Farmers in NSW say native vegetation costs certain farms around $156,000 a year. Photo: Jessica Shapiro

Laws forbidding farmers from uprooting bush on their land have a scant economic effect, a leading think tank has found, undercutting claims that measures to protect threatened species damage farm productivity.

But NSW farmers has strongly rejected the finding, saying native vegetation costs farms in some parts of the state about $156,000 a year.

The report by the left-leaning think tank, The Australia Institute, will add to the debate over a review of NSW's biodiversity legislation. Senior Nationals MPs have been heavily criticised for linking land-clearing laws to the death of NSW environment compliance officerGlenTurner, who was killed on the job near Moree in July.

NSW Farmers President Fiona Simson said land-clearing laws are a "burden" for farmers. Photo: Dallas Kilponen

The report claimed that native vegetation regulations have a minimal economic effect on agriculture in NSW, which produces up to $16 billion in output each year.

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It cited research by the Australian Bureau of Resource and Agricultural Economics that found weather and commodity prices largely determined productivity, and vegetation density had the lowest influence of the factors measured.

The report said land clearing legislation affected only a small minority of properties, and suggested the "private benefits" of loosening the laws may be outweighed by negative environmental and community effects.

Native vegetation reduces the land area that can be farmed and can obstruct farming machinery. But it also reduces erosion and improves water quality and biodiversity.

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NSW farmers reject land clearing report

The government has seized another 62,000 hectares worth of economic land concessions held by 11 private companies because they have failed to develop the land or adversely affected villagers living there, Environment Minister Say Sam Al said yesterday.

The announcement brings the total number of ELCs that have been cancelled in the past month to 18, representing some 74,000 hectares.

Firms have long been criticised for obtaining concessions, logging the area and then not developing the land as promised.

Rights groups yesterday praised the move but said it was too little, too late.

The concessions cancelled are in Kampong Speu, Preah Sihanouk, Mondolkiri, Banteay Meanchey, Preah Vihear, Kampong Thom, Oddar Meanchey, Battambang and Kratie provinces, though some overlap between two provinces where concessions have been granted in national parks.

Out of the 11 firms, two had their land area reduced significantly but not entirely cancelled. Kirirom Ecotourism Investment had their 609 hectare concession in the national park cut to just 20 hectares because they had affected the peoples living, Sam Al said.

TTY, a firm with a concession in Kraties Snoul district, now only holds onto 215 hectares of what was a 9,780 hectare concession.

[The company] also had a dispute with villagers, so we are working with people [about what to do without the remaining land] Sam Al said.

In January 2012, TTY security guards opened fire on local villagers protesting to stop the company clearing their cassava fields, injuring four.

Sam Al said that while some concessions had been cancelled because they were granted in areas occupied by villagers, some claims made by residents were bogus.

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Another 11 land concessions cancelled

A truck is loaded with lumber in an economic land concession in Kampong Thom province last year. Amid promises to get tough on poorly performing concessionaires, the government has cancelled eight. PHOTO SUPPLIED

The government has seized back more than 12,000 hectares of land previously awarded to seven companies as economic land concessions (ELCs), according to a letter from the Council of Ministers.

The letter, which was obtained by the Post yesterday, was sent late last month to the governors of Preah Sihanouk, Kampong Speu and Koh Kong provinces, and Environment Minister Say Sam Al.

It explains that licences awarded from 2006 to 2011 for eight ELCs in the provinces would be revoked and the land put under the ownership of the Environment Ministry.

Sub-decrees issued earlier this month to three of the companies, Vimean Seila Co, Ltd; Soun Vattanak Co, Ltd; and Chan Rot Group, confirmed the decision.

While the letter did not specify reasons for the seizure, Chhit Sokhum, governor of Preah Sihanouk province, where five of the ELCs were located, said the companies had failed to develop the land.

The commission went down and saw the companies names and saw that they had not developed anything or they had developed little, so we seized the land for preservation, he said.

Its a waste of government time and tax when the companies do not develop the land, he added.

According to Sokhum, the land will be preserved, and not awarded to other companies.

Buon Narith, Preah Sihanouk provincial coordinator for the rights group Licadho, welcomed the seizures and urged the government to take a stronger approach to all ELCs.

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Land concessions cancelled

Vermeer HG6000TX horizontal grinder, land clearing Brisbane, Australia
The Vermeer HG6000TX horizontal grinder of Ryans Mulching at work on a roadway expansion in Brisbane, Australia.

