Land Clearing Responsible for Death and Habitat Loss of Threatened Species in Queensland: Report

Land clearing in Queensland is causing death and habitat loss of threatened species, according to an independent scientific report prepared by Species Technical Committee and M.J. Laidlaw.

Nature has blessed Queensland with a rich biodiversity in the form of unique flora and fauna. However, some of the plant and animal species in the state are facing the risk of extinction. Currently 934 species (728 plants and 206 animals) in Queensland are listed as threatened (extinct in the wild, endangered or vulnerable) Under the Nature Conservation Act 1992.  Of these 934 species, nearly 400 have been listed as threatened nationally under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

In Queensland, the Nature Conservation Act 1992 lists threatened species under the following categories:

• Extinct in the wild
• Endangered
• Vulnerable

The report titled “Scientific review of the impacts of land clearing on threatened species in Queensland” states that the broad-scale land clearing may lead to drastic population declines that culminate in the elimination of local and regional populations, and this may eventually lead to the total extinction of a species.

This extinction process follows:

–  the direct death of individuals during clearing,

– the subsequent local and regional extinction of populations, and

– the potential total extinction of the species across its entire range

In the process of tree clearing, numerous individual plants and animals are killed or die soon after.

According to the report, it has been estimated that between 1997 and 1999, when 446,000 hectares of remnant vegetation were cleared each year in Queensland, that 2.1 million mammals, 8.5 million birds, 89 million reptiles and 190 million trees died as a result. Most plants and many animals die at the time of clearing, but many animals that manage to escape during the clearing process soon die from stress, starvation or predation. Mobile species that manage to reach remaining areas of vegetation are frequently repelled by the resident fauna resulting in diminished breeding opportunities and/ or having to compete for limited food and resources, which again leads to increased levels of stress, starvation and predation. Many animals have a high level of attachment to a site, and will remain and eventually die in degraded habitats that can no longer support them.

According to Australia’s Environment Minister Steven Miles, the level of deforestation in Queensland is very concerning and the findings of this report sound the alarm for a number of threatened species.

“Of all the deforestation hotspots in the world, Queensland is the only one in a developed nation,” Mr Miles said, adding that the report presents an alarming and disturbing picture of how land clearing is responsible for the death and habitat loss of so many specie and how it reduces the “resilience of endangered animal and plant species to adapt to climate change.”

According to Miles, the report clearly suggests that “further land clearing will put more threatened species at threat of extinction, impact on streams, rivers, wetlands and the Great Barrier Reef marine lagoon, and will contribute to climate change impacts.”

“It’s not good enough, that’s why we introduced sensible tree clearing laws to the Parliament last year.”

“Land-clearing rates doubled in Queensland in the first two years of the LNP government. In 2012, the LNP’s Andrew Cripps said that existing laws would not be enforced, existing investigations would be canned and that any existing charges would be dropped.”

“The LNP should be ashamed of themselves for voting down these important reforms that would lower our emissions and protect habitat for our native wildlife.”

Dr John Neldner, Queensland’s Species Technical Committee chairperson, revealed that the recommendations of the committee of scientists on the conservation status of threatened animal and plant species in Queensland have been provided to the Government.

“Accurate and up-to-date assessment of the status is important for setting conservation priorities and protecting Queensland’s unique biodiversity.”

Visit this link to download the report.