Vegetation clearing - 2006Home | Human Settlement | Infrastructure services and resources | Vegetation Clearing | 2006 What does the data tell us for 2006
Vegetation clearing throughout the Shoalhaven has occurred disproportionately on the rich agricultural land, floodplain and coastal environment leaving the higher escarpment areas vegetated. Clearing of native vegetation is recognised as a major factor contributing to the loss of biodiversity. The Shoalhaven Local Government Area (LGA) does not have a formal process to measure the amount of vegetation clearing occurring. Council is currently investigating a procedure to monitor the amount of vegetation clearing across the City using aerial photography and/or satellite imagery. Vegetation clearing is also undertaken within the City for bushfire management by individual land owners, government agencies and Council. The amount of land mapped as cleared is 52,566 hectares which is 11% of the total LGA. Vegetation mapping can be viewed at http://gis.shoalhaven.nsw.gov.au/soemaps
Red blood wood trunks showing incisions by Yellow Bellied Gilders. The gilders are a local threatened species that use red blood woods as feed trees. The illegal removal of these trees threatens the continued survival of gliders in the Shoalhaven.Illegal Vegetation Clearing In accordance with environmental and planning legislation very heavy penalties now exist for environmental offences. Not only can these penalties be handed down to the land owner, they can also be given to the contractor responsible for carrying out the work. The maximum penalty that the Local Court can impose to an individual is $110,000.00 with a further daily penalty if the offence continues. The Courts are quite severe in relation to costs incurred for environmental offences and have even ordered that land be restored back to its original condition with all costs to be met by the offender.
Table - Illegal Vegetation Clearing identified by Council’s Environmental Services Section 2005/06
Fines exceeding $70,000 were imposed by the Local Court for unauthorised clearing activities in the Shoalhaven Local Government Area.
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