Arming residents with the skills on how to dob in a land clearer or illegal tree lopper.
That’s the plan of the Blue Mountains Conservation Society, who in conjunction with NSW Environmental Defenders Office, will host a free workshop to inform the community about laws protecting bushland in the Mountains.
The workshop on July 14 will cover what residents can do if they suspect illegal clearing or tree removal is taking place nearby with advice from the EDO, the specialist environmental public interest legal centre.
“One of the most frequent issues which the Society gets approached about is residents concerned about bushland clearing or tree removal in their neighbourhood”, said Society president Madi Maclean.
“Residents raise issues such as the extent and scale of the bushland removal, whether it is legally taking place, and who to approach if they have concerns.
“The legal framework which covers the bushland and tree removal is quite complex, and can vary in different areas, depending on whether you live in residential or rural area. This makes it harder for residents to determine what authorities they should approach to report suspected illegal bushland clearing.”
The workshop will cover what pro-active steps residents can take when bushland clearing or tree removal is taking place and residents suspect that it is not legal. In addition, advice will be provided on how to make a submission to a development application where significant bushland removal is involved.
Residents will also learn what laws and regulations exist to protect bushland in the Mountains, how the process works, and which state and local government agencies to approach to take action.
The event is on Saturday July 14 from 2pm to 4pm at the Lawson Mechanics Institute. Parking is available on site. It is free and open to all Mountains residents.
Go to the Society website at www.bluemountains.org.au to RSVP.
