Protect the jarrah from deforestation

Protect the jarrah from deforestation

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WA’s ancient jarrah forest lies in the heart of a global biodiversity hotspot. More than 8,000 animal and plant species call these forests home—80% of which are found nowhere else on Earth—including the iconic numbat, mainland quokka, and Ngolyenok / Carnaby’s cockatoo.

Corporations Alcoa and South32 have been strip-mining the jarrah forests for 60 years, through deforestation loopholes in environment laws, without any public scrutiny and without Noongar Traditional Owner’s free, prior and informed consent. 

Right now, both corporations have massive expansion plans to destroy over 25,116 football fields of ancient jarrah forest, with ...

WA’s ancient jarrah forest lies in the heart of a global biodiversity hotspot. More than 8,000 animal and plant species call these forests home—80% of which are found nowhere else on Earth—including the iconic numbat, mainland quokka, and Ngolyenok / Carnaby’s cockatoo.

Corporations Alcoa and South32 have been strip-mining the jarrah forests for 60 years, through deforestation loopholes in environment laws, without any public scrutiny and without Noongar Traditional Owner’s free, prior and informed consent. 

Right now, both corporations have massive expansion plans to destroy over 25,116 football fields of ancient jarrah forest, with an overall fragmentation footprint of 132,345 football fields. This destruction is right on the doorstep of the local communities of Dwellingup, Quindanning, Boddington, Pinjarra and Jarrahdale.

In the current climate and extinction crisis, these forests provide important ecosystem services, such as fresh drinking water for Perth. But once bulldozed for mining, they are near impossible to fully rehabilitate.

With less than half of the Northern Jarrah Forest left intact, it’s time to create a network of protected areas to safeguard what is left. South32 and Alcoa’s mining proposals are in the hands of decision-makers right now. 

Will you email the federal and state environment ministers calling on them to protect the jarrah forest? 

 

 

 

The Wilderness Society works in collaboration with a broad alliance of local community groups, local businesses and scientists, who have joined the End Forest Mining Coalition.

Image: Alcoa's deforestation footprint, in Perth's drinking water catchment | WAFA.

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End forest mining

Email government decision-makers to urge them to reject more bauxite mining in the northern jarrah forest.

Please add a personal message about why you want the jarrah forests protected to enhance your impact. Click the plus sign for some suggestions then simply click the text in the box below to edit.

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  • An area 80 times the size of Kings Park has been destroyed in WA’s jarrah forests. And mining companies now have plans to clear a further 13,000ha. No rehabilitation currently completed has met government standards. 

  • Alcoa’s mining management plan is currently under assessment by the EPA. No destruction should be allowed to take place while this is underway. 

  • The jarrah forests are facing a ‘forest collapse’ event after the driest six-month spell on record with large swaths of forest from Shark Bay to Albany already dying. This puts endangered numbats and Ngolyenok / Carnaby’s cockatoo at serious risk, allowing mining operations to expand would only further risk habitat destruction and extinction of precious wildlife.  

 

Rehabilitation failures 

South32 has begun rehabilitation of only 42% of its mined areas so far, and the WA EPA reports that the “success and effectiveness of the proponent’s rehabilitation program is yet to be determined.” The WA EPA goes on to state that “rehabilitation of forest to its former structure may not be possible”. 

According to the WA Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA), Alcoa has failed to fully rehabilitate any of the almost 28,000 hectares of Western Australian forest it has cleared during 60 years of mining. Rehabilitation and biodiversity offsets are not acceptable forms of mitigation or guaranteed outcomes when the Northern Jarrah Forest is collapsing due to climate change.

 

Endangered biodiversity on the brink

More than 8,000 animal and plant species call these forests home—80% of which are found nowhere else on Earth, including 17 fauna species of conservation significance including critically endangered woylies and western ringtail possums and endangered numbats have been recorded in the area as well as 17 conservation significant flora species including the rare Quindanning spider orchid.  

Unacceptable & significant drinking water impacts

Current bauxite mining operations pose significant risks to Perth’s water supply, with the WA Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) revealing a “foreseeable” risk it could render drinking water from Serpentine Dam unusable. In some circumstances, this could shut down the source of 18% of Perth’s drinking water for a number of years. 

Research by the Western Australian Biodiversity and Science Institute (WABSI) collating consultation from the Western Australia Native Forest Survey 2021 revealed that: 

  • 98% felt that having native forests near Perth and regional towns adds to quality of life.

  • 87% felt that more areas of native forests should be protected

  • 75% of the respondents felt that all current management practices and industries would not be appropriate under an altered climate. Mining, native timber harvesting, and fire management were the top three practices that were deemed necessary to change. 

  • Tourism, recreation (including hiking, camping, and birdwatching among others) and beekeeping (including honey production) were deemed the most sustainable activities.

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