Blackburn Lake bushland under threat

Whitehorse Leader Newspaper,  Page: 12
Wednesday 28/5/2008

EIGHT of Victoria's largest environmental groups have joined the fight to save rare bushland in Blackburn.
The land on Central Rd is owned by the Seventh Day Adventist Church and contains endangered valley heathy forest.

Local environmental group Blackburn Lake Environmental Education Park (BLEEP) has partnered with Victoria Naturally Alliance to lobby the State Government to purchase the land for preservation.  The alliance is made up of eight of Victoria's largest environmental groups, which are the Australian Conservation Foundation, Bush Heritage Australia, The Wilderness Society, Victoria National Parks Association, Environment Victoria, Greening Australia, Trust for Nature and the Invasive Species  Council.

The alliance aims to raise awareness and protect Victoria's biodiversity. Environment Minister Gavin Jennings told the Leader last month that the State Government "is not seeking to buy the site".

But alliance project manager Carrie Deutsch said it was important the land was protected now. "If the State Government doesn't show leadership and step in now Melbourne could lose yet another piece of its natural heritage as development again wins out over the environment," she said.

BLEEP chairman John Bergin (inset photo above) said if the and wasn't purchased by the State Government the inevitable development will see this community of native plants and animals die a slow and painful death".