Coal seam gas has been touted as environmentally friendly and contributing less to greenhouse gases than energy from conventional coal, although the latter claim would seem to depend on nothing going wrong. Farmers are upset (some with very large acreages apparently less so than those on smaller properties) about loss of livelihood and lifestyle, and tourism accommodations such as rural B&Bs and farm-stays are alarmed at the prospective of loss of beautiful scenery and peacefulness that people come for.
Wildlife impacts could be a problem both for tourism and for biodiversity conservation generally. Four potential threats to wildlife are posed by the coal seam gas industry:
- Direct habitat clearing and fragmentation. Vulnerable regional ecosystems and habitats for threatened species are being cleared or plans are being made for this (e.g. in the Brigalow Belt and the Pilliga). A 145km stretch of land 30m wide is to be cleared between Casino in northern New South Wales and Ipswich in southern Queensland. Strong-flying birds will be able to cross over , and so eventually will wallabies and kangaroos, but small ground-swelling mammals, reptiles, frogs and weak-flying birds could find it a significant barrier to movement when seeking food, new territories and mates, and limit genetic diversity. I am unclear on to what degree the cleared land would be restored to former habitat after the pipeline is covered.
Wildlife Tourism Australia
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