----------
> From: Hugh Spencer - AUSTROP <>
> To:
> Subject: [Oz-Envirolink] Press release - Endangered Daintree Cassowary
population at risk through Wet Tropics Management Authority mismanagement.
> Date: Sunday, 10 October 1999 19:27
>
> Background information available from
>
>
> Attention Environmental Reporter
>
>
> Australian Tropical Research Foundation
> Cape Tribulation Tropical Research Station.
> PMB 5 Cape Tribulation via Mossman Phone/Fax (61) 07
> 4098 0063
> Queensland 4873 ACN 059 585 107
> Australia e-mail -
>
>
> 10 Oct 1999
>
> Press Release
>
>
> Endangered Daintree Cassowary population at risk through Wet Tropics
> Management Authority mismanagement.
>
>
> Unnecessary and extensive upgrade and construction of the Cape
Tribulation
> road by
> the Douglas Shire Council in the critical Cassowary and refugial habitat
> area of
> Noah Creek, in the Daintree World Heritage listed rainforest, has been
> given what
> amounts to rubber stamp approval, by the Wet Tropics Management
Authority, the
> Federal body ostensibly responsible for ensuring World Heritage values
are
> maintained
> in the region.
>
> This is despite the fact that the area is home to at least 3 resident
> cassowaries,
> and is regularly crossed by female cassowaries visiting the males. It is
> also home
> to a wide variety of other animals, including bats, which are regularly
> killed in
> that area by speeding vehicles. Local National Parks officers have
given
> up the
> depressing task of documenting road kills in the road. The death a week
ago
> on the
> road of a rare flute-nosed insectivorous bat (Murina), highlighted the
> problems.
>
> The road passes through an area which is considered to be one of the
> critical habitats
> in the Daintree, and the land on either side is World Heritage listed,
and
> was the
> subject of one of the biggest buy-back purchases of the State and
Federally
> funded
> Daintree Rescue program. It passes through one of the last remaining
> stands of coastal
> rainforest, and enters the Noah Valley, home to at least 3 ancient tree
species
> restricted to its valley floor, and 25 known species of rare and
> threatened plants in
> the vicinity of the road..
>
> It is a 2.4 km long 7 meter-wide bitumen road on a 14 meter bed, with one
> long straight
> section and a sweeping curve, which would not look out of place on the
> coastal highway
> between Mossman and Townsville. It is one more link in the continuing
> efforts by the
> Douglas Shire Council to create a highway between Cairns and Cooktown, an
> effort born
> in the 1950's with the original bulldozing of a track between Cape
> Tribulation and
> Bloomfield by the then Councillor George Quaid (of the 1984 blockade
fame).
>
> Such a road encourages speeding. Despite the nominal 40km/hr speed limit
> imposed, vehicles
> have been seen driving at over 100 km/hr on the same stretch, 3 abreast.
> The width of the
> road prevents canopy closure in the future, and the drainage appears
> specifically designed
> to dump high volumes of road wash directly into the Noah Creek.
>
> Ironically, the roads either side of this new section are only 6 meters
> wide, and represent
> some of the best examples of appropriate road design in the Wet Tropics.
>
> The threat level to the Cassowaries has been increased by 20% to the
> maximum value by this
> road construction, according to a report issued by cassowary expert Dr.
Les
> Moore.
>
> We suggest that the WTMA trial a 2-lane road design divided by a 2 meter
> canopy tree-filled
> median section, which will provide a slowing of traffic and an
improvement
> in animal safety.
>
> The Daintree is an international iconic area, and this icon status
derives
> partly from the
> fact that it has the last intact examples of lowland rainforest
> communities that once were
> common between Mission Beach and the Daintree River, and which are now
> canefields or urban
> development. The threats from uncontrolled development are looming fast,
> and its
> destruction would impact on us all.
>
> (Dr.) Hugh Spencer
> Director.
>
>
>
>
............................................................................
> ...............
