Regarding the Byron Shire Council flying fox camp management plan. I am sure your [Byron Council] committee is fully aware of the enormous problems that plagued Sydney’s Botanical Gardens where the flying fox ‘vandals’ were intent in demolishing the coveted area. The government, according to ‘Google’ spent $1M to move the ‘camp’ on, and are making sure it doesn’t return by spending $50,000 annually.
I am sure you will be aware of the following comments, but I would still like you and your committee to read them:
Flying foxes destroy their ‘camp’ sites and the surrounding area, including people’s homes, recreation areas, shopping centres, motor vehicles, schools etc (just to mention a few areas: Bellingen, Maclean, Glenreagh Park, Singleton).
Byron Shire ‘boasts’ a total of nearly 17,000 bats in only three camps at this stage.
The question has been asked and not answered, ‘what percentage of pollination do the flying foxes carry out? They are not the only bird or animal helping to propagate nature but I venture to say they are the only ones who destroy the environment.
It appears to me that these ‘mollycoddled’ animals are destroying many areas, and in return are being pampered and allowed to carry on unimpeded.
If the Botanical Gardens in Sydney are protected, why can’t Bellingen, Maclean, Glenreagh Park and hudrends of similar communities receive help to ‘resettle’ flying foxes away from regional areas.
The suggestions of installing double-glazed windows, insulation, air conditioning, covers over vehicles, parking areas, school playgrounds and outside areas of homes is ‘pie in the sky’. The cost would be huge and no doubt will be picked up by Council. What a joke. My suggestion is to duplicate the Botanical Gardens Sydney and move these vandals on.
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
