YES, there are numbats in Warrup

by Gerry Georgatos Conservationists have been campaigning to save what they say is WA's largest numbat colony in Warrup. The Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) had been denying such a colony existed.

The conservationists have called for a halt to logging in Warrup after finding what they say is irrefutable evidence of endangered numbats living near the logging in Warrup.

Forest Rescue Australia (FRA) coordinator, Simon Peterffy said that an activist on February 21 photographed a numbat within three metres of a logging road and 200 metres from logging activity. On February 24, a former DEC officer, Jenny Dewing, visited the site and confirmed the photograph as genuine.

The photographs was taken by Bridgetown resident Panda Broad. Ms Broad said, "There are only 1,000 numbats left - full stop. The photos of the numbat are proof they do live in Warrup. How many creatures will humans make extinct through their greed for money?"

Ms Dewing, who spent 5 years working as a wildlife officer for DEC, said there was no doubt Warrup was home to a numbat habitat.

Environment minister Bill Marmion said the logging was in the numbat habitat however not all of the coupe would be logged. He said DEC had strategies in place to protect any numbat habitats. "Warrup block is near substantial reserve areas, the Kingston fauna habitat zone, and a network of informal reserves, including old-growth forest, in which no timber harvesting occurs," said Mr Marmion.

WA Forest Alliance spokeswoman, Jess Beckerling said, "Research on the impact of logging on numbats was lacking and research is needed to ensure the creatures are not driven into extinction."

"Warrup forest is a vital nature corridor, home to 8 endangered species of fauna," said Mr Peterffy.

"We will continue to blockade Warrup until the Forest Products Commission (FPC) abandons its diabolical plan to destroy over 1000 acres of prime habitat."

"How can we let future West Australians know that we sat idly by when the largest intact numbat colony was being destroyed by the FPC? Less than 1,000 numbats remain in the wild, so to destroy Warrup, which sits in the middle of their single largest colony, is ecological vandalism."

- A DEC spokesperson said, "Numbats are an emblematic species which this State Government is committed to protecting. Numbats are known to exist from east of the South West Highway north of Manjimup through the national park and state forest areas and the Tone Perup Nature Reserve and Lake Muir. Warrup 6, being about 15km east of the South West Highway, is in the locality where numbats occur."

"DEC administers an approvals process for all proposed timber harvesting operations. It is important to note that harvesting operations will not proceed until the Department of Environment and Conservation is satisfied that management strategies and arrangements are in place to protect the range of forest values, including numbat habitats."

"The gross area of the current coupe is 577 hectares, not all of which will be logged following allowance for old-growth forest and other reserve requirements. Warrup block is near substantial reserve areas (Greater Kingston National Park , Tone-Perup Nature Reserve), the Kingston fauna habitat zone, and a network of informal reserves, including all old-growth forest, in which no timber harvesting occurs. In any given year around 8000 hectares is available for timber harvesting activities out of a total area of 1.3 million hectares which is available for multiple use activities. On top of this, around 1.2 million hectares is protected via our national parks, nature reserves and conservation areas."

PEACEFUL PROTEST DRAWS A CROWD

The Bridgetown-Greenbushes Friends of the Forest were among a peaceful picnic protest in Warrup and the picnickers came from far and wide.

More than 90 people, many from Bridgetown, however others from as far as Bunbury, and Donnybrook, Nannup, Manjimup, Boyup Brook, Pemberton and other towns came to lend their support in peacefully demonstrating against logging in Warrup and to learn more about the issues.

A convoy of cars left Bridgetown at 9:30am from the old railway station and reached Warrup shy of 10am. There were a couple of walks through Warrup and to a marri tree, one of the few remaining - important habitat trees for the endangered cockatoos.

"Great to see such a large gathering from a wide region together to share a peaceful morning appreciating how lucky we are to live so close to native bushlands," said Cameron Barker from Nannup. However everyone acknowledged the native bushland is under threat from the nearby logging.

"When an industry is losing money to cut down the habitat of 8 endangered species, it is very clear that changes need to be made," he said. "There was no group or organisation behind this gathering, just people, everyday people from our community who truly believe this forest is too precious to be cut down - some people took the day off work, others their kids out of school. Today shows that people care."

During the picnic many talked of the need for a community forum where residents near both Warrup and Arcadia forests could ask questions of panellists including all sides - the save Warrup and Arcadia campaigners and the government agencies such as the Forest Products Commission and the Department of Environment and Conservation.

The community forum is beginning to take shape with invitations being sent out to conservation groups and government bodies. A tentative date for the forum has been jotted down - Saturday, March 31. It is yet to be decided whether it will be held in either Bridgetown or Donnybrook.

WA Forest Alliance convenor, Jess Beckerling said she will be part of it and that it is a great idea. Forest Rescue Australia's coordinator, Simon Peterffy said he'd take a day's rest from protest actions and be part of it believing a debate or a question and answer format involving all sides is a positive step.

Photos by Panda Broad (photographed February 21 in Warrup forest)

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By Forest Products...
Western AustraliaForest Products Commission
Media release: 21 February 2012

The marking of habitat trees in Warrup forest by the Forest Products Commission (FPC) has proven to be correct, despite complaints from conservation activists.

A recent assessment of the area was conducted by the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) which concluded that sufficient trees had been marked.

FPC tree markers record every habitat tree they mark, when preparing an area for harvest activities, to ensure they meet the required standards outlined in the Forest Management Plan. In preparing Warrup they marked 129 habitat and potential habitat trees in a 11.27 hectare area.

