina Shire (NSW) attest to this.

It is important to let the due process occur. It is also important to recognise the real and immediate victims of this crime – The Native Wildlife of the Tweed Coast and Hinterland. It is of most importance that it be recognised that, when it comes to development in the Tweed Shire, infrastructure and development processes have both an insidious and uncaring trend – both as social implication for the human residents, and for the environmental health of the region.

Tweed Coast Estuary Management Plan HERE.

The Cudgen Nature Reserve Plan of Management link is HERE.

What is of note, concerning this most recent highly publicized act of proactive land degradation in the rapidly developing Tweed Coast is:-

IF the surrounding area of VEGETATION COMMUNITY, ECOSYSTEM and NATIVE WILDLIFE HABITAT were intact, RESILIENT, CARED FOR( by individuals, companies, developers, landholders, Environmental Australian and NSW LAWS), then a small area of highly disturbed, highly degraded Habitat and Ecosystem may recover rather quickly.
Authentic Land and Water Stewardship, if enacted out by Australian, NSW and QLD Laws, individuals and corporate entities, could help save, and indeed enhance our threatened species and threatened Ecosystems. This is clearly not the case, when it comes to these Australian, NSW and QLD LAWS, corporate entities and individuals.
Koala Corridors and Buffers Zones should be part of the WHOLE DEVELOPMENT APPROACH. The area being developed for human settlement and infrastructure SHOULD include a whole plan approach, whereby the KOALA and ITS HABITAT is integral and 100% incorporated into the whole design.
This is the same for ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE PRINCIPLES :- water storage for each house; SUSTAINABLE WASTE MANAGEMENT and WASTE MINIMISATION; improved and enhanced wetland and INTEGRATED CATCHMENT MANAGEMENT & integrated native wildlife habitat enhancement throughout the entire development; sensible covenants on fencing, dogs, cats, rabbits, vegetation; energy efficient materials/design and development procedures & processes; local and regional environmentally sustainable employment opportunities; local food & local sustainable industry creation or mentorship; fire, flood, noise, environmental and noxious weeds awareness. Town Planners know these lists more comprehensively. These things reinforce the importance and inherent understanding of not clearing areas such as the Cudgen Nature Reserve. RESPECT!!!!
SOCIAL INCLUSION and COMMUNITY RESOURCE areas. Educational information for all prospective and existing settlers to the REGION can be of great value also – particularly for ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS, and SOCIAL WELLBEING. TRANSPORT should be state of the art Environmentally Sustainably Networked and Implemented, by both the developer (who profits and thus should care where and how his/her profit arises) and the Governments (who should CARE and show diligent leadership). Healthy minds, educated people, these days, try to do the right thing by our beautiful endangered species and their homes.
NATURE RESERVES ARE TO BE RESPECTED BY ALL – that is why they are nature reserves.

Nature, when left undisturbed, or when disturbed only slightly, has remarkable resilience, if it is surrounded by INTACT RESILIENT NATIVE VEGETATION and healthy Ecological Units and Ecosystems.

In my original “Balance of Faeries” article, I explained how, little by little, the degrading of small land parcels can add up to large scale degradation. I explained that unless the smaller fragments of Wildlife Habitat are preserved and actively enhance, then the larger factors of WIND, SUN, RAIN, DROUGHT, adjoining DEGRADED LAND, FIRE, FLOOD etc will take their toll. I explained, via my imagery, that the little things in our complex NATURAL ENVIRONMENT serve to keep the bigger components in check, thus promoting Native Vegetation Community and Ecosystem Resilience. I explained that the current scientific knowledge base ignores these little components, in large – both in scientific studies, and in our overall LEGAL and HIGHER LEARNING knowledge base. The COMPLEX pattern, of usage and dependency within our current Australian ECOSYSTEMS, by Australian Wildlife is largely an unknown scientific fact.

