IPSWICH locals say politicians must step in to save Ipswich’s fast-disappearing natural beauty spots for the sake of future generations.
Save Woogaroo Forest campaigners have said clearing 160 hectares of woodland at Brookwater would reverse gains made in habitat protection for koalas in the past four years.
“Ongoing development like this one threatens the survival of endangered species and contradicts conservation efforts,” a Save Woogaroo Forest spokeswoman said.
“And the state government offers little help to stop this because of the Springfield Structure Plan.
“The Plan has not been updated in 18 years and flies in the face of legislation to protect endangered wildlife.
“Somehow the plan became enshrined in legislation and ensures developers can destroy every living thing in Woogaroo Forest with impunity.”
Ipswich City Council CEO Sonia Cooper signed off on the initial stages of the development earlier this year when council was still in caretaker mode at election time.
The state has a goal to increase habitat protection from 9 percent to 17 percent of overall territory, yet forest clearing in Queensland continued at 1,000,000 hectares from 2021-22.
Stockland wants to build 1,800 properties at Springview Villages 2 and 3 where the forest currently sits.
Woogaroo Forest is home to endangered animals like Koalas and Greater Gliders while vulnerable-listed Grey-Headed Flying Foxes also live there.
Critically endangered Swift Parrots and Regent Honeyeaters have been sighted there, too, and would move a step closer to extinction without the woodland.
The Regent Honeyeater is now so few in numbers (around 300 in the wild) that its males have forgotten their mating call.
Ipswich has the worst record of all southeast Queensland councils for remnant vegetation loss, with 21 percent remaining.
Brisbane City, however, retains 40 percent, Logan City 27 percent, Moreton Bay Regional Council 34 percent, and Redland City 58 percent.
Campaigners want Premier Steven Miles and State Environment Minister Leanne Linard must act to give Woogaroo Forest state protection.
“They have a mandate to show they care about the environment and that a reasonable amount of progress has been made towards meeting conservation targets,” the Save Woogaroo Forest spokeswoman said.
A seasoned local environment expert told The Tribune that an important aspect of Woogaroo Forest was its mature canopy of mixed eucalyptus trees.
“It has resources and niches for many species and ecosystems,” he said.
“This aspect was not covered by Stockland.
“The mature canopy comes from trees that are of mature height.
“The block was selectively logged in the past, with natural regrowth and coppicing, and with one small area of plantation Gympie Messmate.
“This forest is remnant and of high ecological value. Old trees were left as a seed source. Older trees were left in the gullies.
“Regrowth trees have matured in the past 30 years since logging stopped.
“Retained trees have developed some habitat features and would be considered as old growth.
“There is mature canopy with abundant resources for the Greater Glider which they would rely on as the incessant clearing in Springfield and nearby areas could easily push Greater Gliders into this area.”
Locals have said Woogaroo should become a new Toohey Forest.
Toohey Forest is named after James Toohey, an Irishman made wealthy in the California gold rush.
He selected the lands in the Brisbane suburb of Tarragindi in 1872 and his family held the forests until Brisbane Council bought them after 1945.
It is now home to eucalypt forests that once covered all of Brisbane.
Rainforest species grow along creeks and in moist gullies and it has more than 400 species of native wildlife and plant species.
The forest features sandstone outcrops and is made up of a variety of eucalypt trees.
The understorey has wattles, she-oaks, heath species, creepers, grasses and in sandstone areas, stands of grass trees.
Sign the petition to save the forest here: https://shorturl.at/jQyZk