Submission: NPWS consultation paper on camping fees

Our recommendations are: * better definition of all terms used (e.g. ghost camping) particularly in relation to key policy settings (e.g. high and low seasons) * more context to the proposed policy changes, with data on national park visitation clearly linked to camping use specific to each of the State’s regions, so it is directly relevant to the topic of the consultation paper and the locality of each campground * a guarantee that camping fees are directly used to benefit the environment of the local parks and increase the presence of NPWS staff in those parks * removal of additional day use fees for campers * ceasing the practice of contracting campground management in national parks to private companies more used to managing hotels or caravan parks, with management returned to NPWS control * stopping the use of market-based competitive neutrality to set camping fees in national parks

Continue ReadingSubmission: NPWS consultation paper on camping fees

Submission to the Review of the Water Sharing Plan for the Clarence River

Fundamentally, we believe there has been an overallocation of licensed extraction in the Orara River which occurred without due consideration of the harvestable rights of all properties along that river for domestic and stock purposes. The Clarence WSP appears to be trying to mask the problems that water extraction poses for that river by including it in a broad, catchment-wide water sharing plan. The CEC believes that the Clarence WSP is also flawed by the lack of lack of fine detail in defining the extraction management units, which has allowed the dealing (or trading) in water access licences between disparate sub-catchments and micro-catchments.

Continue ReadingSubmission to the Review of the Water Sharing Plan for the Clarence River

Submission to the Forestry Industry Action Plan

The CEC has long been a vocal critic of Forestry Corporation of NSW (FCNSW), and its previous manifestations as a state government agency known as Forests NSW, State Forests of NSW and the Forestry Commission of NSW. This corporation, irrespective of its name and corporate branding, continues to blatantly conduct an unacceptable and unsustainable assault on the publicly owned native forest estate. This assault has continued for more than half a century since the widespread adoption of industrial logging practices.

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SUBMISSION ADDEMDUM : Proposed delisting of Boronia hapalophylla as endangered

Scientists are predicting the possible loss of 30% of the planet’s biodiversity through the impacts of climate change within 80 years, less than one human lifespan. To suggest any species is “secure” is stretching credibility, much less one with such a restricted range as B. hapalophylla.

Continue ReadingSUBMISSION ADDEMDUM : Proposed delisting of Boronia hapalophylla as endangered

SUBMISSION: Proposed delisting of Boronia hapalophylla as endangered

In conclusion it seems that, given the modern genetic testing that is available, perhaps some effort could have been made to determine if those other populations are in fact B. hapalophylla, or possibly even an undescribed species, before proceeding with the delisting.

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SUBMISSION: to Local Land Services ‘North Coast Natural Resource Management Plan’

Having read through the Plan, we are left somewhat disappointed. Given the climate change driven extremes we have encountered over the past 4 – 5 years, we were hoping to find a greater degree of forcefulness, for lack of a better term, in ensuring best practice NRM is occurs across all sectors. Instead, this plan, has the objective to: “Promote the Landscape Restoration Flagship Program as the region’s overarching approach to delivering integrated landscape scale NRM programs ….,” which merely tinkers at the edges of the problem.

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SUBMISSION: to Clarence Valley Council’s ‘Managing unreasonable conduct by complainants’ policy

Unreasonable conduct by anyone is unacceptable. It is also something that, as an environment group, is not at the forefront of the Clarence Environment Centre’s concerns. However, we have experienced behaviour, or more often a complete lack of response, from council staff over the years, that we believe contributes to an escalation of tensions, leading to what could be deemed to be “unreasonable conduct”.

Continue ReadingSUBMISSION: to Clarence Valley Council’s ‘Managing unreasonable conduct by complainants’ policy

SUBMISSION: to the Clarence Valley Community Strategic Plan

The Clarence Environment Centre has a proud 32-year record of environmental advocacy, with conservation of the natural environment an absolute priority. As such, we view planning as the key to an ecologically sustainable future.

Having been alerted to the above document privately at the last minute, this submission will be far from comprehensive. However, we would like to make the following observations in relation to the salient points of the Draft.

Continue ReadingSUBMISSION: to the Clarence Valley Community Strategic Plan