Developers in Perth, Australia, want to tear down a banksia woodland that shelters two endangered species of black cockatoo to build new housing subdivisions, The Guardian reported.
The construction of three residential projects proposed in the Western Australia capital would strip away portions of banksia woodlands, an at-risk ecosystem packed with native and flowering plants.
To offset that destruction, the firm Emerge Associates has proposed constructing a new banksia habitat from the ground up inside a nature reserve full of tuart — a type of eucalyptus.
Banksia woodland expert and professor Kingsley Dixon told The Guardian that the idea won't work, however. He's spent decades trying to bring back banksia in the area, and his teams have yet to successfully recreate even one hectare of it. He said the tuart reserves have unsuitable ground and the wrong tree cover for authentic banksia to take root.
The offset proposals amount to "forcing one system into another," Dixon told the outlet.
Baudin's and Carnaby's black cockatoos, both threatened species, rely on the banksia woodland. Honey possums and a wide range of insects call it home, too. If the woodland is destroyed and offset plans fall short, these creatures would lose a critical habitat that can't easily be replaced.
"This is not simple gardening," Dixon said. Brendan Sydes of the Australian Conservation Foundation agrees. He told The Guardian that offsets are being leaned on too heavily: "We've just got to the point where there's so little left that the priority should be protection."
One of the three proposed residential developments reportedly received federal approval last year. The remaining two have not yet been decided upon.
A federal environment department spokesperson told The Guardian the approved project came with "rigorous" conditions attached and that officials had coordinated with the consulting firm to verify the offset plan is compatible with banksia habitat in areas where it and tuart woodland naturally share space.
|
Which of these savings plans for rooftop solar panels would be most appealing for you?
Click your choice to see results and earn rewards to spend on home upgrades. |
Save $1,000 this year 💸 
Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
TCD Picks » Quince Spotlight
💡These best-sellers from Quince deliver affordable, sustainable luxury for all
Cool Picks
