Spy seeks tree cover
By SIMON BENSON and KELVIN BISSET
April 14, 2004 Daily Telegraph

Spot 5 Website

A $5 million satellite system will be used across NSW to spy on and prosecute landowners who illegally clear trees.

From grainy to great ... Landsat images previously used to map vegetation, left, and a sharper image from the new Spot-5 satellite system

The technology is so advanced it can map individual trees down to 2.5 sq/m.

As one Government official remarked: "It can count the hairs on your head." The hi-tech war on illegal clearing will begin in June.

The Daily Telegraph has obtained documents that show more than 1 million ha of native vegetation has been cleared in NSW since the Native Vegetation Conservation Act was introduced in 1998.

That's the equivalent of 600 football fields being cleared every day. Almost half of this, around 440,000 ha, has been felled illegally.

The documents also reveal only 10 people have been prosecuted for breaches of the Act, despite around 1500 breaches being reported to the Department of Infrastructure Planning and Resources (DIPNR).

Environmental groups have claimed legislation to protect what is left of the state's native vegetation has failed.

They said the Government has been reluctant to take on farmers for illegal clearing and the Government's promise of "no net loss of vegetation" had not been met.

Resources Minister Craig Knowles said the technology would be used to "fulfil the Government's historic decision to end broadscale clearing of native vegetation in NSW".

"The new images improve resolution down to an area of 2.5 sq/m, enough to map every tree, every river and every dam in NSW," he said.

"We will take on these few rogues to protect the natural resources of NSW and to support the great majority of farmers who seek to manage their properties wisely."

The State Government has come under attack from the Wilderness Society for the amount of land it has allowed farmers to clear legally.

DIPNR's figures show 75,307 ha were cleared in 1998. This rose to 174,680 ha the following year. Last year, 63,588 ha were cleared.

DIPNR officials said the figures often included clearing for conservation purposes and grasses. They also said estimates of illegal clearing could be highly exaggerated.

The satellite systems will also provide all landholders with maps of their properties to allow them to plan farming and conservation efforts.

"This system will revolutionise farm and catchment planning," Mr Knowles said.

"Within 12 months we will be able to offer every NSW farmer, free of charge, satellite images of their properties.

"Unfortunately there remains a minority who do not abide by the laws of the state.

"These people have illegally cleared land without approval, which damages native vegetation and soils and exacerbates problems like salinity."