Illegal vegetation destruction on Bass River

 

Clearing important native vegetation alongside Bass River in West Gippsland is creating havoc for wildlife including Powerful Owls, Barking Owls, wedgetailed eagles, Lace Monitors,koalas, sugar gliders and mountain brushtail possums. Siltation, caused by the bulldozing is also impacting adjoining farmland and water quality in the river for species including blackfish and platypus. The riparian vegetation was part of the last remaining patch in Bass Valley. Bulldozers were sent in by concrete company, Barro Group, prior to starting sand extraction. Trashing habitat in the Bass Valley demonstrates the low priority given to ecological issues. Bass Coast Shire has failed to enforce permit conditions.If the Council was serious, it would cancel the Barro Group planning permit. The importance of the area has been recognised for years, including The 1970’s Westernport Environmental Study conducted by Professor Maurice Shapiro and the 1990’s Baseline Studies of Bass River conducted by Friends of Bass Valley Bush Landcare Group for the Natural Heritage Trust in addition to the Regional Sand Extraction Strategy, Lang to Grantville.More than 375 types of native vegetation have been documented here with over 140 bird species, 17 mammal/marsupials and 22 types of reptiles.

 Bass Coast Shire supports the clearing and subsequent contamination of the river and adjoining land. Its Planning Department says “The Native vegetation removal was exempt from the need of a planning permit. It was undertaken for fire prevention purposes and an exemption under the Planning Scheme is afforded to them to have undertaken these works.”












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