STOP.

Explain.

Open the books.

This is the essence of a letter sent by Greens MP Sue Higginson to Minister for Regional Transport and Roads, Sam Farraway on Monday 23 January urging the Minister to immediately stop planning works and investigate why Coffs Bypass construction is set to destroy a last remaining of its type rainforest on Mackays Road, West Coffs.

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“Minister for Regional Transport and Roads, Sam Farraway, must stop and explain and release the reports and documentation that resulted in the decision to change the route from avoiding the critically endangered environments, to destroying them and unlawfully applying biodiversity offsets for ecological communities and species that are on the verge of extinction,” said Ms Higginson.

“Sam Farraway needs to immediately stop this madness and release the documents that justify the decision to change the route of the bypass and explain why the new route favours influential local business owners despite the proven presence of critically endangered species that will be destroyed,” she said.

Having deep-dived into Transport for NSW’s planned route for the Coffs Harbour Bypass construction which will destroy the subtropical lowland rainforest, with its origins in Gondwana time, Sue Higginson visited the patch on Monday 23 January with renowned botanist Dr Robert Kooyman, who confirmed the Threatened Ecological Community status of the patch.

Dr Kooyman spent the morning identifying and confirming threatened species and numerous plants of “incredible biographic history”.

Botanists, environmentalists and conservationists who were in Coffs to attend the celebration of the life of botanist Alex Floyd, joined Sue Higginson, Dr Kooyman and locals on site at Grandpa’s Scrub to hear the expert’s findings.

Dr Kooyman looked at “the diversity of the patch in context of normal listing for an Endangered Ecological Community in NSW”.

“It easily makes that grade,” he said.

“In terms of Federal Endangered Ecological communities, this (patch) has all the criteria except (small) size,” he told the gathering.
“The patch has incredible ecological integrity and is an original remnant – the last of its kind in the world,” he said.

His morning’s sampling produced over 70 native rainforest species and 40 or more key structural elements such as trees, vines, herbs and other life forms that are integral to how we define Sub Tropical Rainforests.

“I look at the paleo history and the contemporary ecology of rainforests.

“Mixed in with these Sub Tropical species on the lowland here are species with their origins in deep time Gondwana.

“There are species here that are endemic to Australia in terms of their evolution on the Australian plate and there are also immigrants from the last twenty million years through Australia’s interaction during the Miocene with Southeast Asia.

“So, these incredibly diverse forests carry with them all the signals of biodiversity that come with an incredible biogeographic history.

“It’s that deep time history that extends 40 million years to the present that’s still giving an impression in these forests,” he said, opening his arms to embrace the forest around him.

“This little patch is the last of the Lowland Coffs Harbour White Booyong subtropical type at true lowland elevations…that’s unusual.

“It is important that we understand the implications of these sorts of places.

“Our relationship to Country is all about looking after this.

“I suggest we should look after it; it is the last bit of this sort of country,” said Dr Kooyman.

Sue Higginson said it was not too late to take action to save the site.

“For as long as this is standing and for as long as the harm has not yet happened it is not too late,” she told News Of The Area.

“Yes, we want a bypass.

“Let’s put it where land is already cleared and not here.”

Ms Higginson also noted that the areas that have been chosen as biodiversity offsets for the new route are completely inappropriate and share none of the characteristics of the area set to be destroyed.

“The minimum requirement of like-for-like biodiversity offsets for critically endangered species and ecological communities has been completely ignored precisely because there is no other area that shares the unique ecology of Grandpa’s Scrub.

“We know the law for applying the Biodiversity Offsets Scheme is No.1 – avoid.

“We can avoid this harm.

“We should not have been allowed to take the next step under the law of the biodiversity offsets policies.

“This is one stage of the development.

“Put this stage on the backburner and get another solution.

“There are really important questions on the table that the Roads Minister needs to answer,” Ms Higginson closed.

Minister for Regional Transport and Roads, Sam Farraway, said the long-awaited Coffs Harbour Bypass will transform travel for families and motorists across this region by removing twelve sets of traffic lights and reducing congestion in the CBD.

“The Greens are well aware that consultation regarding Grandpa’s Scrub is still ongoing,” he said.

Mr Farraway also expressed frustration over the actions of the group who gathered at the Grandpa’s Scrub site on Monday.

“I was disgusted over the feral behaviour of protestors yesterday who intimidated and bullied elderly people at a press conference over their views of Grandpa’s Scrub.

“I call on The Greens to condemn this behaviour and ensure it doesn’t happen in the future.

“We live in a democratic society and people have a right to protest but today’s actions went too far.”

The News Of The Area representative in attendance did not witness any bullying or intimidation at Monday’s event.

By Andrea FERRARI