Protect endangered bushland from extinction

Council has still not made a decision about the proposal to destroy a significant section of Umina Coastal Sandplain Woodland on the Catholic site in Hillview St, Woy Woy.

Because the remnants of this Endangered Ecological Community are so few, scattered and fragmented, it is likely to become extinct unless it is protected and regenerated.

The DA proposes to clear and develop one third of the site, the core of the block.

This would leave a thin boundary of bushland, 21 metres width along Hillview St, and 24 metres along the northern boundary behind houses.

Flanked by a road to one side and housing to the other, the bush remnant is exposed to "the edge effect" whereby light intensities are elevated.

This changes the soil and bushland moisture regimes, and favours weeds.

It also exposes the site to increased access by people causing soil compaction and damage to plants which reduces the likelihood of wildlife using the area to forage and establish nests.

Compounding this damage is the inevitable Fire Hazard Reduction plan that is recommended: "Ground litter ...shall be removed by raking and hand removal.

"Elevated combustible fuels such as dead branches and shrubs shall be cut and removed by hand."

This advice contradicts standard bushland management practices which aim to maintain animal habitat.

Leaf litter shelters insects and reptiles, and dead branches provide habitat including nesting and roosting sites for birds, possums and flying foxes.

According to The National Trust: "The aim of bush regeneration is to restore and maintain an ecosystem in which natural regeneration can occur."

It is illogical to suggest that this recovery could be achieved by removing vegetation and building on the site!

The Bushland Management Plan designed for this site chooses to overlook this rather obvious point.

The Developer argues that this site has a weed burden, and is being allowed to deteriorate.

Being privately owned by the Catholic Church, there has been no opportunity for a Community Bushcare group or Gosford Council to access this site to carry out bush regeneration.

However, there are community bushcare groups operating on the Peninsula.

On a regular basis, these groups remove weeds and rubbish, protect native regrowth and foster habitat for fauna.

Promoting a sense of community and ownership is an indirect social benefit of these local volunteer groups, many of whom have the support of Council.

Education of the local residents is also a strong priority.

The Umina High Bushcare Group works with students, encouraging their participation to look after the bushland remnants and grow native plants as bush tucker.

To suggest the only way to protect a community asset is to destroy part of it and get developers to look after what's left is a very blinkered approach with a finite lifespan.

The proposed Bushland Management Plan also puts forward an unsound approach to managing this site in that it advocates a rapid, intensive clearing of weeds.

Current industry practice advocates a slow and long-term approach that enables native vegetation to gradually replace the removed weed.

It literally takes years.

This ensures habitat for fauna is not wiped out.

For example, quick removal of lantana removes shelter for small birds such as scrub wrens and fairy wrens.

It exposes them to predation by larger birds such as currawongs.

The site could be rezoned so that this remnant of an endangered plant community can be protected.

Coming into public ownership may also help to address the shortage of open space on the Peninsula.

When a similar development on this piece of land went to the Land and Environment Court , Justice Bignold invoked the "precautionary principle", and said the proposed destruction of half a hectare of UCSW was "significant", whether there were two or 25 hectares of UCSW.

Please urge your local councillors to vote against this proposal.

Kate Consterdine, Pretty Beach