Habitat trees are kept in every harvest area at a rate of 11 to 13 per hectare. These maintain the long-term characteristics of mature forest as the young forest regenerates. Habitat trees are often retained in patches rather than being evenly distributed throughout the forest.

The preferred trees are those with hollows that can be used for nesting, if they are present. If hollowed trees are not present then trees with best potential for future habitat are protected. Balga, snottygobbles and even hollow logs on the ground are also marked for protection.

David Hartley, General Manager of the Forest Products Commission said, “FPC staff and contractors are striving to meet and exceed environmental standards and I am not surprised to learn how well they have performed at Warrup.”

For more information contact:
Jarita Darman
Communications Coordinator
Email: jarita.darman@fpc.wa.gov.au
www.fpc.wa.gov.au

Gerry, for a journalist, your article seems to be a tad one sided. Are you going to publish a story from the point of view of the Forest Products Commission, the timber industry and perhaps a forester or two? If so I warrant you will hear a totally different point of view, with some facts to boot. Simon Petterfy, Jess Beckerling and their ilk are not about saving numbats, they are about destroying one of the few sustainable industries we have in this State. They don't want to hear facts, they just want publicity, perchance to boost their own personal egos and ideologies.

On the Independent Media site, I've selected a few articles to set up a conversation, of which you are now engaging in - in the hard copy newspapers I wrote for I adequately demarcate myself to get in all sides, that's the propriety thing. With citizen media (online) there is every opportunity for everyone to get involved.

In relation to Warrup and Arcadia I am at this time working to get all sides involved in a Community Forum either in Bridgetown or Donnybrook for the residents to put their questions - I have invited WAFA (Jess has accepted), the FRA (Simon would like to be in the debate), the BGFF, the FPC, the DEC, and anyone else relevant who'd like to be on the panel.

It is likely to take place on March 31 (Saturday).

Kindly, Gerry

You people lost your right to whine about Jobs when you destroyed Ludlow, the forest my father would bring me to as a child and murdered the tourism industry there that had sustained an entire community.You lost your right to whine about jobs when you blockaded dairy farmers at Sharp. You lost your right to whine about jobs when your industry almost single handedly wrecked the wheatbelt and left WA imperiled for its future food security.

Fuck the logging industry. Its not needed, its not wanted, and its held the south wests future hostage for far too long.

Come on Gerry, you aren't much of a journalist. DEC have never denied numbats exist in this area, they have known about it for many years it is mapped as part of the range of the numbat. Did you actually ask them?

To quote Jenny Dewing without acknowledging her as an active member of the Bridgetown Greenbushes Friends of the Forest (for more than 20 years) who are seeking the reservation of Warrup, is downright dishonest. You have tried to give her an appearance of independence when she clearly has a strong personal interest in the matter.

I think you need to lift the standard of your reporting.

Axel, you've made a relevant point in terms of Jenny and BGFF - I concede that you are correct and that I should have included that Jenny is a member of BGFF.

Kindly, Gerry

- A DEC spokesperson said, "Numbats are an emblematic species which this State Government is committed to protecting. Numbats are known to exist from east of the South West Highway north of Manjimup through the national park and state forest areas and the Tone Perup Nature Reserve and Lake Muir. Warrup 6, being about 15km east of the South West Highway, is in the locality where numbats occur."

"DEC administers an approvals process for all proposed timber harvesting operations. It is important to note that harvesting operations will not proceed until the Department of Environment and Conservation is satisfied that management strategies and arrangements are in place to protect the range of forest values, including numbat habitats. The gross area of the current coupe is 577 hectares, not all of which will be logged following allowance for old-growth forest and other reserve requirements.
Warrup block is near substantial reserve areas (Greater Kingston National Park , Tone-Perup Nature Reserve), the Kingston fauna habitat zone, and a network of informal reserves, including all old-growth forest, in which no timber harvesting occurs."

"In any given year around 8000 hectares is available for timber harvesting activities out of a total area of 1.3 million hectares which is available for multiple use activities. On top of this, around 1.2 million hectares is protected via our national parks, nature reserves and conservation areas."

So what if FPC have marked all the habitat trees they're legally required to? - The current environmental standards are crap! We can't rely on the legal environmental standards to protect Endangered species and their habitats. Let's not forget the definitions of 'old growth' and 'high conservation value' forest were altered by the Government years ago to suit their continued logging regime!

And what about the burns they put through after logging too? Many more animals that may have survived logging operations will not stick around or survive a burn aswell! The status quo will wipe out Endangered species and their habitats such as Numbats, Woylies and Black Cockatoos. Leaving a few habitat trees/logs on the ground will not improve the situation for them let alone maintain their populations!

There are other factors at play besides logging but their cumulative impact must be taken into account rather than looking at them alone or it will be a case of "death by a thousand cuts." There is no denying Warrup is high quality habitat for Numbats. It has pockets of old growth forest and high conservation value forest which will not be logged but may be compromised by logging right up to it. Warrup in its entirety must be protected. Do whatever you can to make sure this happens.

A bit on Numbats:
"Formerly widespread across southern semiarid and arid Australia, from western New South Wales through South Australia and southern Northern Territory to the south-west of Western Australia. Populations presently occur at Dryandra and Perup/Kingston area east of Manjimup...There are eight self-sustaining populations but probably less than 1000 animals in existence."

www.dec.wa.gov.au/content/view/5761/1808/

*NB: Warrup forest is adjacent to Kingston forest.