The Late Steve Irwin's Wildlife Reserve Slated For Strip Mining

From: Alison O'Sullivan
Sunday, 18 May 2008 5:14 AM

Friends,

If you care about conservation and preserving natural habitat from mining destruction please go to the link below to sign a petition to Save Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve from strip mining.

http://www.australiazoo.com.au/phpPETITION/

Every signature helps so if you have a minute to spare please do this.

Thanks

Alison O'Sullivan

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"Save Steve's Place

The Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve (SIWR) is a wetland conservation property and a tribute to Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin.
The 135,000 ha property, in Queensland’s Cape York Peninsula, is home to a set of three important spring fed wetlands which provide a critical water source to threatened habitat, provide permanent flow of water to the Wenlock River, and is home to rare and vulnerable plants and wildlife.

The Situation

The Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve (SIWR) is being threatened by strip mining. Cape Alumina Pty Ltd has lodged mining lease applications which include approximately 12,300 ha of the Reserve. Cape Alumina company documents indicate an intention to mine 50 plus million tons over a 10 year period commencing 2010. The greater part of this mine is on SIWR

The proposed area for mining on the Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve contains the head waters of irreplaceable waterways and unique biodiversity which will not recover after mining operations are finished."

SOURCE: http://www.australiazoo.com.au/phpPETITION/
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Again, how many protected areas will be compromised before people will realize that they are impossible to protect when population growth continues to increase demand for natural resources?

I signed the petition, but it won't do any good unless human population growth is permanently stopped and reversed.

THE BIGGER THE POPULATION, THE BIGGER THE DEMAND. THE BIGGER THE DEMAND, THE MORE BIODIVERSITY IS DESTROYED.

Brishen Hoff May 20, 2008