A scientist studying floristic at Mission Beach has noted that the large number of big trees blown down by cylcone Yasi has resulted in the destruction of the rainforest canopy.
The impact has been quite different from cyclone Larry. Before Yasi, the rejuvenating rainforest was beginning to provide some shade cover but was still very light and open in many places with lots of pioneer species creating an understorey. This time with many of the oldest and largest canopy trees gone, the saplings and younger trees are experiencing an enormous growth spurt and are providing enough shade to sufficiently inhibit the pioneer species and many of the weeds that proliferated post Larry. They are the species that will in time form part of the next canopy. We may have a jagged skyline with vine towers for a long time to come.
This is all part of a natural process and left alone the regeneration will continue to support an outstanding diversity of ecosystems which in turn supports an exceptional diversity of species.
Cyclone Yasi has left our magnificent landscape scarred. There is however, nothing that will compete with the destruction of natural areas quite like a bulldozer and garden rake.
It is a very disappointing that the 'clean up' of the natural environment continues to be carried out under the reconstruction process without expert supervision.
There are no funds allocated for the natural environment in the disaster recovery process.
Despite the cyclone damage and further impact from the 'clean-up' activities, legal clearing of remnant rainforest at Mission Beach continues.
It is a very disappointing that the 'clean up' of the natural environment continues to be carried out under the reconstruction process without expert supervision.
There are no funds allocated for the natural environment in the disaster recovery process.
Despite the cyclone damage and further impact from the 'clean-up' activities, legal clearing of remnant rainforest at Mission Beach continues.
Mission Beach is recognised as a high biodersity area by both the state and federal governments. A Cassowary Recovery Plan and The Significant Impact Guidleines for the Cassowary outline actions aiming to counteract the threats to the endangered species, yet two more developments have been approved recently by the federal environment agency that require destruction of essential Cassowary habitat.
Both residential developments are in important remnant vegetation corridors. The development off Explorer Drive at South Mission has severed the lowland corridor north of the ridge completely. A lot of high value vegetation that survived Cyclone Yasi has been cleared on the site which includes a large area of road verge either side of the approach to the access road. On the surveyed map in the approval, this area is marked as revegetation/landscaping.
Both residential developments are in important remnant vegetation corridors. The development off Explorer Drive at South Mission has severed the lowland corridor north of the ridge completely. A lot of high value vegetation that survived Cyclone Yasi has been cleared on the site which includes a large area of road verge either side of the approach to the access road. On the surveyed map in the approval, this area is marked as revegetation/landscaping.
Condition no 2 attached to the approval states;
"The person taking the action must rehabilitate the area marked revegetation and landscaping on Survey 2 in order to protect and enhance habitat for the Southern Cassowary" (Click on image to enlarge)
"The person taking the action must rehabilitate the area marked revegetation and landscaping on Survey 2 in order to protect and enhance habitat for the Southern Cassowary" (Click on image to enlarge)
The condition definitions are;
"Rehabilitate - the process of re-vegetating and maintining an area of vegetation until monitoring confirms it meets the status of remnant vegetation".
Natural vegetation that has survived a cyclone has now been removed to revegetate and landscape. Noticing the few species still standing are predominantly palms one can only assume it is 'landscaping' that is happening, not 'revegetation'. There doesn't seem to be any reason for the destruction of the vegetation to achieve the residential development.
"Rehabilitate - the process of re-vegetating and maintining an area of vegetation until monitoring confirms it meets the status of remnant vegetation".
Natural vegetation that has survived a cyclone has now been removed to revegetate and landscape. Noticing the few species still standing are predominantly palms one can only assume it is 'landscaping' that is happening, not 'revegetation'. There doesn't seem to be any reason for the destruction of the vegetation to achieve the residential development.
Following is an extract from the environment report submitted with the development application;
"Medium to high utilisation in patch
It is the opinion of C&R Consulting that within the context of this site, the isolated patches of remnant vegetation within the cleared footprint are of medium to high significance for foraging purposes and therefore should be maintained.
