79-87 Malton Rd - Letter to the Minister by NCC

14 May 2015
Byles Creek Valley, Beecroft
Dear Minister Speakman, 
The Nature Conservation Council of NSW (NCC) is the peak environment organisation representing more than 130 member organisations across New South Wales. Together we are committed to protecting nature and conserving wildlife, landscapes and natural resources.
We have been contacted by members of the Beecroft and Cheltenham community regarding a development application at 79-87 Malton Road, Beecroft which could threaten the integrity of high conservation value bushland in the Byles Creek Valley. This area is part of a 40 hectare strip of land linking Lane Cove National Park to Pennant Hills Park and serves as habitat for many endangered flora and fauna species.
The Development Application (DA 94/2013) would result in the clearing of undisturbed bushland, fragmenting the important wildlife habitat and leading to a critical loss of connectivity between populations. 
We understand that a range of threatened species including the Swift Parrot (listed as endangered under the EPBC Act and TSC Act), Grey-headed Flying Fox (listed as vulnerable under the EPBC Act and the TSC Act), Powerful Owl (listed as vulnerable under the TSC Act), Giant burrowing Frog (listed as vulnerable under the EPBC Act and the TSC Act), and Red-crowned Toadlet (listed as vulnerable under the TSC Act) have all been recorded in the area.
Additionally, the Gang-gang Cockatoo, whose population in Hornsby and Ku-Ring-Gai local government areas is listed as endangered in NSW, has been identified at the site.  This endangered species has significant conservation value as it is the last known breeding population of the species in the Sydney Metropolitan area1. The Gang-gang cockatoo usually frequents forested areas with old growth attributes for nesting and roosting purposes, and the site is therefore an important habitat area for this species.  
                                                           1 www.environment.nsw.gov.au/threatenedspeciesapp/profile.aspx?id=10133

2 
At its council meeting on 11 March 2015, Hornsby Shire Council unanimously resolved:
“to write to the Minister for the Environment… seeking the NSW Government’s commitment to purchase 79-87 Malton Road, Beecroft on the basis that it provides important habitat for a diversity of native flora and fauna including several threatened species such as the Gang-Gang Cockatoo endangered population and the vulnerable Powerful Owl and Grey-Headed Flying Fox and forms part of an important wildlife corridor that allows species to disperse and transfer genetic material between local reserves and Lane Cove National Park”2.
The National Parks Establishment Plan 2008 and its proposed replacement, the Direction Statement for National Parks Establishment 2015-2020, both clearly state that the long-term viability of many reserves and of the whole protected area system rely on the maintenance of vegetated corridors between reserves or other core areas of native vegetation as they enable species to move across landscape and mitigate to new natural or climate conditions. This particular area of land joins Lane Cove National Park and Pennant Hills Park and should therefore be considered for high priority acquisition and protection by the National Parks and Wildlife Services.
The proposal, together with two additional proposals that are expected to follow, will lead to the clearing of land for residential development and significant destruction of important high conservation land which is habitat for threatened species. We note that further clearing is likely to occur due to the 60 metre Asset Protection Zone required by the Rural Fire Service. Approving this development application would set an unfortunate precedent regarding similar development projects in the area.
We support calls from the community and Hornsby Shire Council seeking the NSW Government’s commitment to purchase 79-87 Malton Road, Beecroft and to provide permanent protection as part of the National Parks Estate, on the basis that it provides important habitat for a diversity of native flora and fauna including several threatened species such as the Gang-gang Cockatoo endangered population and the vulnerable Powerful Owl and Grey-headed Flying Fox and forms part of an important wildlife corridor.
Kate Smolski        Chief Executive Officer  Nature Conservation Council