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See more on our Campaigns, Submissions and Events webpages.

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The National Parks & Wildlife Service seeks submissions by 5 July 2022 on proposals to manage the Gardens of Stone State Conservation Area. The draft plan of management for the reserve is vague and the accompanying draft Master Plan for visitor management creates a parallel process that has no legal force.

Except for pest management strategies, the draft plan of management has few details on nature conservation action. There are no restoration management actions, apart from studies, to spend the very large biodiversity offset fund available for this work.

The draft plan proposes a Lost City adventure activity precinct and up to four accommodation nodes. Yet what is proposed to be built will be decided through commercial-in-confidence lease negotiations.

More information: Details and tips about making a submission and a link to the draft Master Plan and Plan of Management.

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The Pilliga Project explores the many impacts of the Narrabri Coal Seam Gas Project, which has been approved to drill 850 wells in the Pilliga Forest and through the Great Artesian Basin.

This important physical and cultural landscape is under threat.

The Pilliga is the biggest temperate forest in NSW and one of the most important areas for biodiversity in Eastern Australia.

The Pilliga Scrub, as it is often referred to, is an iconic Australian landscape of over 5,000 km2 of woodland and is abundant in native wildlife including many threatened animals.

Here's a two minute video preview of the Pilliga Project.

This event is free - but bookings are essential

Hosted by the Blue Mountains Conservation Society.

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If you care about the Blue Mountains World Heritage Area, no doubt you want to help protect the native plants and animals.

A Great Grose Weed Walk activity is your chance to join the many other caring and hardworking Blue Mountains Bushcare volunteers in their long term efforts to stop weeds invading the Grose Valley Wilderness Area.

Here's a brochure - which includes activities.

You'll find more information on the Great Grose Weed Walk webpage.

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Subsidence from underground mining is damaging rock formations in Mugii Murum-ban SCA. This reserve is in the northern part of the Gardens of Stone region. The owners of Airly mine, Centennial Coal, are reported to have conceded that the cracks exceeded the limits of their development consent.

The future of this beautiful conservation area containing two spectacular mesas at Airly and Genowlan is at risk of further damage. It was supposed to be protected from subsidence when a mining extension was approved there in 2016.

What happens here could also influence protection levels for any new mining under the recently announced Gardens of Stone State Conservation Area.

You can read more about the latest damage in the Guardian article here.

Centennial Coal representatives were reported to be meeting government regulators last week. The Society has written to the Minister for Planning calling for the mining company to be prosecuted and all steps taken to ensure any further damage does not occur. However, we are concerned that the law may not be strong enough.

You can help by writing to the Minister for Planning asking for every effort to be taken to ensure the "spectacular geodiversity with majestic cliffs and rock formations" in Mugii Murum-ban are protected from now on and any unlawful damage is penalised. This is the link to send a message to the NSW Minister for Planning.

The Society has also written to the Minister for Environment as National Parks and Wildlife Service own Mugii Murum-ban SCA.

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In 2018, the NSW Government passed legislation to allow the flooding of World Heritage listed national parks by raising the wall of Warragamba Dam.

If the dam wall is raised, 4,700 hectares of World Heritage listed National Parks and 1,800 hectares of declared Wilderness Areas will be forever scarred from sedimentation, erosion and invasion of exotic plants.

Raising Warragamba Dam will inundate 65 kilometres of Blue Mountain's wild rivers.

The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) was released on 29 September 2021.

Submissions closed on Sunday 19 December.

Here's more information about the NSW Government's proposal to raise the dam wall

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Are you concerned about environmental damage or a development activity in your neighbourhood but don’t know who to contact?

Is land clearing going on near you? How can you check that it is being done legally?

Want to know how to write a submission opposing or supporting a Development Application?

Look no further - the Society's Planning & Development Resource Kit may help you.

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On 22 October 2021 the application by FlyBlue for a lease to operate a commercial airfield, including helicopter flights, was refused.

The company’s temporary licence to access the site will also be revoked and it will be required to vacate the site within 28 days.

The site will remain open to emergency services.

Here's the NSW Government's announcement.

Here's our Katoomba Airfield Lease webpages.

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The Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements and the NSW Independent Bushfire Inquiry have concluded. Here are their reports (all documents are around 18MB each) -

• The Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements Report and Appendices
• NSW Independent Bushfire Inquiry Report

And here's the Society's submission to the NSW Independent Bushfire Inquiry.

Our Bushfires webpage (updated in May 2021) contains a detailed analysis of the 2019-20 bushfires and their impact on the Greater Blue Mountains - including maps, an assessment of areas burnt and the loss of wildlife. Information on recovery and What You Can Do is there, plus some articles on firefighting.

In June and July, the Emergency Leaders for Climate Action (ELCA) hosted Australia’s first virtual bushfire and climate change summit to coordinate a national response to the Australian climate and bushfire crises.

The 2020 National Bushfire and Climate Summit brought together hundreds of participants from across the country and the world to share their experiences, and to formulate recommendations to address the worsening risk of devastating bushfires fuelled by climate change.

The Australian Bushfire and Climate Plan is the culmination of that effort.

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Australia has the highest emissions per person of any OECD country.

Government and business action is crucial in addressing climate change, but our personal actions also make a difference.

The Society has prepared a Climate Action Now Flyer that details the changes you can make to -

• reduce energy use
• switch to ethical electricity
• go solar
• consider the impact of how you eat and shop
• consume less and reduce waste
• consider your travel options.

We also encourage you to Raise Your Voice On Climate Change by -

• joining a bush regeneration or Landcare group
• joining the Blue Mountains Conservation Society
• moving money out of fossil fuels
• helping stop more fossil fuel projects
• engaging politically
• communicating and advocate.

We acknowledge Katrina Shields, Zero Emissions Byron, who inspired production of this flyer.

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