'Complete council woodland survey,' says GUST
The Grow Urban Shade Trees group is encouraging residents to complete a council survey about Umina Coastal Sandplain Woodland endangered bushland reserves.
The council consultation on its Your Voice Our Coast website asks for comments about closure of tracks within Council reserves in Woy Woy and Umina.
It also asks for comment on "other management issues".
"Umina Coastal Sandplain Woodland is one of the smallest and most endangered of rare bushland," said group member Ms Jennifer Wilder.
"It is limited to the Peninsula area where precious remnants still exist in several small pockets.
"Nowhere else in the entire world does this unique ecological community exist.
"For many years, there has been a plan to limit the tracks within these remnants to pedestrians only and to install interpretive-educational signage similar to the Cromellin Native Arboretum in Pearl Beach.
"It would be great to see this idea come to fruition," said Ms Wilder.
"Mindful of the ongoing threat of insensitive development across the Central Coast, GUST would like council to adopt formal, detailed management plans for each UCSW area."
She said that more was needed than just making reference to a State advisory document, which was not a formal management plan with legal obligations.
"We believe closure of tracks should be considered with a survey of track use in the context of a formal management plan."
She said that the council has neglected McEvoy Oval surrounds and residents were rightly complaining about the spread of weeds.
"Slashing and poisoning should not be contemplated as solutions in an endangered ecological community like this, however.
"It would be great to see council spending more of its maintenance money for this oval, on maintenance of the surrounding bush."
She said council should encourage volunteer help, such as the Burrawang Bushcare and Ettymalong Landcare groups "who lovingly tend much of our UCSW remnants" with their "wonderful work".
Ms Wilder said the council's survey at https://www.yourvoiceourcoast.com/ucsw was able to be completed in just a single comment box.
"It doesn't take too long to have a look at the maps and provide your thoughts.
"Please complete it by April 14."
SOURCE:
Social media, 29 Mar 2022
Jennifer Wilder, GUST