An alliance of environment organisations is calling for a moratorium on land clearing across 810,000ha between Barrington Tops and the Hawkesbury River and urgent conservation in the region to prevent regional flora and fauna extinctions.
The coastal region connects two World Heritage Area and spans almost 11,300sq km including local government areas (LGA) of Central Coast, Lake Macquarie, Cessnock, Newcastle, Maitland, Port Stephens, Dungog, and the former Great Lakes Council area of Mid-Coast LGA.
The Barrington to Hawkesbury Climate Corridors Alliance – Community Environment Network, EcoNetwork Port Stephens, Hunter Bird Observers Club, Hunter Community Environment Centre and National Parks Association NSW Hunter branch – says the natural environment of the area is under intense pressure from agriculture, forestry, and urban development.
The Alliance has released a bold new conservation and climate adaptation plan based on habitat suitability, and NSW Government climate corridor mapping, to identify a network of wildlife corridors essential for the survival of threatened species in the face of climate change.
Author of the report, Paul Winn of the Hunter Community Environment Centre says research by the Alliance suggests that at least 22 threatened native fauna species will suffer substantial range contractions in the region, and at least six species are at risk of extinction within the next 50 years.
“Habitat that will act as climate refugia for these species, as well as those areas necessary for wildlife to move as the climate changes, is currently being destroyed at an alarming rate,” he said.
“We estimate in the past 10 years more than 7,000ha of native bushland in the region has been earmarked for greenfield urban development, and about 6,500ha of bushland was cleared between 2008 and 2017, almost a third due to logging in lower mid-coast LGAs.
“Our proposal protects these climate refugia from further degradation and fragmentation and connects them with large-scale functioning wildlife corridors that span climatic gradients and enhance the capacity of species populations to shift as the climate changes.
“If we are to provide the greatest chance for native species to survive the ravages of climate change, these connected habitats must be protected from further fragmentation and degradation.
“If we wish to minimise native species’ extinction, climate refugia and identified Climate Corridors must be legally protected,” Winn said.
The Alliance estimates that in 2070, existing National Parks and State Forests will support climate refugia for many of the threatened fauna species predicted to decline.
Other than an immediate moratorium on further land clearing within identified climate corridors, the Alliance wants to see State Forests transferred to National Park reserves as regional parks or another appropriate reserve category to be managed by local communities for conservation and recreation.
The Alliance is also calling for a specific strategy be included in the 2041 Regional Plans for Hunter and Central Coast for the protection of climate corridors supported by detailed zoning and development guidelines under local environmental plans and development control plans and investment programs implemented by Local Land Services.
They say the Biodiversity Offset Scheme should be radically amended to provide adequate stewardship payments to encourage landholders to protect, manage, and rehabilitate native vegetation within Climate Corridors.
The Alliance is also calling for targeted voluntary private land acquisition of large core areas of high quality habitat and essential corridors for restoration, particularly the large areas of moist forests in southern Mid-Coast, and moist and dry landscapes across the Hunter River Valley through Cessnock, Singleton, and Dungog LGAs.
The Barrington Tops to Hawkesbury Climate Corridors report is available from Hunter Community Environment Centre, hcec.org.au
Source:
Barrington to Hawkesbury Climate Corridors Alliance