HCEC is engaged in advocating for biodiversity protection in our region. The Lower Hunter is at a turning point: We are faced with a looming extinction debt but have not yet begun to take seriously our responsibility to protect biodiversity.

The Lower Hunter faces significant pressure from industry and from residential development. Equally, the Lower Hunter region is a highly threatened, ecologically important and exceptionally diverse area. A total of 19 endangered ecological communities and 80 threatened fauna species have been recorded in the region.
The existing reserve system in the region is biased and inadequate. Fifty-percent of all vegetation communities and 80% of all priority fauna populations in the region have not met their basic conservation targets.

The recently released Lower Hunter Regional Strategy (LHRS) has failed in its duty to prevent further destruction of biodiversity in our region.

HCEC obtained under Freedom of information legislation the details behind the vague public version of the LHRS. See the real shapes and the vegetation earmarked for development attached.

HCEC also has representatives on three focus groups and the review group convened to oversee the development of the controversial Biobanking scheme being proposed by the Department of Environment and Conservation. The Lower Hunter will host a trial of this scheme, so it's vitally important that we all pay attention.

Contact HCEC's Terrestrial Convenor, Georgina Woods, for more information or to get involved.

george@hcec.org.au
0432 588 060