Land development vital

IT is always a mystery when people with such good vision can be so blind. I refer to your article on April 29 (Profit before Nature).

Without housing developments, where will our ever expanding population live? Without profits there is no likelihood of future investments, no investments means no jobs, no jobs no income and the rising number of people without work, will have to draw on social welfare.

Can the Australian economy afford this?

 Land developments have been part of the expansion of Australia from the first settlers. Has Melanie Herwig thought about the amount of fauna that may have been forced out of their natural environment to make way for the home in which she now lives?

To suggest the City Council's approval to Villa World for development of the land will endanger the colony of squirrel gliders is simply not true. These species are very adaptable and will simply go back to the area from which they came (across the road to the Boondall Wetlands).

Harry L Roberts, East Brisbane

Northern Chronicle May 1999.

Don't always believe what you read in Letters to the Editor. Read the letter below.

From the Office of the Lord Mayor

Brisbane

May 1999

Letter to a Ratepayer

Dear *******

I am writing in reply to your letter to me regarding the squirrel gliders at Holme Avenue, Boondall.

This is a difficult and complex decision for Council. Only six gliders have been located and their long tern survival is unlikely due to isolation. It would have been desirable to save the individual animals by relocating them, however, Department of Natural Resources confirms that there have been no successful relocation programs undertaken for squirrel gliders in Australia.

Suitable habitats almost always have resident gliders. Because the species is highly territorial, relocated gliders are subject to high levels of stress from resident gliders and would result in them dying soon after their arrival. Finding suitable sites without existing gliders and with long term prospects of survival for the new animals is extremely improbable.

Councils' biodiversity program aims to sustain the maximum number of native species in Brisbane. However, Council cannot protect every individual animal. Squirrel gliders are not listed on the States endangered species list, although Council does include it on a list of significant fauna. It is for this reason that Council undertook a detailed study of the gliders, to enable the development application to be assessed. The studies indicated that the habitat was not sustainable in the long term. Consequently, Council was not able to refuse the development application. Difficult choices must be made by Council and I understand the real concern shown by you.

I hope that you -will appreciate that whilst the outcome in this case is disappointing my Administration has done much to improve the long term health of the city's environment.

Thank you for writing to me to on this matter.

Yours sincerely

Jim Soorley

LORD MAYOR

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