The ABC’s Louisa Rebgetz reports (19.6.17) on new research showing that Queensland graziers and farmers continue to clear land at alarming rates.
‘Queensland has been rated as a “contemporary hot spot” for land clearing and is on par with places like Brazil, a new study has found.
‘The paper published today has found the parts of Queensland that have been cleared the most in the past, are also being cleared the most now. Remote areas including the Cape York Peninsula are also being cleared.
‘Dr April Reside from the University of Queensland (UQ) said drastic changes are needed to save species and protect habitat. “Land clearing in Queensland is the highest that it has been in the last 10 years,” Dr Reside said.
‘… UQ researcher Dr Leonie Seabrook said Queensland had one of the highest land clearing emissions rates in Australia. “We spend a lot of money conserving our biodiversity and our Great Barrier Reef but the actions that land clearing has completely undermine those,” she said.’
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