Fwd: protection of woodland at Throsby

[jude hopwood <>]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: RATTENBURY <>
Date: Thu, Sep 8, 2011 at 1:57 PM
Subject: protection of woodland at Throsby
To: LECOUTEUR <>

Good afternoon,

 

I am writing to you as you have previously corresponded with the ACT Greens regarding your concerns about potential biodiversity impacts of urban development in environmentally sensitive areas in the proposed suburb of Throsby.

 

In the Assembly’s recent August sitting , the  ACT Greens put forward a motion to provide greater protections for biodiversity and critically endangered Yellow Box / Red Gum Grassy Woodlands. The motion was passed by the Assembly, with the support of the Government. 

 

The Greens motion called on the Government to:

 

• Ensure a full assessment of the environmental values of Throsby;
• Refer Throsby for assessment under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act;
• Create a vegetation and biodiversity overlay for planning GIS maps; and
• Ensure that fire asset protection zones fall outside of environmentally sensitive areas

 

It’s clear from all the evidence, including recent ecological connectivity studies, that the development of this suburb is of great concern. This area juts into the two nature reserves and is of high priority in regards to improving connectivity. For that reason alone, the Greens believe that a change to the urban development footprint should be considered.

 

Please see attached a copy of the media release on this motion from Greens Environment spokesperson Shane Rattenbury. The full text of the resolution is included  below this email.

 

Thank you for raising your concerns about biodiversity protection with your MLAs. The response we received from the community confirms our belief that the people of Canberra really care about protecting the unique character of our bush city.

 

Kind Regards,

 

Laura Stuart

Office of Shane Rattenbury MLA

ACT Greens |Speaker

ACT Legislative Assembly

London Circuit |Canberra 2600

www.parliament.act.gov.au

 

p: 02 6205 0005

f: 02 6205 0007

 

 

That this Assembly:

(1) notes: (a) that planning for the proposed suburb of Throsby has not been finalised;

(b) that the area for the proposed development of Throsby contains areas of high biodiversity value, including critically endangered Yellow Box / Red Gum Grassy Woodland, and sits between Goorooyarroo and Mulligans Flat Nature Reserves, which contain the largest and most intact example of this ecosystem type in the ACT;

(c) that bird surveys undertaken by the Canberra Ornithological Group indicate that the area is an important breeding ground for vulnerable Superb Parrot populations;

(d) that the proposed development area is also a habitat for the critically endangered Golden Sun Moth;

(e) that under current government practice, asset protection zones for the proposed suburb of Throsby will have a significant detrimental impact on the surrounding Mulligans Flat and Goorooyarroo Nature Reserves;

 

No. 113—17 August 2011 1433

 

(f) that a recent report commissioned by the ACT Government on ecological connectivity and climate change indicates that the area of the proposed development at Throsby falls within a designated high priority habitat connectivity corridor, linking Mulligans Flat and Goorooyarroo Nature Reserves; and

(g) that the ACT Government has committed to review the overall planning for the development of Throsby and to take account of important environmental issues; and

 

(2) notes the ACT Government will: (a) ensure that a full assessment of the environmental values of Throsby is undertaken;

(b) refer the development of Throsby for assessment under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999;

(c) commit to investigating the feasibility of incorporating existing biodiversity and ‘connectivity’ data into ACTMapi when the new version is commissioned by the end of the year and, subject to that assessment, will program the incorporation of the biodiversity data, as appropriate, and report back to the Assembly on progress in December 2011; and

(d) ensure that all inner asset protection zones are included within the urban development footprint of Throsby and the location of outer asset protection zones are determined on a case-by-case or location-by-location basis, taking into consideration bushfire risk and fuel reduction regime to ensure that there is no adverse impact on environmental values.”—

 

 

 

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JOINT CLC and SR - Throsby Motion.doc
Description: MS-Word document

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