Local Conservation Issues
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All National Parks in NSW are under
from the prospect of tourist resorts being allowed to be built in the parks AND shooting also being permitted
Robert Borsak - who is the Chairman of the NSW Game Council, stated in an interview with Ausvarmit.com
"If it flies, it dies, if you can hunt it, I'll do it"
The question is - do you really want people with this sort of mentality loose with guns, bows and arrows inside the National Parks ?
How safe does this make you and your family feel ?
Photo by Manfred Zabinskas: Courtesy - "WIRES"
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Click on the above picture to read more about the Game Council's real agenda - a statement by Robert Borsak.
Wildlife Advocate Inc. is a not-for-profit community organisation dedicated to ensuring the needs of Australian native wildlife.
Visit their Website for further details as below:
http://www.wildlifeadvocate.com
http://www.wildlifeadvocate.com/participate.htm
http://www.wildlifeadvocate.com/current.htm
Download the 'Seeing the Gardens' report about the tourism and recreation potential of the GoS2 Park proposal (12 MByte file)
Click HERE for a smaller summary.
Click on the pictures below for some views of the GoS2 Park (in a new frame) photos by Andrew Valja
The Mount Victoria Highway Bypass - see the BMCS views
The new energy efficient compact (and normal) flourescent lights can be an environmental hazard. Find out more
Write to the Federal Government about the problems of Electronic/electrical waste
The disused Canyon Colliery has and still is Poisoning the Grose River
How to protect Wildlife from Domestic Animals
Read the Garnaut Reports (commissioned by the Rudd Government) on Garnaut Climate Change Review as they are issued
Read the authoritive
Stern Report on Climate Change
Read the BMCS Views on recycling/saving water
Read the BMCS Views on Groundwater, the Metropolitan Water Plan and Desalination
What is wrong about Sea Water Desalination
How much does Bottled Water cost you?
Severe environmental impacts in NSW of Long Wall Coal Mining
The 2006 Metropolitan Water Plan - A Critical Review
Are you drinking poisoned water??
Read about the Emirates Luxury Resort in the Wolgan Valley
Read the World Heritage Report on the Grose Valley Fire Forum
Local species are under threat!
Australian coal mining is damaging the Local and World Environment! Find out more and what YOU can do about it
Frank Sartor muzzles independent report on Upper Hunter coal mine
The World Heritage Area is being threatened by
Sand Mining On the Newnes Plateau
Sub-surface water extraction (bores) are damaging our swamps and streams.
Why go to Afghanistan to get shot ? - save time, effort and cost by visiting a NSW State Forest
Natural features, Flora and Fauna
Weeds and Weed Control
Check out Council's Development Applications in your local area
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Welcome to the Blue Mountains Conservation Society.
This voluntary group of about one thousand members is helping to conserve the
World Heritage Blue Mountains
region in Eastern Australia.
We hope you enjoy your visit to this site.
| Latest News and Events
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Read the February 2010 edition of the Society's Newsletter 'Hut News' (592 Kbyte PDF file)
BMCS members, please note that with this download, the pictures will be in colour and of higher definition then the black and white hard copy received by post.
Also membership costs will be kept down by electing not to receive the hard copy by post
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The November/December 2009 edition of 'Strobos' is now available for download (800 KB PDF file).
Strobos is published 'by and for High School Students in the Blue Mountains' on behalf of the Society.
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The next Monthly Meeting will be held on Friday February 26th 2010, at the Conservation Hut, Fletcher St, (far western end) Wentworth Falls starting at 7.30 pm.
The main subject will be:
'The Burning Season'
Award-winning documentary by Cathy Henkel
Narrated by Hugh Jackman
'The Burning Season' is an acclaimed documentary about deliberately lit fires raging across Indonesia. The fires destroy rain forests, endanger
wildlife, including orang-utans and contribute to climate change. The film also tells the story of Dorjee Sun, a young Australian carbon trading
entrepreneur who goes in search of a solution.
The 'Burning Season' takes us to the front lines of forest destruction in Indonesia and tracks the work of the carbon trading entrepreneur who
decided to tackle the problem head on by setting up his own carbon trading scheme.
