We had a good turn out, of approximately 65 people, last night on a cold Friday night in Crow’s Nest for our second community forum expertly chaired by Scot McPhie where solutions and alternatives were discussed by a highly engaged audience thanks to the balance within the audience e.g. a person from the development industry, three councillors, residents and speakers from far and wide.
Toowoomba Koala and Wildlife Rescue’s Judi Gray’s short video on the frustration of the situation set the scene. It was legal clearing on a zombie application 2004, Category X vegetation at the moment, whereas we see tall mature gum trees with nesting hollows and even koalas.
This offends the sensibilities of most informed people who realise these 100 year old trees are the home of Crow’s Nest healthy but endangered koala population.
Negotiations were held with the owner and media attention grabbed last year on Channel 7 you may recall , even a letter from Jane Goodall was obtained as she is taking a special interest in their fate, all to no avail!
Felling these trees has reduced their food supply and their safe territory which is in fact an ancient corridor genetically programmed into them. Koalas cannot easily relocate to areas where they will have enemies/stress which is not aided by a unique gut biome which does not easily adapt to dietary changes of relocation sites.
Our speakers were various and interesting with Professor Rundle-Thiele lightening the atmosphere by providing a review of their great outcomes of the SEQ Koala Conservation Strategy and how the benefits of their research projects are now being shared further afield.
Max Fulham, who successfully worked with others to save Ferny Forest and Peachester Forest came from the Sunshine Coast to see if locals from Crow’s Nest might get involved to help save Deongwar State Forest (photo) from the current state felling onslaught, in order to save the Gliders who live there who need both canopy and mature trees.
Toowoomba Wilderness Society provided a link to the state campaign manager for their national deforestation campaign! Qld leads the way in that area.
Sandy Robertson from Land for Wildlife educated us on the free trees to landowners (33 per year) and the new Gardens For Wildlife plans now underway to make our whole region including urban, more appropriate for wildlife.
Legislation and policy are clearly the issues at stake and the old chestnut that if laws are about to bite, i.e. vegetation mapping to actually protect trees, there could be a felling carnage if land owners assert their “rights” before the laws are enacted.
Three councillors attended despite short notice: Cr Nancy Sommerfield, Cr Melissa Taylor and Cr Megan O’Hara Sullivan who informed the audience of the relative success of our protests and meetings with TRC to date, as a Temporary Local Planning Instrument (TLPI) is now possible with the TRC media release last week. That they are extending the timeframe of the new town planning document until 2026.
We need to be involved to have a say in what constitutes habitat worth saving. So please come and help us with this task.
We also need to know of development applications (DA’s) in advance. Help us stay informed by contacting us if you notice one. For example, we learned that there is trouble on the horizon in Hampton with a new DA on 70 acres there. Please consider getting involved if you live in that vicinity by contacting DDEC. Hampton is so picturesque and has very precious habitat (like Highfields used to be).
Please also be aware that DDEC has very limited resources and relies heavily on volunteer energy. If you have time, we would love you to consider joining PROTECT as we continue to fight for effective tree protection laws.
Scot McPhie promised council that protests would continue until we are satisfied that there is sufficient protection on our unique ecosystems in this region, even if human housing need is great. Imagination and research are the way forward to more compatible housing solutions. We will also continue discussion with all levels of government to this end.
Lastly, I would like to thank the Dancing Bear Cafe volunteers John Gallagher and Jane Phelan for their fabulous catering. Also the planning team, for the many trips north we have made over the last fortnight.
Jenny Withnall
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