Officials grant approval for swathes of native forest near Barrier Reef to be bulldozed
that run into the Great Barrier Reef 200km downstream.
The draft recommendation comes despite a governmentcommissioned expert warning that soil erosion from the work was ‘‘likely to contribute to poor water quality’’ in the reef world heritage area.
The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority also said that during floods the clearing ‘‘is almost guaranteed’’ to result in fine sediment entering Princess Charlotte Bay, where the rivers meet the reef.
Poor water quality is one of the most pressing problems facing the reef. It is largely caused by nutrient, pesticide and sediment run-off from agriculture. It can cause algal growth at the expense of coral, block light and smother corals, as well as exacerbate outbreaks of the venomous crown-of-thorns starfish, which are a major cause of coral loss.
The department also concluded that the clearing would affect a host of endangered species including the Northern quoll, and loggerhead and leatherback turtles.
Despite the concerns raised, the department concluded the likely impacts of the clearing ‘‘will not be unacceptable’’ if conditions were adhered to.
The department said the proponent had been charged in Queensland over illegal land clearing at another of his properties, Strathmore Station.