Logan and Albert Conservation Association
This website facelift is still in planning but has been delayed.
We are sorry if this is an inconvenience but In the interim please check social media
- LACA has a Facebook page and also a group
LACA also hosts the Facebook group Logan Community Environment Watch
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Karawatha Forest is a conservation area of unique value.
It is listed in the globally respected PPBio with items such as the Amazon Rainforest. It is a sensitive environment for both local plants and animals. It is part of a State Government gazetted corridor stretching from Karawatha Forest to the QLD NSW border.
The Brisbane City Council has an excellent program to develop Oxley Creek as a unique Flora and Fauna watching experience for local and international visitors. A visit to Karawatha Forest can be a supplementary activity for these visitors to see unique wildlife in another Australian ecosystem. This helps bring tourist dollars and jobs to the area.
The Forest has been acquired with funds from the Bushland Levy and with donations from the State Government
“to preserve the natural environment by conserving the ecology of the Forest”.
We petition the Brisbane City Council to abide by the original objective for the acquisition of all parts of Karawatha Forest and to:
Karawatha Forest has 2 road frontages with Logan City and is a great asset to residents of and visitors to Logan.
LACA encourages all who appreciate and value the ecosystem services provided by a forested area to sign the petition.
Keep Karawatha Forest a Conservation Area petition
It is also important that politicians at all levels of government hear from those of us who enjoy the quiteness the forest watching and observing the flora and fauna of the forest.
This is an especially important aspect of mental health and wellbeing.
Logan and Albert Conservation Association LACA 25 years and still strong - we're celebrating. Sunday 26 October 2014 from 12 noon at Mt Barney Lodge.
Foundation president Richard Zoomers will be attending as will be other foundation executive and members. LACA has had the guidance of several presidents during the years: Richard Zoomers, Andy Grodecki, John Mann, Anne Page. We are looking forward to celebrating the wonderful achievements of our organisation and strenghtening our resolve to continue active citizenship to protect what we value and love.
Many environmental issues that motivated caring concerned citizens to network together to not only protest against environmental harm and injustice but also to inform and educate the wider community about those issues still challenge us today. We still have quarries, inappropriate industry location, planning and development concerns, catchment and water quality problems, biodiversity and wildlife issues.
Since its inception in 1989, LACA has worked with community, council, industry, and government to develop understanding, commitment and actions for more sustainable living.
LACA aims...
This is the article
Record your formal objection to the Park Ridge Connector Road. The Connector Road Investigations that are currently being undertaken by Logan City Council and the Department of Main Road, are to determine if there is "a viable corridor". Many concerned citizens and local community do not believe there is a viable route because this road corridor is being proposed through existing residential and rural-residential communities and biodiverse environments that cannot be replaced.
The property with signs shown above at 292 Browns Plains Road ( 92 hectares) has great historical significance to family friends and the wider community. This property has been in family ownership since 1939 and every effort to conserve the environment has been made on this property. The family does not want to sell or develop this property wanting to preserve this for conservation purposes.
The 92 hectares [200 acres] represents an area that contains valuable remnant vegetation and biodversity that has not been surveyed since 1992 by the West Logan Environment Group. Because of its proximity to Karawatha it is logical to assume that this site will have high biodiversity values as well. The intact size of this property represents such valuable ecosystem service assets that they cannot be replaced or offset. Karawatha Forest has at least 27 frog species - some likely to be on this bushland property as well as koalas, snakes, grey headed flying fox, owl species, gliders and other wildlife whose home range includes this area.
The property is critical in protecting the water quality of Scrubby Creek, and has critical connectivity to Berrinba Wetlands area. LACA Logan and Albert Conservation Association supports protecting with adequate buffering and connectivity of all waterways and wetlands. We do not support the degrading of waterways and water quality. Water quality is a critical issue for all rivers creeks and wetland areas in Logan - as recognized by council and community committment at the July Waterways Summit and LACAs campaign to Rebuild the Rivers.
All development and infrastructure to support an increasing population with its growing perceived need for more goods and commodities ie freight has a cost. This cost is not only the dollars needed to build these structures but also a cost to community wellbeing. We NEED CLEAN AIR CLEAN WATER and FOOD in that order so remain alive. We DO NOT NEED roads for freight.
The purpose of this Media release is to inform all stakeholders of a proposal for the future of LARC and set the AGM agenda.
The Logan-Albert Rivers Catchment Association (LARC) started the process of developing an Integrated Catchment Management (ICM) committee in 1999 and formed in October 2001 as an alliance of existing community groups. It was State Government endorsed and supported, and was the ICM peak group, for the rivers and tributaries of the Logan and Albert Rivers Catchment.
The original membership of LARC was a unique mix, membership was “specific” and “restricted” and it created an umbrella body which represented over 20 organisations on a voluntary basis.
