Conservation groups have slammed a proposal by US mining company Alcoa, that would see thousands of hectares of Western Australia’s unique jarrah forest destroyed for bauxite mining operations in Perth’s Darling Range water catchment zone.
The expansion plan details clearing of 7,500ha of threatened species habitat, the same size as 18 Kings Parks, around 3,500 Optus Stadium playing surfaces, or 60,000 Olympic sized swimming pools.
Alcoa’s proposal has now been released for public comment by the WA Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) for the next 12 weeks.
These expansion plans will impact endangered species such as the Carnaby’s, Forest Red-tailed, and Baudin’s Black Cockatoos, Woylies and Numbats.
In addition, documents have revealed WA's Water Corporation has serious concerns over what might happen should Alcoa's bauxite operation contaminate Serpentine Dam. The Water Corporation had planned for a potential crisis, in which it would have to issue 'boil water' notices or deliver bottled water to thousands of affected residents.
Alcoa’s current mining operations, which include clearing in drinking water Reservoir Protection Zones, to which public access is highly restricted, are also simultaneously under assessment by the EPA. This is the first time in 60 years of operation that the public is able to scrutinise Alcoa's mining operations. Combined, the two aspects of Alcoa’s mining amount to the largest forest clearing plan ever before the EPA.
Conservation Council of WA Nature Program Manager Rhiannon Hardwick said the EPA must consider the failure of rehabilitation efforts at Alcoa’s operations in the South West which have already cleared 28,000ha of the Northern Jarrah Forest.
“We know that black cockatoos are facing extinction due to habitat destruction, including through the impacts of bauxite mining in the Northern Jarrah Forest in the Serpentine-Jarrahdale region, and inappropriate housing developments on rapidly diminishing banksia woodlands.
“Just this year, South32’s bauxite mine expansion was approved, including the clearing of 3,800ha of the Northern Jarrah Forest. Alcoa’s proposal to clear a further 7,500ha of forest in Perth’s water catchment zone will be environmentally devastating.
“Climate change is already causing havoc, with hot and dry conditions wiping out forests and woodland habitat at a rate of knots, in-turn reducing seed production as a food source.
“Alcoa’s operations at Pinjarra and Wagerup make Alcoa WA’s 5th highest greenhouse gas emitter, releasing a further 2.69 million tonnes of GHGs by 2050, putting the Northern Jarrah Forest at serious risk of ecosystem collapse.”
Western Australian Forest Alliance Director Jess Boyce said these expansion plans would see critical habitat in the Northern Jarrah Forests bulldozed and burnt, with no chance of successful rehabilitation.
“Threatened species will take a triple hit - from climate impacts, clearing, and fragmentation,” Ms Boyce said.
“Many of the Black Cockatoos rely on trees over 150 years old to produce suitable hollows.
“In more than 60 years of mining, none of Alcoa’s mining has been deemed successfully rehabilitated by the Government. Jarrah forests have evolved over many thousands of years to grow on bauxite and cannot be rehabilitated once the mineral is removed and used to justify further forest clearing.”
The Wilderness Society Senior Campaigner, Jenita Enevoldsen, said the ALP’s Nature Positive vision was to end extinctions, yet this proposal flies in the face of that plan.
It would give Alcoa permission to bulldoze thousands of football fields of threatened species habitat, critical to the survival of species like Karrak / red-tailed black cockatoo, the numbat and woylie,” Ms Enevoldsen said.
“The Minister must listen to the community, as opposed to a US-based corporation and abide by the Global Biodiversity Framework or Glasgow Leaders Declaration to halt and reverse deforestation by 2030 and end extinctions.
“This proposal threatens the Northern Jarrah Forest and its biodiversity, climate, culture, water and natural heritage for future generations.”