> CONTACTS - Alan Sheather - Daintree Rainforest Taskforce 07 40 989 036
H,
> 40989 171 Wk
> Alan Curtis - Daintree Cassowary Care Group 07 40 989 171
(24 hr)
> Cr. Mike Berwick DSC 40 999 403 dir, Mob. 0419 022 629, 40
986
> 148 H.
> Hugh Spencer CTTRS 40 98 00 63 (24 hr), Dixie Phillpott
CILG
> 4090741 (24H)
> Andrew Small (Botanist) 40 332 585 (AH)
>
............................................................................
> ................
> Backgrounder
>
> The Douglas Shire Council has proven to be a tenacious opponent to the
> maintenance of
> World Heritage values, and over the years the Wet Tropics Management
Authority
> bureaucrats have become highly allergic to entanglements with this
Council,
> despite
> the high profile of its democratically elected mayor, Mike Berwick, whose
> pro-environment
> voice is a minority in a sugar-cane growing dominated community.
>
> Because of this the Wet Tropics Management Authority has badly fumbled
the
> ball on a
> number of occasions with respect to the Daintree area, in particular by
> permitting
> major road upgrades on the adjacent Cooper Creek flats, another high
> profile region of
> World Heritage listed lowland rainforest, as well as on the Bloomfield
Track.
>
> Curiously, because of severe dust problems, the same Douglas Shire
Council
> agreed about 6
> years ago to the bitumening of the Daintree Ferry to Cape Tribulation
Road,
> but with
> substantial design restrictions on the road - it was to be narrow (6m),
> winding and
> have a closed canopy and a 40km/hr speed limit. To achieve this, they had
> to wrest
> control of the road from the Queensland Mains Road Dept. who would only
> allow a arterial
> road to be built, and so the road was "de-mained", and passed into
Douglas
> Shire Council
> control. Now, the same Council has total control of the road, and
intends
> to force
> the construction of the coastal highway through a program of "a
thousand
> cuts".
>
> Continual upgrades are carried out under Council's "maintenance works
> programs" and
> miss the checks and balances of external scrutiny. The controversial
> Bloomfield Track
> is being subjected to the same fate, despite the promise of an
> environmental assessment
> review of the road in the next 12 months by the Wet Tropics Management
> Authority as to
> the "Track's" future; it is evident that the Council wants to subvert
the
> outcome by
> irreversibly altering the road's character and use pattern.
>
> Increasing road widening, encouraging high speed local and tourist
traffic
> flows, are all contributing to the steady uptake of the infamous 1000
> subdivisional blocks set up by George
> Quaid. Ironically otherwise environmentally sensitive actions by the
> Queensland Government,
> such as the provision of a Daintree Remote Area power subsidy for
> householders to obtain
> grants towards renewable power systems, is hastening the demise of this
> area, as it further encourages settlement.
>
> We are seeing the Bribie island scenario re-enacting itself here; unless
> some leadership
> comes from the Queensland and Federal Governments, particularly the
> buy-back of the
> subdivisional blocks and their incorporation into crown land reserves or
> National Parks.
> This is probably the only strategy generally accepted by the local
> community and would
> save this and future Governments massive amounts of money, and boost
> Australia's sagging
> image as an environmentally aware society.
>
> We are also seeing the setting up of the Mission Beach situation where
> widened roads and high velocity traffic, have been responsible for the
> deaths of over 40 cassowaries, and it is now considered likely that
> cassowaries will become extinct in that area from traffic mortality.
>
>
............................................................................
> ........
>
> Letter to Wet Tropics Management Authority
>
> 8 Oct 1999
>
> Russell Watkinson
> Executive Director
> Wet Tropics Management Agency
> National Mutual Tower
> Lake Street
> Cairns
>
>
> Dear Russell,
>
> We are very concerned about the developments on the Cape Tribulation
road, in
> particular the proposal for bitumening the Noah Creek approach on the
southern
> side of Noah Creek, and the evident inability of the Wet Tropics
Management
> Authority to control the road building proclivities of the Douglas Shire
> Council,
> where they manifestly reduce the World Heritage values of the area.
