Superb Parrot - COG Submission to Commonwealth Gov re proposed downgrading

["Jenny Bounds" <>]



Greetings:  Im circulating this link (to COG website) for those interested in reading the COG submission we have sent to the Commonwealth Gov, in response to their consultation document proposing that the Superb Parrot be downgraded and lose protection under the Commonwealth's EPBC Act. This is an important conservation issue for COG as it would essentially mean lessening of protections on mature trees across the landscape in ACT and NSW, affecting many species of birds, not only the parrots.  We may not have been able to save the Superb Parrot breeding trees on Throsby Ridge in Gunghalin in 2013, if a downgraded status had been in effect then.

 

http://canberrabirds.org.au/conservation-2/cog-conservation-strategy/

 

If you are able to register your personal  protest at the Commonwealth's proposal to downlist Superb Parrot without any new information or survey data, please refer below to our email campaign message to various environmental networks.  Please send an email with the suggested text to the Commonwealth Gov by 9 January.

 

Happy Xmas and new year to all

 

Jenny Bounds

Conservation Officer

Canberra Ornithologists Group 

 

 

 

Keep our Woodlands Superb

To those concerned about the welfare of the Superb Parrot

You are being contacted because you or your organisation may be interested in conservation actions to protect the Superb Parrot throughout its range and to assist long-term survival of this enigmatic species. We are asking concerned individuals and groups to inform themselves about the new listing assessment for the Commonwealth’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act.

·         Are you aware that the Superb Parrot is in danger of being removed from the protection of the EPBC Act?

·         Are you aware of the possibilities of downlisting the status of the Superb Parrot from State and Territory legislation?

·         Are you aware that this will greatly undermine all of the work on the protection of trees in the rural landscape?

·         Are you aware that this could affect funding available for tree planting programs?

·         Are you aware that this proposed downlisting is despite no changes to the threatening processes?

·         Are you aware this proposal is due to information contained in the Action Plan for Australian Birds-2010 produced by Birds        ​ Australia, now BirdLife Australia? 

To find out more go to

http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/nominations/comment/superb-parrot  

For those interested, see an article titled ‘A Superb Outcome?’ in Australian Birdlife Vol.1, No. 2, pp 34-37, June 2012.

If you object to the proposed downlisting of the Superb Parrot then please cut and paste the following statement into an email to m("environment.gov.au","species.consultation");">

‘I object to the down-listing of the Superb Parrot from the EPBC Act on the following grounds:

·         Complete lack of data to suggest any change in status.

·         No indication that there have been any changes to the various threatening processes.

·         The removal of a flag-ship species used to protect aged hollow-bearing trees in the rural landscape.

·         Downlisting based on altered criteria rather than survey data.

·         Other unknown impacts from loss of habitat.

Please note that submissions need to be in by 9^th January 2015.

Thank you for your support  

​Chris Davey and Jenny Bounds

Conservation Officers           

CANBERRA ORNITHOLOGISTS GROUP              

PO Box 301, Civic Square ACT 2608

m("canberrabirds.org.au","cogoffice");">

www.canberrabirds.org.au

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