Saving our Black Cockatoos Southwest Australia's Journal

Journal archives for April 2023

April 5, 2023

Cocky Notes Issue 36 March 2023 Birdlife Australia

If you click on the below link you will be able to read the latest issue of Cocky Notes.

https://www.calameo.com/read/004107895df3e7d21254e

Posted on April 5, 2023 11:55 AM by kezzza4 kezzza4 | 0 comments | Leave a comment

April 26, 2023

URGENT please comment re Beharra Sand Mining Operations at Geraldton which will impact Carnaby's Black Cockatoos

Dear CCA members,
I apologise for two emails in the one day – both asking for action – but there is another proposal before the EPA which threatens critical habitat for Carnaby’s black-cockatoo, this time in the Geraldton area. I have been asked to bring this to your notice.

Are you able to put in a comment on this proposal as well as the Ravensthorpe Lithium Project – they are both part of the same story - ‘loss of habitat of the Endangered Carnaby’s black-cockatoo’?

Again we need to ask for the proposal to be assessed at the level of ‘Public Environmental Review’.

There is FIVE days left to comment on the EPA referral for the huge Beharra sand mining operations around Geraldton which involves a massive 540 hectares of Banksia heath - and another 90ha of swampland that includes Banksia. This is essential foraging area for flocks in the immediate post-breeding season (when needing to stock up on food and feed dependent young) AND the consultants (Bamfords) reported suspected breeding birds foraging within the site during breeding season, and noted that there was breeding habitat within daily foraging distance of the site.

**If you have only 2 minutes, go here Beharra Silica Sand Project - Environmental Protection Authority - Citizen Space (epa.wa.gov.au)
And click on “Complete this form to comment on the referred proposal” – and ask for it to be assessed by the EPA at the level of “Public Environmental Review”

**If you have 5 minutes, add a couple of notes as per below to give your reasons.
Quick summary of key points (these points have been compiled following a careful review of the referral documents)
• Carnaby’s cockatoos are continuing to decline towards extinction because of lack of foraging habitat NOW – so the only way to reverse their declines is to give them MORE foraging habitat, not less.
• Government regulators, including the EPA, have so far failed to halt Carnaby’s cockatoo declines, let alone reverse them. Clearly something needs to start being done differently by regulators
• It is well known that the only way to reverse black-cockatoo declines is to halt and reverse habitat loss in the immediate term. This mine site will involve clearing of 538 ha of banksia heath (and another 90 ha of other vegetation), full of several different Banksia species that are primary food sources for Carnaby’s cockatoos, in an area that is known to be a foraging area for post-breeding flocks (when they return to coastal areas after breeding inland, with their dependent young), and in an area where surveys indicate that there may be some local breeding too, including suspected breeding birds feeding INSIDE the proposed clearing footprint.
• There are also several known roost sites close to this proposed clearing site, together housing several hundred Carnaby’s cockatoos that all need enough foraging habitat nearby to sustain them while they are at those roosts.
• Importantly, due to seasonality of food availability, at any one time most foraging habitat may not be producing fruit/flowers (food sources), so sufficient habitat needs to be retained to ensure there is always some food available for local flocks.
• Very importantly, the mine proponents say they will rehabilitate the area after mining, but it is well known there is no way known at present to restore Banksia habitat effectively – and no evidence that a way will be found.
If you have been able to make comment on this, thank you!
Kind regards,
Rosemary Jasper

Chairperson,
Cocanarup Conservation Alliance Inc.
PO Box 30
Ravensthorpe 6346
Ph: 0428 123 400
https://cca.asn.au/

Posted on April 26, 2023 11:00 AM by kezzza4 kezzza4 | 0 comments | Leave a comment

URGENT please comment re Ravensthorpe Lithium Project - Cocanarup which will impact Carnaby's Black Cockatoos

Dear CCA members and friends,
We have another opportunity for comment and to make a difference for Cocanarup.

The Bulletin Resources application (now referred to as Ravensthorpe Lithium Project) was referred to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) WA in February and they are now at the point of deciding:
a) whether they should assess the proposal and, if so,
b) what level of assessment is considered appropriate.
There is a 7-day period in which the public have opportunity to comment on these questions. The period ends next Tuesday May 2nd.
Apart from sound arguments, evidence of widespread community concern about this proposal may influence the EPA decision as to whether to assess the proposal or not. We therefore urge you to make a comment. The important thing is to ask for the proposal to be assessed at Public Environmental Review level.
Having a say at this stage should only take a few minutes. What you do is:
a) Go to this link: https://www.epa.wa.gov.au/proposals/ravensthorpe-lithium-project-exploration

• click on ‘1. Referral’ at bottom of the page.
• Click on ‘Ravensthorpe Lithium Project’ in the first line under ‘Referral’

• Click on ‘complete this form to comment ….’
b) Complete the form

• Q 5. Check the ‘Assess – Public Environmental Review’ box

• Q 6. Give a reason, as brief as you like, in your own words explaining your concern about this proposal, e.g. “this is an important Carnaby’s black-cockatoo nest area and I are concerned about their future”;
c) Follow prompts to submit your form. Done! Thanks!

Please note:

It would also be really worthwhile if you can email both the WA Minister for the Environment Hon. Reece Whitby Minister.Whitby@dpc.wa.gov.au and the federal Minister for the Environment, Hon.Tanya Plibersek Minister.Plibersek@dcceew.gov.au saying that you are concerned about clearing in Cocanarup and you want the EPA to assess this proposal at the Public Environmental Review level.

That could take another 3 minutes but it is important because this might end up being a political decision.

Thank you for the magnificent support that you have given Cocanarup and the black-cockatoos thus far.

Finally, if you haven’t seen the ABC news article from last Sunday check this out https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-04-23/carnaby-cockatoo-black-cocanarup-bulletin-resources-ravensthorpe/102238182

Kind regards,
Rosemary Jasper

Chairperson,
Cocanarup Conservation Alliance Inc.
PO Box 30
Ravensthorpe 6346
Ph: 0428 123 400
https://cca.asn.au/

Posted on April 26, 2023 11:01 AM by kezzza4 kezzza4 | 0 comments | Leave a comment