Greens Optimistic on blue gum high forest - 21 September 2005

Greens MLC Ian Cohen says he is growing increasingly optimistic that the blue gum high forest on Rosedale St Pymble will be permanently protected.

“I pressured the minister and the department on the issue in the Legislative Council Budget estimates committee and I was pleasantly surprised by the response,” Mr Cohen said.

“Under my questioning the Government acknowledged that it was a very important piece of land and that they were at present negotiating with the State Rail Authority on the issue.

During the estimates committee the Director General of the Environment and Protection and Regulation Division from the Department of Conservation went on to say:

‘ I think it is quite likely that we will see, as a result of various negotiations going on, that there may be an eventual securing of the land into a conservation area.’

”To me, this sounds like an impending win for the community,” Mr Cohen said.

“The community deserves to have this critically endangered habitat protected forever. Blue gum high forest is officially listed as endangered under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act. I encourage the NSW Government to do all they can to get behind the plans to buy this remaining parcel of private land,” Mr Cohen said.