However, it is recognised that within the context of a developed landscape, it is not desirable to encourage cassowaries into isolated patches surrounded by infrastructure, including roads, houses and the general built environment, for the following reasons:
-Increased risk of road incident or vehicle strike, causing injury or harm to cassowaries, people and / or property
- Increased risk of wildlife-human interactions, potentially resulting in injury or harm to cassowaries, people and/or property
Therefore, it could be argued that the maintenance of these remnant patches within the developed landscape could be detrimental to the southern Cassowary".
Surely there can’t be a more detrimental impact on any species than taking away their food source.
Given this decision, more rainforest clearing will probably be approved in other developments at Mission Beach that are currently being considered under the EPBC Act. It would be safe to say that all of them will increase Cassowary/human interaction and traffic, fragment the landscape and, regardless of conditions, increase the risk of introduction of exotics including dogs in the long term. that would mean a significant impact.
Most of the impacts, if enough resources were made available could perhaps be managed but the vegetation is irreplaceable. Nothing will get back the biodiversity that has taken millions of years to develop with the cassowary being the keystone species and most efficient seed disperser within it.
"Medium to high utilisation in patch
It is the opinion of C&R Consulting that within the context of this site, the isolated patches of remnant vegetation within the cleared footprint are of medium to high significance for foraging purposes and therefore should be maintained.
However, it is recognised that within the context of a developed landscape, it is not desirable to encourage cassowaries into isolated patches surrounded by infrastructure, including roads, houses and the general built environment, for the following reasons:
-Increased risk of road incident or vehicle strike, causing injury or harm to cassowaries, people and / or property
- Increased risk of wildlife-human interactions, potentially resulting in injury or harm to cassowaries, people and/or property
Therefore, it could be argued that the maintenance of these remnant patches within the developed landscape could be detrimental to the southern Cassowary".
Surely there can’t be a more detrimental impact on any species than taking away their food source.
Given this decision, more rainforest clearing will probably be approved in other developments at Mission Beach that are currently being considered under the EPBC Act. It would be safe to say that all of them will increase Cassowary/human interaction and traffic, fragment the landscape and, regardless of conditions, increase the risk of introduction of exotics including dogs in the long term. that would mean a significant impact.
Most of the impacts, if enough resources were made available could perhaps be managed but the vegetation is irreplaceable. Nothing will get back the biodiversity that has taken millions of years to develop with the cassowary being the keystone species and most efficient seed disperser within it.
Neither this nor the development at the South Mission Beach turnoff were required to make any contribution to road management in the approval conditions despite the increase of traffic through roads with a record of high cassowary road deaths. A comment from a person in the department was, "It's not as bad as some of them." What is yet to come then, with the many development applications still being considered in the region that were submitted before the deadline of the FNQ2031 Regional Plan including Lot 66?.
Two configuration plans were drawn. In neither of them do the lots correspond with the orginal clearings which on approval allowed for the destruction of the valuable patches of cassowary habitat referred to in the environment report. At the very least, why wasn't the development confined to the cleared areas? Perhaps it was easier to deal with if it wasn't there, who knows!! It certainly isn't there now and there will be no regeneration of this rainforest, nor free wildlife movement through the last northern lowland rainforest corridor off Explorer Drive.
Two configuration plans were drawn. In neither of them do the lots correspond with the orginal clearings which on approval allowed for the destruction of the valuable patches of cassowary habitat referred to in the environment report. At the very least, why wasn't the development confined to the cleared areas? Perhaps it was easier to deal with if it wasn't there, who knows!! It certainly isn't there now and there will be no regeneration of this rainforest, nor free wildlife movement through the last northern lowland rainforest corridor off Explorer Drive.
In my opinion, at this stage, considering the future integrity of the high biodiversity area of Mission Beach, this outcome is as bad as it gets.
It is heartbreaking to watch it happening.
Liz Gallie
It is heartbreaking to watch it happening.
Liz Gallie
