Much to our horror, clearing has commenced on the former Shenton Park Rehab Hospital site. The bulldozers have moved in on the eastern part of the site and commenced clearing beautiful, mature trees. Check out the front page story in this week’s Post Newspaper: “Bush Shock” (click on link) Over the past 3 years, LandCorp has led the public to believe that the trees around the perimeter of the development site would be retained. What’s worse is that Landcorp has been CONSISTENTLY and DELIBERATELY VAGUE on their development plans as to what trees they will keep or which trees will be cleared. Just how many trees will be sacrificed? Please send an urgent message to the Minister for Planning, Hon. Rita Saffioti, asking her to step in and save these mature trees. Email: Minister.Saffioti@dpc.wa.gov.au or ring her office on 6552-5500. If she is your MLA, please consider asking to meet with her. You can also request a meeting with your local Labor MLA. Watching these trees being cleared is highly upsetting, especially as we await the government’s decision on whether or not to grant a clearing permit for “Lemnos Street Bush” on the western part of the site. There was huge support to save this Banksia Woodland during the recent public submission process. In just 2 weeks’ time, over 1000 signatures were submitted against Landcorp’s application to clear 1.52 hectares of “Lemnos Street Bush”. Indeed! No part of this remnant bush should be destroyed as it is habitat for our endangered Carnaby’s Cockatoos and an ecological linkage between 2 very important Bush Forever Sites: Underwood Avenue Bush and Shenton Bushland. We are hoping that the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) will do the right thing and reject Landcorp’s short-sited and greedy plan. Then “Lemnos Street Bush” should be protected in its entirety and an alternative win-win plan developed for future generations. Thank you so much for your continued support and caring for nature. And keep the pressure on the gov't up!