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Protecting our ecological heritage in the River Red Gums
In New South Wales we are facing one of the most important conservation battles of recent times. In the Riverina area, in South West NSW, the Labor Government continues to log with unsustainable vigour a wetland of international significance. Looking at a map of NSW, this is a gaping hole, a missing piece of the puzzle in terms of national park representation in South West NSW. The Riverina region is one of the most heavily cultivated and poorly reserved bioregions in Australia, with only 1.9% of the region included in reserves.
Both major parties remain disinterested in investing in our ecological future. They have waged a campaign to strip bare conservation and natural resource funding essential to revitalising the unique Australian landscape. In the face of significant ecosystem and biodiversity degradation, both Liberal and Labor have pursued forestry policies that compound irreversible damage to our treasured forests.
Our forests are worthy of the highest protection both for their rich biodiversity of native plant and animal life, and for their valuable role as carbon sinks. Continuing on the current business as usual route of ‘slash and burn’ will exacerbate biodiversity loss, soil erosion, water loss, salinity and ecosystem disruption. The $14 million loss in Forests NSW native forest operations will exponentially grow if we accounted for the damage inflicted on our natural forests.
The Greens are determined to see the iconic River Red Gums protected for future Australian generations and protected to ensure the ‘green lungs’ of the Murray River survive. The Greens want to ensure Australia does not contravene its international obligations to protect this important wetland ecosystem. We believe protecting the essential environmental services of the River Red Gums is a better investment in our future as opposed to logging these trees for firewood, fencing or railway sleepers.
The Liberal/National Party who at times struggle to tell the difference between a National Park and State Forest are concerned about the job losses associated with establishing a River Red Gum National Park which amounts to less than 0.2% of regional employment. The Greens believe sustainable management and protection of the Red Gum Forests will provide new opportunities for the regional development and result in sustainable job growth.
In late July 2009, the NSW Premier committed to undertake a Regional Assessment of the Red Gum State Forests of the Riverina region. These State Forests cover an area of approximately 155,000 hectares. The assessment will be undertaken by the Natural Resources Commission (NRC) and with strong input from NSW citizens should lead to new National Parks and a restructured timber industry.
The Riverina region is one of the most heavily cultivated and poorly reserved bioregions in Australia, with only 1.9% of the region included in reserves. This lack of bioregion representation in the national park system is evident in the map of national park tenure below.
River Red Gum wetlands are an ecosystem now threatened with total and irreversible collapse as a result of changes in river flows. This has caused the widespread death and decline of 75% of trees along the Murray and associated rivers.
The River Red Gum wetlands in the New South Wales Riverina area - west of Wagga Wagga and south of Lake Cargelligo – are unique wetland-forests that;
· Are the largest remnants of vegetation left in one of the most heavily cleared and intensively cultivated landscapes in Australia.
· Function as filters and buffers (‘green lungs’) that are crucial to the healthy functioning of the Murray River and its tributaries and include 84,000 hectares of wetlands of international significance under the Ramsar convention.
· Contain the two largest stands of River Red Gum left in the world – Barmah-Millewa and Koondrook-Perricoota-Gunbower, which extend either side of the Murray River and have been recognised as Significant Ecological Assets under the Living Murray process.
· Contain likely habitat for at least 46 threatened animal species and 23 threatened plant species, including the iconic Barking Owl, Squirrel Glider, Southern Bell Frog, Superb Parrot.
· Represent a major nesting site for migratory birds and regularly support more than 20,000 waterbirds, including 19 migratory birds listed for protection under international agreements.
· Represent the best remaining vegetation corridors left between the Australian Alps and South Australia, providing important opportunities for animals to move in response to human-induced climate change and other threats.
· Play a major role in native fish migration, spawning and recruitment during flood events and provide habitat for 4 globally threatened fish species.
The Victorian Government has recently completed an assessment of River Red Gum forests, resulting in the creation of 91,000 hectares of new reserves, a restructure package for the timber industry and a job positive outcome for the region. The best estimate of the number of jobs based on public lands in the Red Gum timber industry is 136. It amounts to less than 0.2% of regional employment. An independent report shows that the public land based River Red Gum timber industry is worth only $7.3 million per annum to the NSW economy. The same report shows that creation of large new National Parks would generate $100 million per annum in economic activity.
The report also shows that River Red Gum logging on State Forests runs at a loss in NSW, with the returns from royalties not sufficient to recoup the cost of running the operations. The Red Gum timber industry is dominated by the production of low value outputs, predominantly firewood and fenceposts – only 17% of timber harvested ends up as sawn timber (with less than 5% high value products), and an extraordinary 83% goes to residue (ie ‘waste’) markets. The creation of National Parks has been shown to lead to job positive outcomes for regional communities. The Victorian decision has created more jobs then were lost, and it was supported by a generous restructure for any workers who were affected.
What you can do to save the River Red Gum Forests
The NSW Natural Resources Commission is currently undertaking a rapid regional assessment of the River Red Gum forests. A Preliminary Report was released on 30th September, and a final report will be sent to the NSW Government at the end of November.
Submission are needed now – the Preliminary Report was inadequate and unbalanced:
· The NRC did not conduct a valid scientific assessment of the conservation values of River Red Gum forests in the study area.
· There was no consideration of the national reserve criteria or how they will be met.
· The impact of logging on ecosystems was not considered.
· CSIRO findings that large protected areas are vital to the survival of species in a warming world were ignored.
· Refugia, corridors and linking habitats in the region were not identified.
· The legal requirements of that EPBC Act 1999 were not addressed.
Ask the NRC to address these failings, and to make the following recommendations, in their final report:
1. Extensive new Red Gum National Parks because:
· Red Gum is a vulnerable ecosystem that needs a 60% reservation target
· Red Gum forests are vital refuges for plants and animals in a rapidly warming world
· National Parks are crucial to ecosystem resilience
2. Aboriginal ownership of new National Parks wherever sought by Traditional Owners
3. Much improved environmental water flows to ensure the health of Red Gum into the future
4. A fair restructure package for individuals and businesses affected by the changes.
Address your submission to:
Forests Assessment
Natural Resources Commission
GPO Box 4206, Sydney NSW 2001
Fascimile: 02 8227 4399
Email: forests@nrc.nsw.gov.au
Closing Date for Submissions is the 23rd October 2009.
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