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Adani delivers 30,000ha conservation area to protect local wildlife

23 June 2020

Adani has secured a 30,000 hectare conservation area on its pastoral lease to protect local wildlife including the Black-throated finch, as well as other important species of reptile, plants and birds.  Adani Mining CEO Lucas Dow said the conservation area, known as the Moray Downs West Offset Area, is the equivalent in size to approximately 30,000 football fields.  “This is another significant milestone for our project and demonstrates that we are delivering on the conditions we signed up to with both the State and Federal governments as part of our approval processes,” Mr Dow said.  “The offset area is one of the largest privately managed conservation areas in Queensland and is more than 126 times the size of the open cut mine area of our project.  “The conservation area will protect the Black-throated finches’ natural habitat and is located more than 5km from the open cut mine area and other infrastructure.  “I am also really pleased to announce that Woongal Environmental Services, a Wangan and Jagalingou certified business, will deliver environmental services for Adani.”  The new contract with Woongal will see the Traditional Owners deliver two key packages of work using specialist environmental consultants and a team of environmental and land management professionals.  The contract is expected to create approximately 10 full time positions, including one indigenous Environmental Graduate and four indigenous ranger roles. Other roles include indigenous administrators.  “Their work includes the delivery of Management Plan actions like weed and feral pest management, and installing finch watering points for the offset area,” Mr Dow said.  “They will also undertake fencing, fire management and technical studies to improve the ecological condition of the mine’s biodiversity offset area." “We have been working closely with Woongal Environmental Services for many years to provide opportunities for the Wangan and Jagalingou Traditional Owners to work on the Carmichael project.  “This is the second contract we have awarded to Woongal as part of our commitment to achieving a minimum $250 million Indigenous business development and contracting investment.”  As part of these works, Woongal will also implement the initial stages of our Black-throated finch Management Plan, which includes a program of surveys, monitoring and management actions.  “Woongal is one of Australia’s first Indigenous environmental management and monitoring companies providing significant opportunities for Traditional Owners to either start, or progress their careers in environmental monitoring.  “The team will base themselves in our Rockhampton Business Centre and travel to site as required.”  Woongal Environmental Services CEO Bill Haylock said the project would skill indigenous youth in environmental monitoring and management—building capacity while enhancing environmental conservation in the area.  “With this project we can get more indigenous youth back to country—to look after the country of their ancestors,” Mr Haylock said.  (ENDS) Download PDF...