Forest Stewardship Council timber

Some of you may have heard of FSC timber, otherwise known as timber certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). The Council is an independent, not-for-profit organisation which provides standards for responsible forest management and has a mission of promoting environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial and economically viable management of forests. What does this mean?

According to the FSC (international website: http://www.fsc.org/) timber and timber products must meet 10 principles and criteria as a minimum for their operation and management. These are:

Principle 1: Compliance with all applicable laws and international treaties
Principle 2: Demonstrated and uncontested, clearly defined, long-term land tenure and use rights
Principle 3: Recognition and respect of indigenous peoples' rights
Principle 4: Maintenance or enhancement of long-term social and economic well-being of forest workers and local communities and respect of worker's rights in compliance with International Labour Organisation conventions
Principle 5: Equitable use and sharing of benefits derived from the forest
Principle 6: Reduction of environmental impact of logging activities and maintenance of the ecological functions and integrity of the forest
Principle 7: Appropriate and continuously updated management plan
Principle 8: Appropriate monitoring and assessment activities to assess the condition of the forest, management activities and their social and environmental impacts
Principle 9: Maintenance of High Conservation Value Forests defined as environmental and social values that are considered to be of outstanding significance or critical importance
Principle 10: In addition to compliance with all of the above, plantations must contribute to reduce the pressures on and promote the restoration and conservation of natural forests (as sourced from the http://www.fsc.org/ website).

It is interesting to note, that Australian and international products that display the FSC timber come from a broad range of markets and don't just include unprocessed timber, but also timber furniture and  paper products. The Australian branch of the FSC has a webpage allowing you to find a FSC certified products.

Now my quest to find a couple of timber tables (one indoor and one outdoor) that are FSC certified begins. Pin It

EDO requests law reform for Brisbane Trees

Reforms needed to protect Brisbane trees

EDO Qld calls for urgent law reform to allow community input into Brisbane City Council decisions to permit destruction of protected trees.

The Windsor fig tree removal

Environmental Defenders Office Qld provided urgent legal advice to neighbouring residents and concerned community members acting to save the three native fig trees (Ficus benjamina) that are currently being removed at a property at 105 Main Avenue, Windsor.  The trees are at least 60 years old and provide habitat to local wildlife, as well as being an important part of the landscape character of the neighbourhood.  

EDO Qld understands that the trees have been under a vegetation protection order (VPO) for the last 15 years.   Brisbane City Council recently issued a permit under the Natural Assets Local Law 2003  to clear the protected trees. 

EDO Qld understands that the VPO, which protects the three trees, has not been revoked by the Brisbane City Council, and the permit was issued to allow interference with the protected vegetation, as allowed by section 7(2)(a) of the NALL, which requires strict accordance with conditions of the permit.

Brisbane City Council have refused to provide copies of the permit to neighbouring residents, preventing neighbours and concerned community members from ensuring the trees were removed in accordance with the Council imposed conditions.  Brisbane City Council told neighbouring landowners that they had to apply under the Right to Information Act 2009 (Qld) to obtain copies of the permit, but that process would take weeks.   

Law reforms needed

Mature trees are crucial to Brisbane’s character and amenity, which is why we have VPOs protecting our most significant trees. 

Law reform is needed urgently to give neighbours and concerned community members notification, submission and appeal rights for Brisbane City Council decisions to permit destruction of protected trees. 

In addition, Brisbane City Council has made a commitment to transparency and being clear and open in reporting Council decisions in theircustomer charter.  To accord with this commitment, and in the public interest, Brisbane City Council should provide copies of permits to clear protected trees on Brisbane Planning and Development Online, which already provides public access to development applications.

For more information, contact EDO (Qld) solicitor Ariane Wilkinson: 07 32114466 or edoqld@edo.org.au

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Don't sit back, make a difference

An issue with the modern generations is their inactivity in decision-making in either their neighbourhood, the political environment, their workplace, their family or anywhere decisions are required.

In discussion with some friends this morning we were chatting about some infrastructure development in their neighbourhood and the options that have been put forward by the infrastructure provider.  My friends were passionate about the option that was proposed through one of the last remaining patches of bushland/wetland in their area. That is, they don't want it to go through that area.

There are a number of options the infrastructure provider has put forward for comment and many others that have not been raised to the public. At present, placing the infrastructure through the environmental reserve is the easiest option and therefore one the project manager would definitely prefer. You may ask, why is the environmental reserve option the easiest option? Well, without any public outcry, the infrastructure provider would only have to deal with the local government, as the current custodian of this land, and this does not pose much restraint when community infrastructure is seeking an easement or land. It is certainly much easier to deal with than a commercial entity who is looking at lost profit and therefore potentially significant compensation or a number of home-owners who feel passionately about their home that they have lived in for the last X number of years. All the infrastructure developer would need to do is come up with a suitable compensatory package and certainly in my experience and many project managers' experience this is much cheaper and more politically stable option than dealing with the other landholders and economic interests.