>
> These concerns are not restricted to the Noah Creek, but also extend to
the
> Cooper
> flats section and to the Bloomfield track where Council is manifestly
> endeavouring
> to pre-empt EIAS and other considerations, from restricting their vision
of the
> extension of the Cook highway to Cooktown.
>
> We the undersigned feel that it is in the interests of the Wet Tropics
> Management
> Authority to be seen to be the effective primary responsible landmanagers
> in the area,
> and that we have international treaty obligations to ensure this state of
> affairs.
>
> The cassowary, which besides being an endangered species, is also the
> iconic species
> for the Wet Tropics World Heritage area, and it would be a tragedy of the
> first order
> if the responsible agency, through lack of attention to its
> responsibilities, were to
> allow the death of even one, in the equally iconic Daintree lowlands.
>
> We trust you will take our comments on board, and act to permanently
> prevent further
> degradation of this internationally valued area.
>
> Sincerely yours
>
>
> Hugh Spencer
Alan
> Curtis
> Australian Tropical Research Foundation Daintree
> Cassowary Care Group
>
>
> cc Mike Berwick
> cc Dr. Clive Cook
>
>
>
............................................................................
> .........
>
>
>
> 8 Oct 1999
>
> Draft
>
> Comments on Permit Application number WTMA 99 04 2 by Douglas Shire
Council
>
> For: Maintaining roads in the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area.
>
> Comment - the desired works are in fact a major upgrade of an existing
> section of the Daintree to Cape Tribulation road, (23.9 to 26 km from
the
> Daintree Ferry); that is the re-alignment and bitumening of the road. It
> should not classify as maintenance.
>
> A second section of the permit, refers to the as yet "unimproved"
section
> of road through the Noah Range (28.8 to 31 km).
>
> Comments in order. Refer the paragraph reference numbers in the left
> margin of the attached document. (i.e. <1> refers to comments relevant
> to Condition 1, below.)
>
> Conditions
>
> 1 All works should be undertaken in conformity with the Best Practice
> Guidelines contained in the Road Maintenance Code of Practice - (Roads in
> the Wet Tropics Best Practice Manual, Queensland Main Roads Dept. 1998).
>
>
> *It is fairly obvious that the Best Practice Code has not been adhered to
> in essential and critical matters regarding this road.
>
> 2. Maintenance work shall only take place within the existing road
> formation footprint. Any other works beyond the existing road formation
> footprint, require further approval by the Authority.
>
> *Can't comment as the road has had a history of continual widening and
> re-alignment prior to this application, by the DSC.
>
> 3 The bitumen seal width must be no more (our emphasis) than 7 meters
wide
>
> *Given that the approach roads (Thornton Beach) and immediately north of
> Noah Ck Bridge (itself less than 6m wide) are 6 meter bitumen with
minimal
> table drains, the rationale for the decision on a 7 meter seal is highly
> questionable, let alone the 8-9meter wide road foundation. These
sections
> of road have proven to be without major safety issues, and high level of
> visual amenity.
>
> Best Practice Guidelines page D-8 ......
>
> *Average width of corridors should be restricted to the minimum that will
> permit a properly constructed and maintained road on which traffic can
> travel efficiently and safely.
>
> 4.In recognition of the status of the area as critical cassowary habitat,
> the road design speed will be set at 40 km per hour to minimise risks to
> the resident cassowary population from road kills. Appropriate additional
> signage at either end of the section will be installed to notify
motorists.
>
> Rare and Endangered Species (page D-8
>
> * Where rare and endangered species exist in a proposed road corridor
> developmement area, particular action to avoid risk to these species
should
> be given priority over all other management policies..... - i.e. the
policy
> of the 7 meter seal.
>
> Les Moore - Regional Cassowary Management Plan Daintree. 1998
>
> P 16 Fig 4 Suggested Cassowary conservation zones, - the map indicates
> that the habitat that this section of road passes through is classified
as
> Critical Cassowary Habitat Zone.
