Ecologist and Giant freshwater crayfish (Astacopsis gouldi) expert Todd Walsh has discovered the endangered Tasmanian Giant freshwater crayfish in the water catchment that will be impacted by logging of the Krushka's and Atlas forests.
This Endangered Tasmanian species is the largest freshwater invertebrate in the world only found in the rivers below 400 metres (1,300 ft) above sea level that flow into the Bass Strait. It is listed as an endangered species on the IUCN Red List due to overfishing and habitat degradation, and it has been prohibited to catch the crayfish since 1998.
While conducting freshwater crayfish aquatic habitat surveys with Blue Derby Wild, Mr Walsh discovered what he estimated to be a four year old juvenile crayfish in Main Creek.
The Main Creek water course flows through the bottom of the valleys impacted by the proposed logging of the Krushka's and Atlas forests around the Blue Derby MTB trails, to the Ringarooma River and Ramsar wetlands. It is a critical water course that is still viable habitat for endangered species thanks to the Gondwanic remnant forests that provide a nature connectivity corridor.
The state government Regional Forest Agreement (RFA) exempts logging operations from having to abide by federal Environmental Protection Biodiversity Conservation Act (E.P.B.C.A.), which should automatically protect the habitat for this endangered species. Instead we have an increase in logging in these forests that are silting up the river, warming the waters through the clearing of forest cover and Tasmanian tree fern (Dicksonia antarctica) glades on the river banks. Destroying the nature connectivity corridor that the remaining Krushka's, Atlas and Mutual Valley forests provide for our area.
The forests surrounding Main Creek in the Mutual Valley have kept this river suitable habitat for northern Tasmania's endemic giant freshwater crayfish. As the forests and riparian tree fern glades are logged and degraded, the river homes of the crayfish silt up and warm up, making them no longer habitable for this endangered species.
Blue Derby Wild are calling on Sustainable Timbers Tasmania to halt all logging operations in the Main Creek catchment which includes the Krushkas forests currently being bulldozed for logging roads, to protect this remnant population of Giant freshwater crayfish, and the countless other Rare, Threatened and Endangered (RTE) species that call the forests of the Mutual Valley and Derby home.
Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein needs to step in and protect the native forests of north east Tasmania. Continuing to throw taxpayer subsidies at a logging industry that destroys the forests that are home to endangered Tasmanian species and host the most successful outdoor adventure tourism in the Blue Derby MTB trails is just nonsensical.
These forests are worth so much more standing for their biodiversity, carbon stores and as a place we can build upon the successes of MTB and nature based experience tourism.
Please share our petition to help protect the forests and endangered wildlife of north east Tasmania.