With a government agency now investigating the alleged clear felling of native trees on a large private block in Lennox Head, Ballina Greens councillor Kiri Dicker has told The Echo that contractors were felling trees all morning, ‘trying to get the job done’.
‘It all happened very fast’, she says. ‘They cleared the entire block, pretty much’.
The Echo reported yesterday that alleged unauthorised land clearing on private property at 516 Ross Lane, Lennox Head had impacted a sugar glider colony.
Cr Dicker says the number of trees felled could be as much as 100. She added that given the size of the block, which is 13,378 m², there are parts that cannot be seen.
She said yesterday that wildlife carers who attended the site found multiple sugar gliders, including two mothers with babies, and believe more animals remain in trees still standing. ‘Gliders have been taken to Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital for care and rehabilitation’, she said.
‘The property owners are Gold Coast company, Pearl Vue,’ Cr Dicker says.
The property is located near the roundabout of Ross Lane and Byron Bay Rd (north of Lennox township), and is next to Lennox Head Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Environmental hot line
Public reporting of such alleged activities can be made via calling 131 555.
It is the 24/7 Environment Line for the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) to report pollution, chemical spills, illegal dumping, or environmental incidents, as well as get general environmental advice.
In the instance where alleged unauthorised activity is being undertaken on private property, the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) are the responsible agency.
A DCCEEW spokesperson told The Echo, ‘The Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water (the Department) has received reports of alleged clearing of vegetation at Lennox Head. As an investigation is underway the Department cannot comment further. Landholders are reminded to check with Local Land Services (LSS) before undertaking any land management activities including clearing of native vegetation’.
Halted works pending an investigation
Cr Dicker said on Friday that officers from the Biodiversity and Heritage Regulator gained entry to the property on Friday ‘for the purposes of a site inspection and were accompanied by staff from Ballina Shire Council’.
‘Tree felling continued for the duration of that site visit and during that time, a tree was felled with a three additional sugar gliders (one adult with two babies) in situ, which were taken to Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital.
‘The Department has halted works pending an investigation into the matter (however, most of the planned clearing has already been completed).
‘As I suspected, the property owners were relying on an exemption from a permit under Schedule 5A of the Local Land Services Act, which allows clearing “to the minimum extent necessary” to achieve certain objectives.
‘Allowable activities in Schedule 5A do not give landowners a free pass to conduct widespread clearing. They still need to demonstrate that clearing has occurred “to the minimum extent necessary” and for the allowable activity of sustainable grazing (Part 25), that it is “not likely to result in the substantial long-term decline in the structure and composition of native vegetation”.
‘An investigation will now take place as whether to conditions under Part 5A of the Act have been met.
‘At this month’s Council meeting I will be asking Council to support this investigation, including by providing information we have on file about the current and past land use and the applications of Council’s plans and strategies’, she says.
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