Latest News 25 May 2009
Parklands Progressing
North Byron Shire Parklands is soon to meet with Byron Shire Council to discuss options for going forward following the Land and Environment Court decision.
read more here -->>
25 May 2009
Published in the Byron Shire Echo 19 May and the Byron Shire News 21 May.
Environmental Justice
Over two years ago I came to work with North Byron Shire Parklands, to both manage the proposed event site and to develop innovative environmental solutions which addressed the past and present environmental degradation across the 255 hectare Yelgun site.
read more here -->>
7 May 2009
Parklands Presses On
In yesterday’s Land and Environment Court decision regarding a trial event at North Byron Shire Parklands, Justice Brian Preston revoked Byron Shire Council’s approval for the trial event.
The judge found fault with Council’s technical processing of the application. He said that the Byron Shire Council should have issued consent for both use of roads and a place of assembly, whereas they only issued consent for a place of assembly.
The judge did not raise any concerns regarding the merit of North Byron Shire Parklands application itself.
‘’Contrary to what CONOS have been reporting, Chief Justice Preston had no issue with the environmental integrity of what we are proposing’’ outlined Mat Morris, General Manager for North Byron Shire Parklands. ‘’He had no issue with the suitability of the site.
‘’We are held up this time by a technical issue relating to the judge’s view of Council’s processing of our application. It is frustrating that we have further delays due to no fault of our own or what we are proposing’’.
In July 2008 the Byron Shire Council granted consent to conduct a one off trial event at the North Byron Shire Parklands site at Yelgun. Council’s decision was then challenged in the Land and Environment Court by the group Conservation of North Ocean Shores Inc (CONOS).
“We will continue our efforts to secure approval to see North Byron Shire Parklands become a respected sustainable event venue” said Mat Morris. ‘’In the meantime our intensive work on improving the biodiversity values of the site will go on”.
In July 2008 the Byron Shire Council granted consent to conduct a one off trial event at the North Byron Shire Parklands site at Yelgun. Council’s decision was then challenged in the Land and Environment Court by the group Conservation of North Ocean Shores Inc (CONOS).
Splendour in the Grass will return to Belongil Fields this year (2009) for its ninth festival.
“Due to time constraints caused by the Land and Environment Court process and the time required to prepare the North Byron Shire Parklands site should a positive outcome be achieved, Splendour organisers have moved ahead with their planning for 2009” said General Manager of North Byron Shire Parklands Mat Morris. “We hope to be able to host the festival as a trial event at North Byron Shire Parklands in 2010”.
LEC Judgement 06 May 2009
• Envirofund Program on time and on budget
In January 2008 The Federal Government provided $42,000 in the form of a grant to revegetate and rehabilitate parts of North Byron Shire Parklands (NBSP). Our Friends from Rainforest Rescue also provided about $18,000 and NBSP contributed a further $36,000.
Our local revegetation expert Dave Rawlins and the Madhima Gulgan bush regeneration team have done an amazing job over the past 14 months.
“Focusing on important ecological areas of the site, our bush regen team have planted more than 5,500 native tree species” said Mat Morris, General Manager of NBSP. “With all the wet weather over the past twelve months many of these trees are now two to three metres high. The team have also removed noxious weeds across a 9.4Ha area and are just about to build and install 26 nest boxes to improve habitat conditions for birds and other fauna”.
The project finishes in June 2009 by which time a total of 7,000 trees will have been planted. The Federal Government’s Envirofund office have been pleased with the management of this important environmental initiative.
• Northern Rivers Catchment Management Authority (NRCMA) grant
NBSP applied recently for a NRCMA Biodiversity Grant to fence a number of forest blocks across the site to exclude cattle and promote much needed understory growth.
NBSP General Manager Mat Morris said “While we haven’t signed any agreements an offer has been made by the NRCMA to provide up to $45,000 to fence a number of important forest blocks and to provide ongoing weed management. This will have an immediate positive effect for the bush and importantly will create much needed protected habitat for small animals”.
NBSP will provide close to $37,000 toward this project and will also enter into a perpetual property vegetation plan to protect these bush blocks forever.
Update May 2009
This week, due to the actions brought against Parklands by CONOS, Parklands has had to decline this $45,000.00 grant.
“We would like to thank staff at NRCMA for their valuable time and assistance and we hope to reapply for this funding in the future’’ said Mat Morris.