>
>
> P 146 This report quotes the following passage from S.Goosem 1992 (Dr.
> Goosems is the WTMA's Chief Botanist)..
>
> "Areas encompassed in this zone (Noah Creek) were determined as those
> areas with high densities of cassowaries with a high representation of
all;
> age classes, based on numbers of identifiable individual per unit area.
> Cassowaries in such areas have relatively small home range requirements.
In
> addition, these areas are also kown from research data, to be the main
> cassowary nesting and breeding area. The ecological function of these
areas
> is considered critical for the cassowary's long term survioval in the
> district. The importance and significance of these areas extends beyond
> their boundaries. These areas largely dictate the long term sustainable
> cassowary population carrying capacity of the district.
>
> The repercussions of loss of any of these areas will be manifested over
> the district as a whole. The complexity of these areas provide refuge
after
> natural catastrophes such as severe cyclones and provide adequate food
> supplies in lean times of the year or in lean years."
>
> P 120 In relation to birds 55, 56, 57 (Noah Creek area), Les Moore
states
> " Traffic management strategies will have to be developed if these birds
> are to continue to cross Cape Tribulation Road safely"
>
> P 19 4.5 Road Crossings. " The major cause of Cassowary mortality
defined
> in the wet tropics region is collision with motor vehicles. With
increases
> in vehicle numbers and/or speed, the risk of injury or death to
cassowaries
> increases dramatically. Thus widening. Sealing or other road upgrade
> activities have the potential to significantly increase cassowary
> mortality."
>
> * For cassowary, also read any non-volant (non-flying) animal and many
> small bats. The recent death of a Murina florium (flute nosed
> insectivorous bat) is a case in point.
>
> "The development of a road management plan for the area that focusses on
> providing increased safety for cassowaries crossing the roads is,
> therefore, crucial for the continued survival of cassowaries in the
> Daintree lowlands."
>
>
> 5. The road design must include the retention of existing spoon drains
> accross the road surface together with other appropriate traffic calming
> devices either side of these, such a grouted rockwork, as set out in the
> attached specification (51/03) to discourage excessive speed.
>
> * Comment (According to the conditions of approval, then, there will
be
> effectively 20 speed bumps - one on either side of spoon drains (which
are
> hardly spoon drains - culverts actually) + 4) - this is patently
> ridiculous.
>
> * Observation (8/Oct) in presence of Bruce Jennison (WTMA) vehicles were
> speeding on that section
> of road and appearred oblivious of the spoon drains.
>
> * We are trying to prevent excessive speeding by appropriate road
design,
> not merely to discourage it.
>
> * Spoon drains and road bumps on an over-wide pavement are no substitute
> for appropriately
> designed road structure (and can be readily altered, as part of DSC
> on-going maintenance,
> without the need for permitting by WTMA).
>
> 6. Unconstructed (?) road verges are to be replanted with endemic
> vegetation to encourage and eventually restore canopy closure (DSC's
> continual widening of road) -
>
> * Comment - exactly what is meant by an unconstructed road verge? The
> existing road margins are part of a over-large table drain, which
expand
> the effective road width to range from 12-16 meters, which cannot
permit
> canopy closure.
>
>
> 7. Road spoil shall be disposed of in a suitable disposal area outside of
> the WH area. Road spoil is
> not to be pushed into or over the road verge, this condition does not
> preclude the use of road spoil for use in fill sections of the road or
for
> re-surfacing of the road.
>
> No comment (spoil held at Mason's, Cape Tribulation)
>
> 8 Material for road maintenance must not be sourced in the World Heritage
> Area without prior
> approval from the Authority.
>
> No comment
>
> * General comments - It appears that the application by the Douglas Shire
> Council has effectively
> been rubber stamped by the Authority, without adequate attention to the
> specifics of the area.
> This is more than disappointing , because the Authority is well aware of
> the high importance of the
> area under consideration.
>
>
>
>
>
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