Queensland’s forests bulldozed at an alarming rate, Great Barrier Reef put at further risk

New figures just released show that Queensland continues to lead the nation in deforestation, and clearing rates have started rising again. The latest statewide landcover and trees study (SLATS) report released by the Queensland Government shows that 332,015ha has been cleared in the latest reporting period, a 3% increase from the previous year's figures, and at least five times higher than recent figures released by New South Wales.

Deforestation in the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) catchment areas accounted for 44% (147,705ha) of the state’s total clearing, an increase on previous year’s figures. There was an 8% increase in clearing of remnant forest, areas of forest and woodland that provide important habitat for the state’s wildlife like koalas and greater gliders with 70,799 hectares bulldozed in the reporting period.

The report shows a distressing 21% increase in clearing of endangered regional ecosystems with over 3,000 hectares lost. Endangered regional ecosystems are areas of forest and woodland that are being pushed to the brink of extinction, with many having only relatively small patches remaining.

QCC Director Dave Copeman said

The data is shocking. Queenslanders and international visitors alike would be distressed to learn that the Queensland Government is allowing forests and woodlands to be bulldozed in the Great Barrier Reef catchment at an alarming rate, with over 140,000 hectares being cleared per year.

This clearing results in more sediment and nutrients flowing into the Great Barrier Reef, putting additional pressure on corals already bleaching because of climate change. This is devastating additional pressure on an already damaged Great Barrier Reef struggling to survive from repeated mass bleaching events. This clearing must stop”.

If the Queensland government is serious about protecting the Great Barrier Reef, it would crack down on the level of clearing occurring in reef catchments and especially potentially illegal clearing. The figures show that over 30,000 hectares of forest and woodland was bulldozed that is potentially illegal.

Nature underpins our economy, our lifestyle and importantly our tourism and recreation opportunities. For too long our outdated federal nature laws have been failing nature and the data released yesterday highlights systemic failure to protect endangered ecosystems and threatened species habitat. Clearing for pasture is once again more than 80% of all clearing in Queensland, and still there is no assessment of this impact under the federal EBPC legislation. We are calling for Minister Watt to address this in the upcoming nature law reforms, as recommended by Graeme Samuels in his review of the EBPC Act.

We also continue to call for the Queensland Government to champion greater incentives for landholders to drive down record high deforestation rates and protect vital threatened species habitat.

Photo courtesy of Paul Hilton

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