This is because many studies that have been conducted, have been conducted once the land has already been disturbed for many decades. This is because many studies use other studies as their basis. This is because many important studies are disregarded, ignored or superceded by studies done by scientists who have a minimal level of understanding of the complexity of Australian Wildife requirements, in a cross dependent sense. This is because the Corporate, Scientific and Legal worlds often operate behind closed doors.

In defence of the dedicated workers in Australian Wildlife understanding and demonstrating scientific research – many good and valuable studies HAVE also been made, concerning Native Australian Wildlife. Studies concerning the Koala have often been used as a POLITICAL, corporate and development/ infrastructure FOOTBALL. The degrading developments and infrastructures have HISTORICALLY won this football game. I can readily say that, in the light of the corporate greed V’s Nature battles, corporations have historically existed for a relatively short time. Nature is, has, and always will be, running the show, and winning in the long and even short term.

Personally, I have little faith in the NSW Government’s ability to address this issue of the clearing of vegetation in the Cudgen Nature Reserve. Why? Because they are probably snowed under with all kinds of investigations concerning illegal clearing and other environmental acts of vandalism. I have even less faith in the developers and their associated networked entities who have been developing the Tweed Coast and other areas of NE NSW ( and SE QLD )in such a way that their LACK of DUTY OF CARE, to current & future human populations health and well being, is so obvious, yet not held to account. Education is important in these matters.

However, some interesting facts are emerging:-

How much money does it take to destroy lives? Why do individuals and corporations and governments seek to destroy on one hand, yet soothsay that they are SUSTAINABLE and ENVIRONMENTALLY CORRECT? Why are people still able to use bulldozers and other heavy earth moving equipment, mining processes, and other methods of land use that clearly lack precaution of due care (with subsequent degrading land and catchment re-design) without the necessary education and accountability, concerning the power they wield? How much due process is involved in remedy? Why is development on the Tweed Coast continuing to fragment already stressed Habitats and Ecosystems? Did the men or women involved in this illegal clearing of the Cudgen Nature Reserve know what they were doing?

I had better leave it here. Research and talk to others. Find out what is going on.

Oh, and one more thing…… for those of you versed well in astrology, have a look at the current planetary stories. Neptune is finally direct in the last degrees of AQUARIUS, and heading towards PISCES. Illusion, deceit, over institutionalising of faith and vision are on the rise. Exposure of deceit, lies and corruption will become easier for those who follow God’s Law and God’s Natural Law. As Neptune approaches the fixed star Fomalhaut, the guardian / Archangel Gabriel and WATCHER of the SOUTH, approx. 4 degrees Pisces, and then Deneb Adige at about 5 degrees Pisces, the precession of the equinoxes will unfold one of the greatest stories of mankind. Balance will become of utmost importance to the entire planet.

The above astrological / environmental collage shows Neptune direct (as of 10th Nov 2011) in Aquarius. The above horoscope is for the 17th November, 2011 and is taken from What Watch at papertv.com .

With the entry of Neptune in Pisces, the birds of the air will tell the story, better than any man or woman. The small animals of the earth will bear witness. Those of pure heart and who practice redemption, those who have the COURAGE to own up to PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY will find their wings.

ARCHANGEL GABRIEL and the BUTTERFLY EFFECT (a poem by TAIKO)

excerpt from A Balance of Faeries:-

“Part four: The return
I have since returned to visit the Marburg Range, some months back, before the 2008 summer rains drenched it once again, and after many years of drought, harsh winds and relentless sun. The road verge leading to the top of the ridge is bare, no trees have grown back yet, and no koalas, birds or marsupials could be seen on the narrow strip that was cleared so suddenly, 20 years ago.

With biodiversity comes the ability for our ecological systems to withstand the greater forces of nature – wind, sun, rain, fire, cold, heat. With knowledge and understanding of the smaller, delicate portions of nature, comes an ability to hold back the greater forces that great knowledge exposes us to.

It is time to wake up.”

