Grey Box Community

Saving Our Environment

SAMPLE LETTER

DRAFT LETTER>>>>>

The Hon Paul Holloway
Minister for Urban Development and Planning
178 North Terrace
Adelaide. 5000

Dear Minister Holloway

The Grey Box Community is alarmed at your proposal to allow uniform development reforms to include the endangered remnant and periurban E. microcarpa woodland of the Mitcham Hills. Development of the woodland in the Adelaide area has seen it reduced from over 20,000ha to approximately 1,000ha. Less than 5% of the original remains. This level of destruction exceeds that in the Amazon and in Borneo and Sumartra, regions of the world where environmental practices raise international concern.

The application of 350sqm blocks with 60% coverage will ensure the destruction of the peri-urban grey box woodland and any remnant grey box woodland that survives on private property.

We appreciate the efforts the government is making in revegetation and  rehabilitation programmes. Failure to adequately protect remnant E. microcarpa seriously undermine these efforts.

Government policies on biodiversity and zero species loss commitments support the need for the Mitcham Hills to be granted an exemption under the act.

Remnant E.microcarpa woodland and the periurban Mitcham Hills should be proclaimed an area of special significance. Minimum block sizes must remain at current levels with no more than 40% coverage by built structures (house, garage, sheds and  paving).

There have been many breaches of the Native Vegetation ACT based on the urban myth that the Mitcham Hills was exempt from the ACT. The government should use the ACT to protect the endangered woodland on its doorstep by increasing penalties for urban breaches and providing appropriate resourcing of the department that is responsible for protecting Native Vegetation.

Yours Sincerely


Grey Box Community
Written without prejudice.