Local support is growing as the campaigns to protect the Pilliga and Leard Forests intensify.
Armidale Action on Coal Seam Gas and Mining (AACSGaM) invites members of the community to join the meeting on Monday, February 10 at 7pm at the Armidale Bowling Club to share personal stories, hear the latest updates from the Pilliga and Leard Forests and discuss plans to protect our land, our water and our future.
Ken Brown, who recently received a fine of $220 for blocking the access gate for the Maules Creek coal project threatening the Leard State Forest, will be one of the locals talking about their experience. They will share why they joined Gomeroi traditional custodians, farmers, business people and environmentalists in this battle with big mining corporations.
The scale of the Maules Creek coal project is breathtaking. To put it in context, Griffith university professor Ian Lowe estimated that if the Maules Creek mine were a nation, the burning of the coal produced by the mine would rank 75th in the world for total emissions, ahead of the greenhouse gas emissions of 140 entire countries.
The Leard State Forest is a biodiversity hotspot with large areas of mature Box-Gum Woodland supporting unusually large numbers of mammals and other wildlife, including 28 listed Threatened Species.
“This is a Critically Endangered Ecological Community – both NSW and Commonwealth laws are supposed to protect it,” said Armidale ecologist Kate Boyd.
To obtain approval, mining companies must commit to “offset” the destruction of such Critically Endangered Ecological Communities by protective management of another equivalent patch of the same ecological community. Several consultants and community groups claim that the “offset areas” proposed by Whitehaven Coal are not equivalent habitat for the Threatened Species and not Box-Gum Woodland.
John Hunter, a local expert on the mapping of threatened ecological communities, will explain how these offsets are intended to work and what he believes has happened in this case.
Naomi Hogan, Campaign Manager with the Wilderness Society in Newcastle, will provide an update of recent developments at the Leard State Forest and the Pilliga Forest.
“Naomi has been working with groups and individuals across the North West, including Gomeroi traditional custodians, local farmers, small business owners and a Narrabri Shire Councillor,” said Bea Bleile, one of the local organisers.
“These are all people who are opposed to Santos’ plans to drill 850 coal seam gas wells in the Narrabri area. The gas-field would extend to just 6km from Narrabri West Post Office.
“I share the concerns of local farmer and Narrabri resident Stuart Murray about the impact on groundwater on surrounding farms. Santos are drilling holes in the underground water supply, including the recharge area of the Great Artesian Basin. The groundwater flowing beneath the Pilliga is absolutely critical to life and industry out there. Santos have given no guarantee they won’t damage this vital resource.”
All welcome, tea and coffee will be available. Donations for the campaigns will be gladly accepted. AACSGaM is an Action Group of Sustainable Living Armidale. For more information contact Bea Bleile on {mobile prefix oh four} 58 752 680.
Local support is growing as the campaigns to protect the Pilliga and Leard Forests intensify.
This comment is primarily one of appreciation. Thank-you to all who are mentioned in this article and to all who have done much more than I have in protecting the Leard State Forest.
I keep returning to it because it is so foundational. Enough sunlight reaches the surface of the Earth in a matter of hours to meet (even today’s) energy usage for a year. This energy potential has been known to us since the late 1800s. At least as I have been able to see it to this point, mining for coal seam gas has nil to do with anyone’s needs or wants and has a lot to do with the greed of a very select few.
Again, thank-you for anything and everything that has been/is being done to proect this place of rich biodiversity.
Best regards,
Tom Livanos.
tom.369@hotmail.com