Satellite Image Discovery Halts Aussie Construction Over Land Clearing
A construction project in Australia is paused after satellite images revealed potential illegal land clearing of rare forest areas
Singleton, Australia, Land Clearing, Endangered Species, Construction
Singleton: A construction project in Singleton, Australia, has hit the brakes. It all started when someone spotted something odd on satellite images. Turns out, seven hectares of rare forest seemed to have disappeared.
The Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) got wind of this and reached out to the company behind the project. They wanted answers about the clearing. Before any work kicked off, the local council had already warned the company to check with the federal government. They suspected the area might be home to endangered Central Hunter Valley eucalypt forest.
On Monday, the Department of Environment confirmed they hadn’t received any requests to clear land at the McDougall Business Park. This is important because it’s part of a law that checks if projects could harm endangered species or habitats.
They mentioned they’re looking into the situation but didn’t share more details while the investigation is ongoing. It’s a bit of a waiting game.
So, what did the company say? Bloomfield Group, one of the partners in the project, didn’t want to talk directly. They sent all inquiries to a PR firm, which also kept quiet. However, they did say that work has been paused while they sort things out with the Commonwealth.
In a statement, they mentioned they were aware of the claims about unauthorized clearing and that they had valid development consent. They’re in touch with the Department of Climate Change and will keep them updated on what happens next.
As the investigation continues, it’s still unclear if any endangered habitat was actually cleared. Yahoo News hasn’t accused the company of any wrongdoing.
Interestingly, the ACF’s national nature campaigner, Jess Abrahams, had visited the site and found signs of endangered forest nearby. He pointed out that the clearing could have a significant impact under the law.
He was pleased the company decided to pause the work. It’s a small win for the community, showing that regular folks can make a difference by just looking at satellite images.
There are eight species listed as threatened nearby, including swift parrots and koalas. Abrahams expressed frustration that some clearing happened before the government started looking into it.
He believes companies like Bloomfield Group should know their legal responsibilities, especially since they run a big coal mine nearby.
Abrahams also called on the government to step up and investigate developments that could harm endangered species. The Albanese government had promised to create a national Environment Protection Authority, but those plans have stalled.
He emphasized that it shouldn’t be up to volunteers and environmental groups to monitor these sites. The government needs to act quickly to protect vital habitats.