More than 1 million hectares of bush, forest and trees have likely been cleared since the Newman LNP Government let loose the bulldozers on Queensland. 

In response, organisations including Mackay Conservation Group, WWF-Australia, the Wilderness Society and the Queensland Conservation Council have launched an alliance to end land clearing in the state.

“Queensland is in the midst of an environmental crisis from land clearing,” said Wilderness Society Queensland Campaign Manager Gemma Plesman.

“The Newman Government gutted land-clearing laws four years ago today but the explosion in land clearing had started beforehand when the LNP announced it would stop enforcing the laws.

“More than 1 million hectares of bush, forest and trees have likely been razed since the Newman LNP let loose the bulldozers on Queensland. Since 2013 nearly 300,000 hectares has been cleared in Queensland every year we have data; an area the size of the Gabba is bulldozed every three minutes.”

Sign our petition to call on the Queensland Government to end uncontrolled tree clearing

Queensland Conservation Council head Dr Tim Seelig said: “This is one million very good reasons to make our land clearing laws much better and more effective in protecting native wildlife.

“Today we are launching an alliance of organisations from across the state united in their efforts to stop this terrible destruction.

“Parliament needs to be given another opportunity to end Campbell Newman’s destructive legacy on land clearing. By strengthening tree clearing laws, we can protect wildlife and bushland and ensure a future for species such as the endangered koala.”

We are asking members of the community to keep a close eye out for Tawny Coster butterflies (Acraea terpsicore). This is a newly arrived species from Asia - that, as far as we know, has made its way through southern Asia and down to the northern Territory in 2012. It’s anticipated spread across Australia has proved to be very rapid, averaging at more than 350 km per year, with this rate of spread quickening in pace.

In March of this year, they reached the east coast of Australia, including the cities Cairns and Townsville. Simultaneously, heading south and further inland with sightings recorded from Georgetown to Charters Towers and Longreach.  

 In June residents in Andergrove reported their concerns with the clearing of 25 trees in an endangered melaleuca wetland regional ecosystem that is part of the Great Barrier Reef wetland system of McCreadys Creek catchment.

Critical new information may halt Carmichael mine

The Mackay Conservation Group has submitted critical new information in the Federal Court in Sydney amending their challenge to Federal Environment Minister Greg Hunt’s approval of the Carmichael mine in Central Queensland.

The group argues that in approving Carmichael, Minister Hunt failed to consider conservation advices for two vulnerable species likely to be significantly impacted by the project, the ornamental snake and the yakka skink. ing their challenge to Federal Environment Minister Greg Hunt’s approval of the Carmichael mine in Central Queensland.

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/jun/16/greg-hunt-ignoring-advice-on-danger-to-wildlife-from-carmichael-coalmine

Air quality standards in Australia are in dire need of improvement. The Australian State, Territory and Commonwealth governments are currently reviewing the existing standards which outline ‘safe’ levels of exposure from a variety of air pollution sources.  

This gives us an opportunity to ask the Federal Environment Minister (Greg Hunt) to improve our air quality standards so we can have the cleanest air possible. 

An estimated 3,000 premature Australian deaths are linked to poor air quality and if these standards are improved, lives could be saved.

The coal mining industry is our Australia’s main source of particle pollution, and they have admitted that their emissions have grown by a massive 187% in the last ten years. These standards need to be changed – please sign the petition to make sure they have to limit their emissions. 

 Air quality standards in Australia are in dire need of improvement. The Australian State, Territory and Commonwealth governments are currently reviewing the existing standards which outline ‘safe’ levels of exposure from a variety of air pollution sources.  

This gives us an opportunity to ask the Federal Environment Minister (Greg Hunt) to improve our air quality standards so we can have the cleanest air possible. 

An estimated 3,000 premature Australian deaths are linked to poor air quality and if these standards are improved, lives could be saved.

The coal mining industry is our Australia’s main source of particle pollution, and they have admitted that their emissions have grown by a massive 187% in the last ten years. These standards need to be changed.  Please sign the petition below calling for stronger air quality standards.

Mackay Conservation Group has been successful in getting a $5,000 Natural Environment grant from Mackay Regional Council to partially fund Birdlife Mackay and other volunteers to repeat the 2014 weekly winter surveys for this and other bird species at three 10ha monitoring sites in northern Crediton State Forest next to Eungella National Park.

This is where the highest numbers of Eungella honeyeaters were recorded in 1998 which was one of the most severe La Nina years on record causing very dry conditions and a high density of flowering Eucalyptus trees.

You might have been following the issues with the new bat colony that has taken up residence near Walkerston. Patricia Julien of MCG is calling for a long term and ecologically sound resolution to issues with bat colonies: below is a letter to the editor submitted to the Daily Mercury:

Many locals believe that most of the flying foxes near Bakers Creek bridge in Walkerston came from the dispersal of 4,800 flying foxes at North Eton which cost Mackay Regional Council around $45,000. Initially the animals dispersed some 1.5 km into four smaller colonies but did not leave the region.[1] As flying foxes are migratory animals that follow food sources much of the colony will likely move on after April but at present they have grown to numbers that are causing persistent sound and odour problems for neighbouring land owners. They are also likely to return when food again becomes more abundant.

Logging has recommenced in Crediton State Forest habitat of the Eungella honeyeater after being stopped thirteen years ago. The Eungella Honeyeater has the smallest range of any Australian bird species. It includes Eungella National Park and the surrounding state forests. It is listed as of medium risk of decline from climate change and logging poses another risk to its food sources, lerps and nectar from flowering eucalyptus species said Patricia Julien Research Analyst with Mackay Conservation Group. It population was estimated in 2013 at 2,500.

The Queensland Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Agriculture refused to monitor impacts of logging on the Eungella honeyeater saying the Eungella honeyeater had survived past logging and it is still present. Birdlife Mackay President Daryl Barnes stated members were concerned because it is a popular attraction for birdwatchers and they have noted an apparent decline in its numbers.

Pictures below: the famous Eungella Honeyater, and Patricia from Mackay Conservation Group with Richard and Daryl from Birdlife Mackay seeking out the honeyeater