FLORA & FAUNA
FACT ONE
Australia is in the midst of a full-blown land-clearing crisis. Projections suggest that in the two decades to 2030, 3m hectares of untouched forest will have been bulldozed in eastern Australia.
FACT TWO
Australia has a rich biodiversity, with nearly 8% of all Earth’s plant and animal species finding a home on the continent. About 85% of the country’s plants, 84% of its mammals and 45% of its birds are found nowhere else. But land clearing is putting that at risk.
FACT THREE
About three-quarters of Australia’s 1,640 plants and animals listed by the government as threatened have habitat loss listed as one of their main threats.
FACT FOUR
About 395,000 Ha of land are cleared each year in Queensland alone - Brazil bulldozes about 0.25% of its Amazon each year, Queensland clears about 0.45% of its remaining wooded areas.
FACT FIVE
Around 5,000 sq km of virgin bushland and advanced regrowth are cleared annually. In addition to destroying native wildlife, it is the major cause of salinity and causes around 14% of Australia's greenhouse gas emissions.
FACT SIX
Australia has lost 25% rainforest, 45% of open forest, 32% woodland forest and 30% of mallee forest in 200 years.
FACT SEVEN
The effect of these changes has been considerable. Around 20% of Australian mammals, 7% of reptiles, 13% of birds are listed as Extinct, Endangered or Vulnerable. Right now, 1,000 animal and plant species are at risk of extinction, including the koala.
FACT EIGHT
Australia has one of the highest rates of tree clearing of any developed country historically. In the past, we’ve cleared more bush each year than poverty-stricken countries like Burma, Mexico, Zimbabwe, Nigeria and the Congo.
FACT NINE
Emissions from tree clearing from 2016 to 2030 are projected between 673 and 826 Mt CO²e without substantial policy change. By way of comparison, this is the equivalent of operating at least three to four extra dirty Hazelwood coal fired power plants for this same period.
FACT TEN
"We recognise that you cannot secure sustainable food, save threatened species, create a low carbon future or protect marine life without protecting and restoring our forests. In Australia, we've therefore put forests at the heart of our conservation goals and strategies".
FACT ELEVEN
Forests and natural vegetation continue to be cleared at a staggering rate. Globally, some 177,000 square kilometres are lost each year, which is equivalent to 50 football fields every minute.
FACT TWELVE
As much as 80% of the world's forests have been destroyed or irreparably degraded. Our ancient forests are looted every day. The price for this destruction is escalating climate change, biodiversity loss and community displacement.
FACT THIRTEEN
Forests face the threat of climate change. When we destroy forests, we add to climate change – forests trap carbon and help stabilise the world’s climate. When forests are trashed, the carbon trapped in trees, their roots and the soil is released into the atmosphere.
FACT FOURTEEN
How many trees are cut down in Australia each year? Tree density varies from 50,000-100,000 per sq km so the number is between 3.5 billion and 7 billion each year.
FACT FIFTEEN
FACT SIXTEEN
Tropical rainforests which cover 6-7% of the earth’s surface, contain over half of all the plant and animal species in the world!