Land clearing will devastate Queensland: scientists

Queensland scientists are warning of devastating habitat and species loss if changes to the states land clearing laws go ahead.

Twenty-seven academics from universities across Queensland are urging Premier Campbell Newman to reconsider proposed changes to the Vegetation Management Act.

These are big policy decisions and theyll affect our wildlife and our biodiversity forever, so we think its really important to get them right, said Concerned Queensland Scientists spokeswoman Martine Maron.

An amendment bill was introduced into parliament in March and referred to the parliamentary committee for State Development, Infrastructure and Industry, which is due to report back on Tuesday May 14.

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If approved, the changes would allow further vegetation clearance for dryland and irrigated high-value agriculture, to help the government achieve its goal of doubling Queenslands food production by 2040.

But Dr Maron, a senior lecturer in environmental management at the University of Queensland, said it would come at the cost of high-conservation regrowth such as the brigalow tree.

Theres less than 10 per cent of it left, and thats why its nationally endangered, she said.

We cant get that plant community off the threatened list if we keep clearing it we need to allow some of that high-value regrowth to mature.

"Theres many species that rely upon not just mature bushland, but also that high-value regrowth, in order to survive."

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Land clearing will devastate Queensland: scientists