Come along and see 'The Burning Season' and discover why the film was screened to great acclaim at last year's Sydney Film Festival
All are welcome
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Sydney Morning Herald June 18, 2009
Ben Cubby Environment Reporter
Catchment river poisoned ... a coal-fired power station near Lithgow is discharging pollutants which is killing marine life.
HEAVY metals and poisons such as arsenic, copper and boron are leaching out of a coal-fired power station near Lithgow, wiping out marine life in a river that feeds Sydney's drinking water supply.
The Department of Environment and Climate Change has known about the discharge from Wallerawang power station since last year, but has done nothing to stop it, although it said last night that it was reviewing the evidence.
Independent research exposes serious gaps in the environmental licensing system used by the NSW Government, with implications for other industrial sites around the state. The licence conditions of the power station's operator, Delta Electricity, do not put specific limits on many kinds of heavy metal pollution.
"[The department] is satisfied that current licence conditions at Delta are appropriate but acknowledges there may be room for improvement," a spokeswoman said. The department said it maintains "strong regulatory control" over Delta's operations.
But it took tests from a University of Western Sydney researcher to show that water flowing into the Coxs River was laced with high levels of copper, boron (a naturally occurring chemical), and other metals at many times the levels found upstream of the power station, exceeding recommended guidelines many times over.
High arsenic levels were found downstream from the plant "indicating the large and unnatural increase above natural background arsenic levels in the upper Coxs River catchment", according to a report by the researcher, Ian Wright. The arsenic is diluted downstream and is not thought to pose a human health risk.
Copper was measured close to the power station at between 30 and 50 times natural levels, and boron levels were 25 times higher than upstream, while fluoride levels meant water in the Coxs River on public land did not meet drinking water guidelines. The water was 17 to 50 times as salty downstream from the power station, at levels "likely to be toxic to aquatic ecosystems", according to Dr Wright.
His research will be used for a case to be put before the NSW Land and Environment Court, which will argue that Delta Electricity is polluting the Coxs River and should be made to stop.
The Blue Mountains Conservation Society, with the backing of the Environmental Defender's Office of NSW, is hoping for a limit to be put on potential costs before it can seek a court hearing.
The group also intends to challenge the statewide system of environmental licences.
"These licences are just licences to pollute," the society's president, Tara Cameron, said. "They are just allowing the status quo and making people feel good without actually protecting the environment."
The Department of Environment and Climate Change said it had been watching Delta Electricity closely. "In February 2009 the [department] prosecuted Delta in the Land and Environment Court for a breach of its licence for Wallerawang power station. The court fined Delta $45,000 for not controlling dust on its ash disposal area," the spokeswoman said.
A review of heavy metal concentrations in the Upper Coxs River catchment area was under way, she said.
Under the terms of its licence, Delta Electricity is required to test water up- and downstream of the power station for selenium, boron, manganese, iron fluoride and sulphate, as well as turbidity and a measure of water-borne particles described as "total suspended solids".
The results of the company's own measurements were lodged with the Department of Water and Energy annually, a spokeswoman for Delta Electricity said.
"The water quality in this area of the river is affected by a number of factors outside power station operation, including urbanisation, mining (current and historic) and very old former mine site rehabilitation activities," the spokeswoman said. However, Dr Wright's report and tests by volunteers strongly suggest the elevated levels of heavy metals in the river come from the power station.
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Read the President's (Ms Tara Cameron)
Annual Report.
This was presented at the 2009 Annual General Meeting
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Read the BMCS response to the
NSW Governments Proposed Planning Reforms
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Do you like the work of the Society and would you like to support us? You can
make a donation
which is tax-deductible.
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Find out who in your neighbourhood (and elsewhere) is environmentally aware and what they say they will do to reduce their environmental impact.
www.whoonearthcares.com.au
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The Annual General Meeting of the Society was held on Friday 27th March, 2009
at the Conservation Hut, Wentworth Falls.
Most, but not all positions on the Management Committee were filled at this meeting, but the Committee can always use help in fulfilling its duties and you are encouraged to get actively involved.
This is a very effective and worth-while organisation which is primarily concerned with environmental issues
in the Blue Mountains and surrounds. It relies totally upon voluntary effort. As such, it is
worthy of YOUR contribution. Please consider lending a hand.
