Clarence
Valley Environment Centre
Summer 2000
Newsletter
Campaign Room
COUTTS
CROSSING'S
NASTY & DANGEROUS WILDLIFE CORRIDOR
Coutts Crossing is set in a large vegetation remnant, which has been progressively cleared as the village has expanded. The remnant includes the threatened square-fruited ironbark and provides a habitat for threatened animals including the swift parrot, square-tailed kite, koala, glossy black cockatoo and white-crowned snake.
Six years ago a 16-hectare area was cleared for a subdivision and soccer field. At the time, the National Parks and Wildlife Service told Nymboida Council that in order to ameliorate any negative impacts on fauna habitat, a corridor of trees would need to be retained along Kangaroo Creek Road. This would protect the square-fruited ironbarks and allow the fauna to move safely between remnant stands of vegetation. The Council complied, and in this way, despite the loss of vegetation, strategic stands of trees could be kept to improve the chances of threatened species surviving against the human competition.
Now, despite the Council's endless trumpeting of its commitment to ecological sustainable development, the entire corridor is to be felled. There has been no talk of biodiversity or ecological systems. There has been no examination of the likely consequences of the decision. The Council in a spirit of thundering ignorance is in the process of sending a very bad message out to all beings.
How did it happen?
Simple. The humans agreed to keep some trees in the interests of other species. The trees stayed. The humans moved in and eventually forgot why the trees had been kept. People started to see the corridor as a pathway. Naturally it was enjoyable to walk in the shade of the trees. But then fear set in. What if a dead branch fell on someone walking below? This was a village now and the people were dominant. The trees had no right to be there. People should not be expected to accommodate rogue trees. The trees would have to go.
At the time of writing the trees are still standing. As you read this, I wonder if they'll be there. Over the past six months people have been trying to defend them writing letters signing petitions, trying to change minds, seeking publicity, looking for loopholes- There are a couple more delaying tactics up our sleeve, but sadly the Council just won't understand the implications of its decision, and the legislation isn’t strong enough to make a real difference. The really appalling thing is that the Council doesn't seem to have any awareness of the corridor's real functions or values, despite its vision for the year 2010 - " Nymboida Shire Council is widely recognised as a leader in progress towards ecological sustainability."
Register your protest against ignorant and unnecessary acts of destruction.
Clarence Environment Centre
17 Skinner Street
South Grafton NSW 2460 Australia
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Clarence Environment Centre
Ph/Fax: (02) 6643 1863
Email: cesjc@nor.com.au