From: Yasmin Kelsall <
YasminK@vnpa.org.au>
Date: Wednesday, 18 September 2013 8:03 AM
Subject: Joint Statement - Help respond to new Native Veg Policy
We have drafted a joint statement (attached) that we intend to submit to the State Government and opposition in response to the Native Vegetation Policy that is due to pass through Parliament any day now. If we get enough response we're also hoping to try for some media around this important issue.
We're looking for as many community-based environment/Landcare groups or ecological organisations to sign on to this as possible.
To sign on to the statement, simply reply by return email and attach the logo of your group. It's fine if you don't have a logo - just let us know.
We're hoping for responses by next Wednesday - 25th September. Apologies for the short timeline. Again let us know if you'd like to sign on but can't make the timeline.
Please forward this on other colleagues and anyone else who may be interested. In particular, if you happen to know of anyone who may be outside of the usual sphere of 'the converted' or someone who may be likely to get the Government's (or Opposition's) attention, please forward to them. Or alternately let us know of anyone else (individuals/associations/organisations) that you think we should approach.
Best wishes,
Yasmin
Yasmin Kelsall
VICTORIAN NATIONAL PARKS ASSOCIATION
Level 3, 60 Leicester St, Carlton Vic 3053
T: 03 9347 5188 F: 03 9347 5199
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Save
the bush !
Weakened Land Clearing
Laws
Joint Statement in Response to Victorian Native
Vegetation Reforms
As ecologists, scientific experts,
industry groups and community-based environment groups, representing thousands
of Victorians, we are alarmed at the State Government’s dilution of Victoria’s
Native Vegetation policy and are concerned that they will lead to increased
land clearing
We value, care for and conserve the
various habitats across the state and expect to see our government doing the
same. We want to see Native Vegetation
policy in Victoria strengthened, not weakened.
The new native vegetation policy
significantly weakens the protections for habitat, threatening the State’s
biodiversity and its sustainability. Additionally, it compromises the value of
native vegetation for landscape stability and amenity.
This comes on top of
pressures from both urban and regional growth as well as agricultural
intensification and fire management which are currently impacting on the vegetation
remaining on freehold land across the State.
None of these issues were duly considered in developing the reforms. Furthermore there are increasing pressures on
vegetation within public land, such as the large-scale clearing of large old
trees along fire trails.
We
have the sad legacy of being the most cleared state in Australia. This includes 80% of the original cover of
native vegetation cover on private land with a corresponding
loss of biodiversity leading to a high proportion of threatened species.
Native
vegetation not only provides a home to wildlife, it provides a safety net for
all of us. A 2002 study for the Prime
Minister’s Science, Engineering and Innovation Council found that native
vegetation in Australia provides approximately $1 trillion per year in value
for preventing land degradation, and providing basic services like pollination
and tourism value.
State
and Federal governments spend tens of millions of dollars per year on
restoration and habitat protection supported by the community through Landcare
and other regional networks. Tree-planting and habitat restoration is
important, but must be done in conjunction with protecting remnant bushland –
for both ecological and economic reasons. Reducing or stopping clearing is the
best strategy we have and native vegetation regulation is an efficient way to
do this. Native vegetation regulation was estimated to cost the Victorian
economy $ 41 million per annum, this being significantly
less than the amounts spent on land restoration.
Despite receiving
over 200 submissions to the draft Consultation Paper for the Native Vegetation
Reforms, of which the vast majority (approx. 80%) expressed concern at the
proposed reforms, these concerns were disregarded and Victoria’s native vegetation permitted clearing regulations released without further opportunity for comment.
The reforms will
create a new system where we will see:
·
A cash for clearing approach, where in almost
all cases, permits will be granted provided an offsetting fee is paid.
·
Flawed maps for decision making based on biased
and inadequate data and irresponsible assumptions
·
Nature losing its safety net, formerly
provided by on-site expert assessments – how do you know what’s there if you
don’t look?
We call on the Minister/ Premier to:
-
Move
on from this flawed native vegetation policy and develop new standalone
legislation that will truly ensure that Victoria’s unique natural values will
be conserved on private land.
-
Make
sure that decisions to clear native vegetation are based on the actual
vegetation on the site, rather than flawed mapping. If mapping is to be used to help decision
makers, then make sure it accurately reflects habitat values.
-
Set
a vision for biodiversity and native vegetation across the State. This will address the gaping hole in current
policy to guide subordinate policy of this kind.
-
Make
the state government and public land managers subject to the same rules as
private land.
-
Provide
better planning support upfront to ensure that native vegetation is considered
and large-scale clearing is avoided. For
example, when State Government decisions are being made about urban and regional
land use and growth.
-
Provide
upfront guidance for land managers who are seeking to intensify their
agricultural production to ensure that native vegetation is considered upfront
in their planning.
-
Support
local government efforts to strengthen their local planning schemes, undertake
compliance and enforcement and to better administer any native vegetation
policy that falls within their primary responsibility.
