Rescue bid fails

A squirrel glider habitat in Boondall is set to be flattened despite a late burst of protest from concerned residents and conservation groups.

Council urban planning committee chairman Tim Quinn said the glider was common in south-east Queensland, but if it was rare then council's decision may have been different.

"These decisions are not easy and are upsetting," Councillor Quinn said.

Threatened Species Network spokesman Mike Gregory agreed the glider was common, and doubted it would be listed under the Nature Conservation Act.

"I think we focus too much on endangered species, and we need to look more at vulnerable species too," Mr Gregory said.

Under the act species are listed as vulnerable, endangered or rare in descending order according to population.

"The conservation work done on them (vulnerable species) is minimal, and sometimes these things can disappear while we're watching," Mr Gregory said.

After last week's story in the Northside Chronicle some readers phoned council and wrote letters of protest, while two others started petitions objecting to the proposal by Villaworld for expansion of the College Green housing project at Holme Ave, Boondall.

Chermside resident Doreen Wilson summed up the feeling. "If a person got home and found their house gone, then they'd understand what the squirrel gliders will go through," Mrs Wilson said.

Save Our Squirrel Gliders member Barry Wilson, referring to the colony's isolation, laid the blame squarely on council.

"If this habitat is isolated it's because of bad conservation decisions made by Brisbane City Council in the past," Mr Wilson said.

Cr Quinn would not give details of the ecological survey done at the Holme Ave site, such as its duration, time of year, or who did it.

-John Smith

Northside Chronicle.

Wednesday, April 14, 1999 Page 7.

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