Transport for NSW speak on biodiversity offsets on Coffs Bypass route Coffs Coast by News Of The Area - Modern Media - December 29, 2022 Centuries old trees at the West Coffs site which stand to be destroyed on the current Coffs Bypass route which TfNSW says it can offset. Seen here: Elaeocarpus grandis – Blue quandong. TRANSPORT for NSW (TfNSW) is working with the Coffs Harbour Bypass contractor to investigate all opportunities to reduce impacts to the piece of land known as Grandpa’s Scrub, a spokesperson for TfNSW told News Of The Area. “TfNSW recognises that this pocket of remnant rainforest is a sensitive ecological area and remains committed to reducing Coffs Harbour bypass project impacts on the location where reasonable and feasible. Advertise with News of The Area today. It’s worth it for your business. Message us. Phone us – (02) 4981 8882. Email us – media@newsofthearea.com.au “Options currently under consideration may reduce the amount of rainforest impacted by up to 80 percent,” they said. These opportunities are currently under review and TfNSW will come back to the community with more information before the start of construction in early 2023. Transport for NSW said it is providing like-for-like biodiversity offsets for the White Booyong-Fig Subtropical Rainforest of the NSW North Coast Bioregion (PCT1302) from three offset sites; two adjacent to the project and a property at Upper Kalang. “All of the offset sites are located in the Coffs Coast and Escarpment Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia (IBRA) sub-region and clearly meet the requirements of the NSW Biodiversity Offset Scheme,” said the spokesperson. “Transport for NSW will protect more than five times the required offsets for White Booyong Fig (Grandpa’s Scrub) rainforest and is protecting more than 300 hectares of natural habitat through biodiversity offsets on the Coffs Harbour bypass project.” The project team is also working with Coffs Harbour and District Local Aboriginal Land Council, Landcare and City of Coffs Harbour to undertake seed collection, direct translocation of saplings and to grow on cuttings from the forest, which, TfNSW stated, “can be used to expand the rainforest immediately downstream of the forest”. TfNSW also stated, “Changes to the proposed alignment to avoid Grandpa’s Scrub completely would delay the start to major construction while further geotechnical investigations and property acquisitions were carried out. “It could also require reductions in speed limits from 110km/h as it would introduce curves where a 110km/h speed limit is not safe. “A change to the proposed alignment would also be expected to increase the cost of the project by at least $50 million and delay completion by at least twelve months.” By Andrea FERRARI The Biodiversity Offsets Scheme in place with TfNSW for the Coffs Bypass will see these ancient rainforests destroyed and ‘bought back’ with an unlike-for-like forest. Seen here: Red beans – Dysoxylon mollisimum.
