Just prior to Christmas 2015, the state government released for public comment its ‘Embracing the Climate Challenge: Tasmania’s draft climate change action plan 2016-2021’ (Draft Plan). However, as the TCT’s submission pointed out, the Draft Plan has major blind spots when it comes to forestry, native forest clearing for agriculture, population increase and management of biodiversity.
Car Tyre Disposal
In the last six months there has been a great deal of government and local council discussion about providing better disposal solutions for end-of-life car tyres, but not much action. One notable exception to the inactivity has been the company Tyrecycle, which has shredded and removed its stockpile of 300,000 tyres, previously stored at Longford, and sent them to its Melbourne recycling plant.
Responsible pet cat ownership – what will it take to contain your pet cat? Ca
Balancing the joys and health benefits of pet cat ownership with the protection of native wildlife is a key challenge for cat management. Containing domestic cats within an owners’ house and yard is essential to achieving this balance, and offers many important health and welfare benefits to cats. Encouraging more cat-owners to keep their cats within their property requires an understanding of what motivates them to prevent their cats from roaming.Balancing the joys and health benefits of pet cat ownership with the protection of native wildlife is a key challenge for cat management. Containing domestic cats within an owners’ house and yard is essential to achieving this balance, and offers many important health and welfare benefits to cats. Encouraging more cat-owners to keep their cats within their property requires an understanding of what motivates them to prevent their cats from roaming.
Penny Milburn’s experience of containing her cats
Penny Milburn is both a cat owner and a registered Land for Wildlife property owner who feels responsible for ensuring that her cats are kept safe and that they don’t kill native wildlife or become a nuisance to other people.
“I lost my first cat, Hiccup, on the road, and it absolutely devastated me,” said Penny.
Directors Report August 2016
The TCT is proud to announce a new sponsor, having recently received $5000 from TyreCycle to kick-start our Tasmanian Tyre Cleanup Program. TyreCycle is Australia’s largest recycler of tyres, processing more than XX million tyres per year and the company is dedicated to finding profitable and sustainable uses for end of life car and truck tyres. The TCT will use this funding to start our program to clean up car tyres where they have been inappropriately stored or illegally dumped. The goals of this program are to remove this dangerous legacy problem and to prevent this problem from occuring by encouraging all end of use tyres to be sent for recycling.
Vale Malcolm Roberts
A past president of the Tasmanian Conservation Trust and long-time member, Malcolm Grant OAM, died on 14 August 2015. At ninety years of age, Malcolm lived a full life and maintained a long commitment to the environment movement and will be greatly missed by his family, friends and the many people who worked with him over the years. A Tasmanian by birth, he also had a love of travel and worked from 1947 to 1958 in Bavaria and Switzerland, then travelled to England where he met his wife Linley. On returning to Tasmania, they married in 1959.
Three Capes Track
The eastern section of the Three Capes Track on the Tasman Peninsula was officially opened on 17 September and immediately received a flurry of bookings and self congratulatory comments from the state government that it provided a world class experience. This half of the 3CT starts near Port Arthur before heading to Cape Pillar and Cape Hauy and finishing at Fortesque Bay.
Launceston Environment Centre Closes
Recently a small piece in the Launceston Examiner (July 22, 2015) marked the closure of the Launceston Environment Centre (LEC) after 41 years of community service. This was a sad reminder to me of when as Chairman I presented my 6th Annual Report for 2002-03. I recalled the small band of dedicated volunteers, including Hon. Secretary Dr John Wilson and Brian O’Byrne as Treasurer, who had been willing to staff the Charles Street office, to manage the many projects, seek funds for new projects, make submissions on State policies and new developments, support local individuals and community groups with heritage and environmental concerns, represent the LEC on numerous committees that dealt with the local environment, heritage and local government planning issues, as well provide input on the development of the then new Northern Regional Natural Resource Management Association.
Director's Report July 2015
Feedback wanted on the TCT Logo
Tasmanian Cat Management Reference Group
The first meeting of the Tasmanian Cat Management Reference Group was held on 19 June 2015. The reference group was established by the Minister for Primary Industries, Jeremy Rockliff, and includes representatives from the Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association, RSPCA, Hobart Cat Centre, Australian Veterinary Association, Cat Association of Tasmania, Landcare Tasmania, Local Government Association of Tasmania, NRM North, Tasmanian Conservation Trust and the University of Tasmania.
Ansons Bay forest clearing
In the last newsletter we outlined our concerns about a proposal to clear 1804 hectares of native forest on private land near Ansons Bay in north-east Tasmania and how, just two weeks before clearing was to commence, the TCT successfully intervened to notify the Australian Government of the operation. They in turn notified the landowner of his legal obligations. To date no clearing has occurred at the site.