Members included Government: Department of Natural Resources and Mines, Scenic Rim Regional Council, Logan City Council and Redland Shire Council. Rural: Agforce, Dairyfarmers, Canegrowers and Prawnfarmers Associations. Environment: Fassifern Field Naturalists, Logan and Albert Conservation Association, Beaudesert Landcare, Eprapah Creek Catchment Management and Landcare Association, Wildlife Preservation Society-Logan Branch. Community: Logan United Citizens Inc, Carpbusters Inc, Yugambeh Land Enterprise Inc. Commerce and Industry: CSR, Beaudesert Tourism, Urban Development Institute of Australia and Gelita Australia
Take a good look at the groups above, this is an incredible spectrum. Where else would you have green groups, conservatives, rural groups, land developers, traditional owners, industry and local government working so closely?
Whilst members were voluntary LARC obtained funding (from NHT) for coordination and with this came activity and with this further funding for some very significant projects. LARC did some amazing work!!!
Then the funding changed, catchment groups were amalgamated then amalgamated even further. Now we have a large organisation called South East Queensland Catchments as an over arching NRM group.
SEQ Catchments are sufficiently (but not adequately) resourced, they have very skilled staff and they have undertaken some valuable projects and achieved good results.
The changes resulted in some bruised egos and a significant change in the style of consultation. Because the local coordinator was measured by outcomes, consultation was 1 on 1 and focused on small groups that could deliver on ground outcomes (small farmer groups. 1 Landcare group and 1 local government). Some of LARC’s members became disenfranchised.
LARC had its faults, its selected membership didn’t allow new member groups entry and it did not have a way of changing itself as activity slowed combined with altered funding support. LARC continued without funding, supported mostly by the work of 2 volunteering individuals. This reached crisis point at the last LARC AGM. (we can’t simply expect volunteers to do so much work). The executive put forward a motion to enable the membership to be opened up. But the executive was also prepared to wind up LARC unless new volunteers could be found. (see minutes of the last AGM).
Three individuals agreed to take on the role as caretakers because they felt the Integrated Catchment Model set up by LARC was far too valuable to the catchment to lose. Their objective was to try to find a way forward for the LARC’s ICM model.
It should be noted that the catchment is NOT in good health. The current Healthy Waterways report card is a disgraceful result for the Logan and Albert. Some view the results as bordering on the worst river system in Australia, in fact before the floods our system was a major contributor to the poor health of Moreton Bay. We have significant erosion problems, significantly disturbed and worsening stream banks, we have terrible urban development land management practices, poor agricultural land management practices and expanding and developing industries and population growing the diffuse pollution load.
SEQ Catchments Chief Executive, Mr Simon Warner shares the same view of LARC’s current executive. He also does not want to see the community consultation model set up by LARC lost and understands that our catchment is in a seriously bad state. Whilst the work being undertaken on ground by a small number of land holders and the 1 Landcare group working with SEQ Catchments is very good it is miniscule compared to the size of the problem. SEQ Catchments have focused on the upper reaches of the system where resources can achieve the greatest impact and the system is in relatively a good state. They have yet to tackle the real big issues and when they do they will need much more resources and a far greater community base to work with.
It is for this reason that SEQ Catchments and LARC are going to work together to reinvigorate the consultative model developed by LARC. SEQ Catchments has agreed to support funding a coordination role and it is hoped additional funds from the government representatives on LARC will also contribute to coordination.
The president of LARC will present a proposal to progress this plan at the upcoming Annual General Meeting of LARC 7:30pm, 9th May at the Beaudesert Hotel, Cnr Brisbane and Short St Beaudesert. Guest speaker is Simon Warner from SEQ Catchments.
For more information contact President Dale Anderson 0407663472 or Secretary Mathew Arkinstall 0429618147
President ph : 0407663472 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Secretary ph :0429618147 Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
PO Box 557
Beaudesert
4285
Biod
iversity is at the very heart of the survival of our human race and life on earth as we know it now. What we also know is that our present day activities and ways of living are having an enormous and detrimental impact on the planat and all of its species.
We all need each other to survive - yet we continue to whittle away at little bits - without being able to see the bigger picture.
Some plants within BAHRS SCRUB are unique - existing no where else in the world. Yet these plants are dependant on all surrounding pieces of biodiversity infrastructure. All eleven plants identified in the booklet are recognised as being endangered by Queensland or Australian governments. Will these plants survive in their natural environment? Or will we clear the busland for human settlement?
How much do you value the bushland and its creatures and what they contribute to our cultural life health and well being?
Are you someone who believes it is still necessary for economic prosperity that we continue to destroy our bushland. Only 200 years of western 'progress' may not always be viewed as progress?
LACA is one of the member groups of the SAVE BAHRS SCRUB ALLIANCE. We are all appreciative that our application for funding for this flora booklet was successful with Logan City Council's Envirogrant 2010 program.
Please obtain a copy of the booklet - read and enjoy the beauty of what is uniquely ours in Logan - and look out for the LOCAL AREA PLAN due to be released Monday 8 November 2010 for community consultation. Please involve yourself in this consultation process.
Click here or on the image to be download a cpoy of the booklet from the Save Bahrs Scub Alliance website.
More will be posted when the plan is available