By: Vermeer Australia

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Vermeer HG6000TX horizontal grinder, land clearing Brisbane, Australia - Video

Archbold hosts free breast cancer screening events Archbold hosts free breast cancer screening events

Updated: Thursday, October 16 2014 11:59 AM EDT2014-10-16 15:59:10 GMT

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Updated: Thursday, October 16 2014 10:00 AM EDT2014-10-16 14:00:29 GMT

Cordele Intermodal Services is clearing land to expand their rail system, which could eventually help bring jobs to rural South Georgia.

President Jonathan Lafevers says the extra one-mile track will help connect them to the national rail network.

Right now, they are mainly transporting seasonal freight like cotton and peanuts.

They're looking for manufacturers who might be interested in coming to South Georgia, and could benefit from rail delivery, which Lafevers says can be more convenient than trucking.

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Cordele Intermodal Services expands rail system

Survival With Friends-Episode 3:Farming and Land Clearing
If you liked this episode make sure to subscribe for more videos!! also want your own server?Visit http://apexminecrafthosting.com/

By: Blaze131990

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Survival With Friends-Episode 3:Farming and Land Clearing - Video

Brian #39;s Land Clearing

By: MsCatdawg

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Brian's Land Clearing - Video

How NOT To Hire A Land Clearing Contractor In NJ & NY

Posted on Fri, Feb 17, 2012 @ 02:06 PM

Hiring a land clearing contractor can be a tricky thing. Is the company experienced? Do they understand the proper permits they need to obtain before they start working? Can they be trusted to get the job done while still being environmentally responsible.

Check out this story below from our friends at NorthJersey.com. It tells the story of a home owner in Mahwah, NJ that hired a land clearing company from out of state to remove about 50 trees from "his" property.

Unfortunately, the land clearing service removed about 200 trees, worth approx. $1,000,000. Now the home owner is in trouble with the town (and all of his neighbors) because he cleared land that wasn't his and the land clearing contractor didn't do the right things before they started working.

Before you hire a land clearing contractor in NJ or NY...make sure they have all the proper permits and the company has years (if not decades) of experience in the land clearing service.

Here's the news report as well as a short video from northjersey.com

TheBergen CountyProsecutors Office must now decide whether to pursue a case against a township man accused of illegally chopping down more than 200 trees on his neighbors property.

Jay Patel, 47, pleaded not guilty Thursday in municipal court to criminal charges stemming from his decision to hire a land clearing company last March to remove the trees from an undeveloped lot behind his Tudor Rose Terrace home. The trees are valued at more than $1 million, according to police.

Patel, wearing a suit with no tie, was expressionless as he stood quietly between his two lawyers, who did most of the talking during the brief proceeding.

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How NOT To Hire A Land Clearing Contractor In NJ & NY

New holland ls170 skidsteer root grapple splitting tree in half tree removal
New holland ls170 skidsteer root grapple splitting tree land clearing tree removal.

By: alex a

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New holland ls170 skidsteer root grapple splitting tree in half tree removal - Video

New Delhi, Oct 7: BJP on Tuesday termed the Haryana government's approval to the land deal between Robert Vadra and DLF as its "parting gift" to the Gandhi family and questioned the Bhupinder Singh Hooda dispensation for displaying "haste" in clearing it.

The party also attacked the state government for "shying away" from moving the high court and instead "indulging in breach of hierarchy" in clearing the deal.

"We see it as a parting gift to the Gandhi family before the Haryana government of Congress loses it out," BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra told reporters.

He said before losing the government in Haryana, it is a parting gift to the Gandhi family "from one syndicate to another syndicate".

Questioning the state government's haste in clearing the Vadra land deal, he asked, "Why did the government of Haryana shy away from going to the higher appealing authority, the high court in this case. Why was the government in an absolute haste to solve the problem before a particular date even when the two parties involved had no grievance."

Citing a similar case where the Punjab and Haryana High Court had questioned the state government why there should not be a CBI probe into all the land deals, the BJP leader said the case was withdrawn by the petitioner allegedly "under pressure" from the state government.

The BJP leader alleged that in the present case, Gurgaon Deputy Commissioner had issued orders on July 16 not to follow the instructions issued by the Director General Consolidation, who had cancelled the mutation of Vadra's land for which he had struck the deal with DLF, and is the higher appealing authority under the law.

The DC, he alleged, instead of moving the high court which is the appellate authority, issued orders terming the DG Consolidation of Land's letter as "illegal, void and without any jurisdiction".

"This is akin to a lower court saying that the higher court's jurisdiction should not be followed and that the higher court's orders are erred and invalid...," Patra said.

BJP also accused the Haryana government of promoting front companies for builders for "forcible and distress" sale of farmers land in the state as also for making money through clearing CLUs (Change of Land Use).

Continued here:
Robert Vadra case: Land deal nod Hooda govt's parting gift to Gandhi family: BJP