HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT, HEALTHY COMMUNITIES IN THE BRIGALOW BELT SOUTH BIOREGION - revised proposal
INTRODUCTION
The Brigalow Belt South (BBS) bioregion is experiencing both a major environmental crisis and on-going socio-economic deterioration. The timber industry in the region is suffering an historical decline. This is due to a long history of unsustainable harvesting and industry rationalisation that has had a big impact on regional communities. This major decline has taken place despite the fact that the volumes of cypress removed now are greater than at any other time in history.
For example, in 1980 there were five cypress mills in five different towns employing more than 50 people in the Inverell Supply Zone. Now there is only a single mill employing 18 people. Similarly, in the 1950's there were 16 cypress mills taking timber from the Pilliga forests, and now there are only five. The situation is even more severe with ironbark logging. In the first half of the 20th century there were hundreds of sleeper cutters working in the BBS to supply up to 50 mills in the region. Now there are only a handful of fencepost operators left and a single ironbark mill. It has been a case of 'log out and then get out'. The natural environment in the BBS region is also in severe decline. Twenty-five animal species are now considered extinct in the region and 40% of those remaining are threatened with extinction. This is one of the highest rates of species decline in Australia.
The recent National Land and Water Audit recognised that the BBS is one of the most endangered, poorly reserved, and heavily cleared bioregions in Australia. Only 2.6% of the region is protected in reserves. The BBS contains some of the largest stands of temperate woodlands left in Australia, a broad vegetation formation that has had more than 90% of its original distribution cleared since European invasion.
Therefore, large reserve outcomes in the Brigalow Belt South, with complementary off-reserve regulation, are crucial to ensure the survival of many species that are now declining or threatened with extinction throughout Australia. This means that the outcome of the BBS assessment will have national conservation significance.
Heavy and unsustainable logging, grazing and altered fire regimes are having a major impact on the remaining vegetation in the region. These activites have resulted in the conversion of mixed eucalypt forests with a grassy understorey to cypress monocultures, and the severe depletion of the most important habitat feature for birds and animals - large old trees with hollows and plenty of nectar.
While there are strong ecological arguments for the immediate protection of all remaining native vegetation in the bioregion, the social and economic impacts would be too great and such an outcome is not feasible in the short-term.
Conservationists have listened to the concerns of our neighbours and have revised our original proposal accordingly. Our proposal recognises that biodiversity and environmental interests must co-exist with a scaled down timber industry. However it also advocates for the diversification of our regional economy in order to ensure ongoing sustainablity and to arrest the current decline.
Communities with a diverse economic base can better survive economic fluctuations and climate changes. They are no longer dependent on a single, environmentally damaging industry, but have economic choices and some form of safety net. The solution for the Brigalow Belt South bioregion lies in innovative approaches to job creation, sound environmental protection measures, and the development of new economic opportunities that will sustain both the environment and the communities that depend on it long into the future.
To fail to recognise the extent of the environmental crisis in the west and to allow 'business as usual' in these irreplaceable woodlands would be to sell the region short. Healthy and sustainable communities are only possible when there is a healthy environment. This means protecting the best of what's left.
Briefing 1: OUTLINE OF BBS AND NANDEWAR PROPOSALS
Briefing 2: HOW LOGGING HARMS THE ENVIRONMENT
Briefing 3: HISTORY OF THE PILLIGA
Briefing 4: VISION FOR FUTURE JOBS AND INDUSTRY PROPOSAL
Saving What's left - proposal released 2002
In response to the current Western Regional Assessment, the Western Conservation Alliance has
put forward a proposal: Saving What's Left in the Brigalow Belt South
The Executive Summary (33kb) can be downloaded here
The full document with colour pics (750kb) can be downloaded here
The full document without colour pics, grey maps (400kb) can be downloaded here
