The State Government has started the process to dedicate more than 2,500 hectares of timber reserve and state forest as national park and conservation park.
The Government aims to transfer 20,000 hectares of state forest to the protected areas estate under the Native Timber Action Plan with large tracts of land in our region included.
State Parliament has approved the revocation of the current land tenure classification of various parcels of land, allowing for their rededication as national park and conservation park in the coming months.
This includes:
Revoking the current land tenure of around 17 hectares of Mount Mee State Forest to enable future classification as national park, boosting the protection of threatened species including the Bahrs scrub croton, central greater glider, koala and rib-fruited malletwood.
Revoking the current land tenure of the entirety of the 1150-hectare West Cooroy State Forest to enable its future classification as a conservation park it said will protect habitat for several threatened species, including the spotted-tailed quoll (southern subspecies), koala and scrub turpentine.
Revoking the current land tenure of around 129 hectares of Beerwah State Forest, known locally as Ferny Forest, to enable its future classification as a conservation park, supporting the protection of threatened species, including central greater glider, koala, glossy black-cockatoo and the Christmas bells flower.
Revoking the current land tenure of around 62 hectares of Luttons State Forest in the Glasshouse Mountains to enable future classification as a conservation park, supporting the protection of threatened species including the Coochin Hills grevillea, central greater glider and koala.
State Parliament also endorsed a number of other minor revocations dealing with issues such as land inundated by a river, enabling access to private properties and defining boundaries around public boating infrastructure in the Great Sandy Marine Park.
The Minister for the Environment and the Great Barrier Reef, Leanne Linard, said it will afford stronger protections and enhanced management for crucial habitat for threatened species, including our iconic koala.”
“Our protected area estate is also a major contributor to Queensland’s economic prosperity.
“They attract over 50 million visits per year, including visitors from around the world. This injects billions of dollars into the Queensland economy and supports thousands of jobs across the State,” she said.
