A massive wave of tree clearing is threatening the future of our koalas, and other wildlife right now, because of new land clearing laws passed by the NSW Government. But together we can ACT NOW to tell Premier Berejiklian this must stop - or koalas will continue to die. We've created a letter you can send her....

Print, sign and email this letter!

The Hon. Gladys Berejiklian, MP

NSW Premier

PO Box 5341

Sydney NSW 2001

Dear Premier

Late last year, the NSW government passed the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 and Local Land Services Act 2016 that will unleash a wave of land clearing across the state.   Land clearing degrades our rural landscapes, threatens wildlife like the koala, increases our carbon emissions and reduces farming resilience.

I am writing to urge you to ensure that the regulations and codes currently being drafted under these new laws minimise land clearing across NSW.  

The further loss of vegetation across our State will not only harm wildlife. It will make it much harder for communities to cope with the increasing heat associated with climate change and will undermine your Government’s goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Land clearing regulations and codes must include minimum protections, such as:

• Prohibiting land clearing in environmentally sensitive areas, such as koala habitat, coastal areas and Endangered Ecological Communities. The term ‘Areas of Outstanding Biodiversity Value’, which is not currently defined, should specifically include such environmentally sensitive areas.

• Further protecting these areas by ensuring that development, including major projects, cannot proceed if it has serious and irreversible impacts on environmentally sensitive areas.

• Implementing a strong, like-for-like Biodiversity Offsets Scheme that does not include Supplementary Measures, such as cash payments or coal mine rehabilitation.

• Ensuring that any land clearing avoids negative impacts on agricultural land via increased salinity and soil erosion, does not affect water quality and considers the impact on carbon emissions.

• Ensuring that the proposed Native Vegetation Regulatory Mapping is finalised, accurate and operational before the new laws commence. Using transitional provisions before the maps are ready, as proposed, is likely to lead to confusion and inappropriate clearing.

The wellbeing of our communities, the long-term viability of farming and the survival of our wildlife are at stake.

I await your prompt response.

Sincerely,

Signed and dated:

Name:

Address:

What else can you do?

Call GLADYS direct on 02 8574 5000. Thank You!

#standup4nature