This site is continuously under review with the aim of:
- improving relevancy
- improving ease of use
- improving presentation
If you have any suggestions, please contact
webmaster
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Publications and Activities
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Welcome to the Blue Mountains Conservation Society Bushwalking Group.
Come out and enjoy the bush - have a look at :
Andy Gardiner's Bushwalk Photos
Phil Turnedge's Bushwalk Photos
Join a local Bushcare Group; find the one closest to you
Plants for sale and information at the BMCS
NURSERY
You can find the latest and past editions of the Society's newsletter 'Hut News' and magazine 'Strobos'
HERE
The CSIRO publishes an excellent online and printed environmental Magazine - Ecos
Put your comments (and read the comments of others) on environmental matters on the Green's Blog Site
The 'Ground Water' Booklet written by Dr. Brian Marshall (past President of BMCS) explains how groundwater is essential to the health of the Blue Mountains vegetation, streams and swamps. Read this HERE
The 'Sustainability' Booklet (now updated) arose from a series of sustainability workshops given by Craig Linn. Read about this very important subject HERE
Home heating contributes to Greenhouse Gas Emissions. Compare the various home heating methods
THE GREAT GROSE WEED WALK IS ON AGAIN!
Bushwalkers and bush carers - anybody who has a weekend, a
day or a few hours to spare: Help to continue the tradition of
caring for the magnificent Grose Valley.
March 2010 Program:
Acacia Flat:
Two days weeding and wading along
Govetts Creek. Camp overnight Acacia Flat
Saturday 6 March to Sunday 7 March
Contact: Vanessa Richardson 4787 3112
Katoomba Creek:
Sunday 14th March, 9am to 4 pm
Contact: Lyndal Sullivan 4780 5528
Wentworth Creek Swampcare:
Tuesday 16th March, 9am to 3 pm
Contact: Michael Hensen (BMCC) 4780 5471
Braeside Blitz:
Sunday 24th March, 9am to 3 pm
Contact: Vanessa Richardson 4787 3112
Govetts Leap:
Weeding with a View (And a BIG morning tea!)
Wednesday 31st March, 9am to 1 pm
Contact: Vanessa Richardson 4787 3112
For more information contact:
Vanessa Richardson, National Parks and Wildlife Service,
Ranger for the Grose Valley: 4787 3112,
Lyndal Sullivan, Blue Mountains City Council, Bushcare
Co-ordinator: 4780 5528.
BLACK AND WHITE IN THE BLUE MOUNTAINS
Lecture by Jim Smith
Historian and ecologist Jim Smith has been travelling through and documenting the country of the Gundungurra speaking people of the southern Blue Mountains for over twenty years. He will be giving a presentation of his research at the Wentworth Falls School of Arts on Saturday 6th March at 10.30am (morning tea at 10am).
The talk is sponsored by the Blue Mountains Historical Society as their annual 'Beryl McLaughlin Lecture' for 2010 and is free of charge.
Some of the topics covered will include his mapping of Dreaming journeys, Aboriginal travel routes and significant landmarks. He will explain the web of biological and spiritual kinship that developed between the Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people of the Burragorang Valley and how the memories of black and white people about their shared past have become entangled. The true spellings, meanings and locations of local Aboriginal place names and the healing practices of Gundungurra people will also be explored. Previously untold stories of Katoomba's 'Gully' Aboriginal community will be revealed.
The talk is open to any interested member of the public. No booking is required.
For further information contact: 02 4782 3751 or 02 4757 3824 (Tues and Fri am) or email bmhs@email.com
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Details about the "Local Climate Local Change Conference" are available here
18-21 April 2010
Fairmont Resort
Leura Blue Mountains
The Blue Mountains College of TAFE is offering for Semester 1, 2010, courses in Conservation and Land Management
Get involved in action against massively increased coal exports.
On Sunday 28th March, the next of a series of peaceful direct actions in Newcastle is organised. This is against the construction of the recently approved third Coal Export Terminal for Newcastle.
This third Coal Export Terminal is the key plank in plans to double exports from the world's biggest coal port.
For more details, click http://www.risingtide.org.au/
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