Inquiry into Crown lands – submissions closing soon (Biodiversity Conservation News)

Twelve months after a summit of concerned citizens and community groups called for an inquiry into the management of Crown lands, the NSW Upper House is looking into this important issue.

You have until Sunday 24 July 2016 to raise your concerns about the future management of Crown land in the state.

Overhaul of feral animal control needed

Leading conservation organisations are urging the NSW Government to fully implement the recommendations of the NSW Natural Resources Commission’s Pest Animal Management Review, which was released today.

The groups strongly endorse the review’s recommendation that feral deer now be declared a pest species and managed appropriately. Currently deer are managed as “game” and government policies are assisting their spread.

Threatened species funding is welcome, but Coalition must also defend our land clearing laws

“Increased funding to ensure the survival of the states 970 threatened species is always welcome,” NSW National Parks Association CEO Kevin Evans said.

“The NSW Government’s Save Our Species model is starting to provide a holistic framework for species recovery planning and will hopefully improve conservation outcomes.

Conservation groups call for immediate ban on logging of koala habitat in State Forests  (Great Koala National Park News)

Three of the state’s leading forest conservation groups are today calling on the NSW Government to immediately halt logging operations in state native forest compartments known to be, or likely to be, koala habitat.

Analysis of NSW Forestry Corporation harvest plans shows 83 compartments in the 170,000 ha Great Koala National Park proposal area have been listed for logging over the next six to nine months.

Crowdfunding to conserve koalas

With habitat loss and fragmentation already having resulted in koalas disappearing from 75% of their former range in NSW, the National Parks Association of NSW (NPA) has turned to crowdfunding to support a strategic proposal aimed at conserving the state’s koalas.

In the absence of a state koala recovery plan, NPA in conjunction with several local community groups, has developed an ambitious proposal for a new national park dedicated to the conservation of the species.