The following KOALA POEM is a reflection of an earlier poem that I wrote in “B is for Biodiversity“. Sometimes, when I write on bluecray.org , I add a poem or two. This following POEM is about a Developer who has learnt how to listen and respect NATURE’s LAWS. It is in direct contrast to the Koala Poem that I wrote last year (where the moneybag developer was ignorant and thought only of profit taking for himself and his mates).

said the “Enlightened” developer………..

Peaceful KOALA asleep in your tree
can you please share your land
and let me live here?
My homes of simplicity,
clean electricity
gardens and bikeways
can you share with me please?
I’m fond of your family
I’ll enhance our shared home
slow roads, tracks and parklands,
over which you can roam.
Dear KOALA, please tell me how to help you stay free!

Iconic KOALA, so high in your tree
can you see the new bushlands, they were planted by ME!
I know that you’ve struggled at home many years
You wandered and waited amidst local fears
But development’s slow, I’ve had time to think
so KOALA – i’ve planted a great Carbon Sink.
My learned approach will show ALL that I care
No bulldozer damage, no smoke fills the air
Diverse native landscapes we’ve planted for you
They’re resilient, and strong, i hope they will do

KOALA please tell me how to help you stay free!

Dearest KOALA, in treetops above
how else can i help you, in patience and love
My authority’s sanctioned, I’ve owned this land years
So KOALA, dear friend, i hope you’ll be pleased

Hey KOALA, dear icon, i’ve covenants here
I’ll protect you from dogs, cars, diseases and fear
Now our lots are divided, some share a great view
So KOALA, please answer – it’s all up to you

I see you’ve been ill, fevered, trembling and scarred
but your welcome to stay here, in all of my yards.
My planners invite you to tell me what more
you’ll need for your home. We respect nature’s LAW.

KOALA in our tree, our lots are surveyed
The wetlands are thriving, new homes are displayed
And wildlife’s returning, coming into it’s prime
bio- diversity balance and time.
This development’s needed, and it helps me spend more
on those that need houses – the young and the poor
My development teaches ALL- you are our host
now why don’t they do this on all of our coast?
The GOD given wonders of nature make more
than ignorant developments bulldozed next door

So KOALA, marsupial, once dwindling here
I’ll start small scale nurseries, to give you more cheer
and all of the school children, that go to my school
will thank you KOALA – you’ve made their homes cool

We’ve local food markets, each home has a tank
They say I am great, but it’s you i must thank
And KOALA – i’ve told all “go slow on your road”
Even after i’ve gone with my life soul’s great load

Oh KOALA – what’s this, i see you’re now here
In GOD’s arms, oh so peaceful with nothing to fear
And GOD’s angels tell me, they’ve opened the gates
for me and my load, and all of my mates
Dear GOD, i look down, from heaven and smile,
my real estate legacies – they’ve been all worthwhile
I promised, delivered, enhanced all my land
native plant woodlands – all of them grand.

I see that the wildlife and children run free
It is you, dear KOALA who educates me
And GOD, i now wonder about all the fuss
The hustle and bustle – all i needed was trust
My chattels and cargo, are lightweight to hold,
I’m glad that i learnt from KOALA’s dear soul

said the Koala……
w’ell, Maaaate, what can I say… you listened and learnt.

Great Egret (Ardea alba)

Incoming Searches: vegetation of cudgen nature reserve, cudgen nature reserve, clearing nature reserve, northern rivers women, cudgen reserve snake, poetry on wet lands how to preserve and reserve, illegal clearing process, cudgen bushfire 2010, cudgen nature reserve wildlife, cudgen clearing

PK, the Eastern Star and 22 Arrows of Energy

al — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 01:25:49 +0000

The Northern Rivers of NSW and the Catchments of SE QLD are becoming engulfed by sprawling infrastructure growth that has been unsustainable for many decades. Community environmental advocacy and regional social responsibilities are beginning to formulate into political and philosophical voices. See “Coal Seam Gas Debate” 2nd August 2011, ABC TV by reporter Ali Moore. Also a story about possible aquifer contamination from coal seam gas operations in Qld “ Carcinogens found in coal seam gas project” (ABC 29th August 2011) showing why community voices are uniting on a number of concerned fronts. Arrow Energy in the Scenic Rim Shire of the Mt Warning Caldera Region:- article at ABC Gold Coast News 17th Jan. 2012

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mines and Communities website and the Mineral Policy Institute .