I know that many people have concerns for the retention of environmental spaces and parks within their local neighbourhoods, but without communication of this concern to the decision makers and project managers these intact, environmental area will always end up having the conflicting landuse placed in them or being sacrificed to. They don't have a voice, they don't have traditional economic value and they certainly don't have anyone putting up significant or costly barriers to their resumption and/or development. There isn't anyone else but the general public and caring souls to defend these areas. Commercial activities/industries, schools, churches, recreation facilities all have significant groups of interested people attached to them and thus will always have a voice and someone defending their interests till the last battle. This doesn't seem to be the case for most environmental areas.

It is important to realise we are the voice of the environmental reserves, national parks, conservation reserves, wildlife, threatened plants and animals, marine parks, remote locations, environmental water allocations, groundwater quality, etc, etc. If we don't stand up and put our voice forward and express our concerns about particular developments within these area, the developments will also win and the environment will continue to lose. Economic interests will always prevail and our land will end up being over-developed, over-utilised, degraded, without recognition of the public's concerns for these areas and values.

Speak up! If there is a chance to put your view forward it is important to do so. And if there isn't an invited comment period take the first step and engage in the process. You can contact your local politicians, the infrastructure developers, the general land developer or the agent of land use change. Stand up and be heard! Take action now or it will be too late! Pin It

How to shape your neighbourhood?

If you plan on making a difference in your local neighbourhood, it is important to participate in local, State (or Territory) or Federal government development assessment processes. The are many stages set up during these planning and approval phases that allow for public comment and your comments can in fact create or stop developments.

Local governments, for example, will have sections of their websites indicating what development applications and planning processes they currently have 'on their books' and which ones you can provide comments on. Also here in Queensland you may notice large noticeboards (public notice) on the side of the road adjacent to open land, old houses, etc. These signs indicate an applicant is interested in either changing the type or intensity of development allowed on that land. This public notice is basically an advertisement seeking public comment on the development application and this is an opportune time to participate.

To make a difference in this process it is important to know how to make your comments really count. There isn't much point in just saying that you don't want the development, but rather have a look at the planning scheme, regional documents and other relevant information and providing justifications against these documents why the development should or should not be approved.

As I said there are numerous development approval processes where public comment are sought and to make a difference you should be engaged in all of these. Some sources where you may find public comment opportunities include:

• The Commonwealth government's referral process under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Act 1999;
• local government development processes under Queensland's Sustainable Planning Act 2009 (likely to be advertised on your local government's website);
• State government planning policy documents (often distributed across a number of government agencies, but inclusive of the Queensland Department of Infrastructure and Planning and the Queensland Department of Environment and Resource Management); 
• Infrastructure providers' websites, such as Energex, Powerlink, Queensland Rail, Ergon, Origin, as they will be required to have their environmental impact assessments available for comment; 
• large scale development agents' websites, for example Stocklands; and
• local environment and legal groups, such as Environmental Defender's Office. 

So don't complain about what is happening to your neighbourhood but rather participate in the process. Don't wait till someone is building something you don't like because you will have no leg to stand on and the process will continue no matter how much you complain. Give yourself and your views a fighting chance and participate early. Pin It

Climate Change Rally 2011

This weekend in cities around Australia there will be a number of climate change rallies to call for a strong price on carbon pollution and a cleaner Australia. The Brisbane rally  is known as 'Say Yes to Climate Action'. It is being held at the Brisbane Botanic Gardens Stage between 1 & 2:30pm on 5 June 2011.

This rally is being organised by the 'Yes Australia' group, which is comprised of a number of organisations including the Australian Conservation Foundation, Australian Council of Trade Unions, Australian Youth Climate Coalition, Climate Action Network Australia, Environment Victoria, GetUp, Greenpeace, The Climate Institute and WWF. I have seen this advertised on the GetUp website.  There is also a facebook page which you can RSVP to indicating your intent to attend.

If you're in one of the capital cities that are holding such an event, please go along and show your support for a brighter future for Australia, investment in innovation and your desire to have a future for the human species.

Community action and support is the best part of a democratic society, so use this opportunity to our country's advantage! Pin It

Solar rights

I have just been reading an old volume of the ABC's Organic Gardening magazine. The editorial was discussing rights to access solar energy. I really hadn't thought about this prior to reading this. It is however something that perhaps we all need to consider.

The article was discussing the significant increase in the number of households that were installing solar panels. I too have considered getting some, with my parents actually investing in a small number of solar panels that's cost were fairly well covered through the governments' current rebate programs. But the point the article was making was that your rights to access solar energy is no guaranteed under any planning law in Australia at present. That is, if your neighbour decides to construct a structure or building that ends up shading your solar panels and you can no longer generate solar power, there are currently no laws to support your rights to the previously available solar energy. So potentially all your financial investment becomes worthless and you may potentially need to re-invest in less sustainable energy options.

I thought this was unbelievable. I am hoping this is just a matter of legislation catching up with reality. Once governments, particularly local governments, becoming aware of this issue, particularly with the increasing presence of these panels in the suburbs, hopefully they have the balls to amend their planning legislation/policy to support the proactive person in the attempt to become more environmentally sustainable rather than some of the typically short-sighted decisions that are made in this development forum.

Something to consider if you're considering installing solar panels or perhaps encourage you to campaign your local government to protect your solar rights. Pin It