“Biobanking” scheme slammed

1st February 2008

Regional environmentalists have slammed the controversial “Biobanking” biodiversity offsets scheme, saying that it will encourage landclearing in coastal areas and the clearfelling of vulnerable woodlands for mining.

The North East Forest Alliance and Hunter Community Environment Centre say that the NSW Government has failed to end landclearing for houses, mines and industry.

“There are no mechanisms in place to prevent urban landclearing, and in that context this offsetting scheme will facilitate development. The community will be locked out and biodiversity will continue to decline,” said Carmel Flint of NEFA.

Georgina Woods, of the HCEC, asked, “Why is so much bushland still being cleared for development in NSW? Because it is cheap to buy, and there is no incentive to build or mine only in cleared areas.”

Environmentalists are appalled at a mechanism that will allow the Department of Environment and Climate Change to override the methodology developed for the scheme and approve clearing of irreplaceable woodlands, forests and wetlands if the developer has made an “environmental contribution.”

“They have basically provided a loophole for the richest developers to pay money to clear what they like. The Department of Environment and Climate Change could easily be accused of approving such deals in order to generate revenue for their acquisition fund. The notion that development under such circumstances could be said to “maintain or improve” biodiversity is ridiculous.”

“The Methodology does not restrict how these ‘environmental contributions’ will work, and threatens not only the ecosystems and species the Threatened Species Conservation Act was designed to protect, but basic public confidence and transparency in Government.”

Submissions to the scheme close today and the Biobanking system is expected to begin operating before the end of the year.