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

b is for biodiversity

al — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 20:57:46 +0000

A short poem for biodiversity, and a koala poem about KOALAS and developers, created by bluecray, to remind us that Biodiversity is to be honoured as necessary for our childrens’ futures. Biodiversity is disappearing from our earth due to the greed, ignorance and selfishness of mankind. Australian biodiversity is disappearing at an increasing rate within the Mt Warning Caldera Region of NE NSW & SE QLD, Australia.

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.

Incoming Searches: biorregion neartica, BIOREGION PALEÁRTICA, bioregion australiana, flora de la bioregion paleartica, poems on biodiversity, flora de la bioregion neotropical, bioregion neotropical, flora de la bioregion neartica, flora de biorregion neartica, fauna del la bioregion etiopica

Biodiversity, Bioenergy, Biofuels and Wisdom

al — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 03:11:38 +0000

Condong Mill, Sunshine Electricity, Delta energy, individual land owners and other Bioenergy consortiums, providers, merchants and “tradespeople” are currently conducting a war on biodiversity in the Northern rivers of NSW, Australia. How?

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.

Incoming Searches: loss of biodiversity, biodiversity loss, pictures of land degradation biodiversity loss air pollution, habitat destruction, habitat loss, collage on biodiversity, habitat destruction in australia, a collage of affected biodiversity, bioregion neártica, koala habitat

I will protect you and teach you….

al — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 11:05:25 +0000

Mothers of children all around the world care deeply for their childrens’ future. Mothers protect and teach their children. In this uncertain world, protecting and teaching our young requires, amongst other things, continuity of educational basics within a safe teaching environment. Environmental concerns and fears do not always seem immediate to our lives, if we live in Australia – particularly within the cities and towns along the eastern coast..

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

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!!!”

“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,

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

Incoming Searches: bioregion australiana flora y fauna e collage, i will protect you poem, abc annie gaffney frogs interview, i will protect you if you, i will portect you poems, frogs tweed, concretingfiletype: ppt, collage on extinction and conservation on a chart, australian wildlife scats, snakes currumbin valley

Bluecray.org

Community Health and Tweed Coast Koala Populations

Community Health

Koala and Wildlife Community Health

Agreements and Regional Visions

Why people want to help Koalas from local extinction.

Who is caring for WHO?

THE DESIGN PROCESS and ECOLOGICALLY SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Kings Forest Submissions 2012

Kings Forest Investment Property – Wetland Habitat Destruction on the Tweed Coast

WHAT COSTS?

WHO SHOULD HAVE CONCERNS?

A MORATORIUM and INQUIRY concerning THE KINGS FOREST, KINGSCLIFF investment property development should be created IMMEDIATELY, by all levels of government, as well as by independent Judicial, AUTHENTIC Scientists’ and ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES BODIES.

Some Where’s and Why’s………?

Some WHO’S?

Write to the Premier and Ministers of the NSW Government to INSIST that the KINGS FOREST submissions for this ***latest stage, be extended, due to the many concerns of scientists, locals and wildlife carers regarding this highly inappropriate development

Illegal clearing Cudgen Nature Reserve – a balance of faeries revisited

RALLY for KINGS FOREST KOALAS :- Saturday 10th December, 2011

PK, the Eastern Star and 22 Arrows of Energy

b is for biodiversity

Biodiversity, Bioenergy, Biofuels and Wisdom

Condong Mill, Sunshine Electricity, Delta energy, individual land owners and other Bioenergy consortiums, providers, merchants and “tradespeople” are currently conducting a war on biodiversity in the Northern rivers of NSW, Australia. How?

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

Ecologically sustainable is defined in this above act as:-

“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. “

I will protect you and teach you….

I will protect you and teach you……..

(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 . )

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

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

KOALA SCHOOL

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