The Coastal Emu is listed as an endangered population on the New South Wales North Coast. It has declined in recent years due to predation by feral and domestic animals and road deaths. The current population estimate is about 100 birds. The Roads and Maritime Services plan to construct a large freeway through the remaining habitat of the species in the Clarence Valley interrupting, or preventing, the natural movements of the species. There is a less ecologically destructive alternative route, the orange option, but this has been rejected on social and economic grounds. The major environmental issues have been ignored.
Dear Mr Stokes, The attached petition contains the signatures of over 8,400 people from throughout the world who are concerned about the fate of the Coastal Emu in the Grafton area due to the planned Pacific Highway upgrade. The preferred route cuts through the habitat of the Emu and will block movement routes of the species. The Coastal Emu is listed as an endangered population on the Threatened Species Conservation Act, 1995. There is an aletrnative route (the orange option) which will not impact on the Emu and the other 80+ threatened species of flora and fauna that will be impacted by the preferred route. We, the petitioners, ask that you intervene to help save the remaining Coastal Emus in the Clarence Valley. A large number of signatures are from people residing in New South Wales shown as 'SW' on the petition.
Update #49 jaar geleden
I submitted the partly completed petition to the NSW Minister for the Environment in November. I received a couple of letters from bureaucrats but haven't received any worthwhile reply from the Minister. My invitation to show the Minister the ecosystems, including the Emu habitat, that will be adversely impacted by the Highway upgrade along the preferred route has not been responded to. Please ask your friends who haven't signed the petition yet to do so urgently?
Update #39 jaar geleden
Over 8,000 people have now signed my 'Save the Coastal Emu' petition. Thanks for the great support and wonderful comments. If the politicians were half as caring as the people who have signed (you) then we wouldn't be facing this detrimental action. Please ask all of your friends and contacts to sign. We need more signatures to make the politicians take notice.
Update #29 jaar geleden
The alternative route for the Highway upgrade, the orange option, approximates the existing highway and therefore doesn't open up a new wide corridor of clearing as the RMS preferred route does. It makes sense to utilise the existing cleared corridor for this large scale infrastructure project.
Update #19 jaar geleden
Thank you to the 1278 people throughout the world who have signed my petition to help save the Coastal Emu on the New South Wales North Coast, Australia. The Roads and Maritime Services Authority is a powerful body so we need many more signatures on the petition. Please distribute it through your Facebook, Twitter, email etc. networks. The Emus thank you!!!
