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Hi folks
I am inclined to publish a pretty awful shot
I took of a Japanese (Latham's) Snipe on a swamp in Kangaloon, (near
Robertson).Sorry about the grey lines, it was taken through a
fence.
The reason is to draw attention to the
protected status of this species.
I had reason to apply last year for federal
environmental protection for an area known as the "Kangaloon Aquifer" (in the
Catchment "Special Area", north of Robertson, in the Southern Highlands), to try
and block the Sydney Catchment Authority from "pumping dry" (their words, not
mine) the Kangaloon Aquifer. One of the Threatened Species on which this
application was based is the "Japanese Snipe". It is protected under the
Federal environment protection legislation (the EPBC Act 1999), by virtue
of being listed under an international treaty with Japan.
Sections 20 and 20 A
of the EPBC Act require
approval to be obtained for any action that is likely to have a significant
impact on Migratory Species of birds.
Australia is a signatory to an intergovernmental treaty with
Japan for the protection of migratory
species. This is called:
Agreement between the
Government of Australia and
the Government of Japan for the Protection of Migratory
Birds in Danger of Extinction and their Environment
(Tokyo, 6 February 1974)
Entry into force: 30 April
1981
It
is identified as Australian Treaty
Series 1981, No 6.
This information is submitted to this COG forum, in case this information becomes relevant,
at any stage, for environmental campaigners in and around the ACT. I know it
took me a lot of researching to find this information,
originally.
I am pleased to report these birds are back in
Kangaloon, this year. The battle for the Kangaloon Aquifer continues - we have
not lost it yet - so we still have swamps here, despite 6 months of
pumping.
You may read about this recent sighting on my
blog:
Love to Grow: Grow to
Love
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