Victory - The Charles and Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve has been saved!

The Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve at Highfields has been Saved from any form of destruction thanks to 8 Toowoomba Regional Councillors. 

I am very happy to announce that yesterday Toowoomba Regional Councilors voted against the plan (Option A) by TRC’s Infrastructure staff to put a foot path through the Charles and Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve at Highfields, choosing instead our preferred option (Option B) to build the whole path on the roadside footpath precinct.

Eight Councilors voted for Option B after considering the extensive amount of public support for the reserve, and the large amount of information supplied to them through our campaign and through the Rogers family.  Only two councilors opted to vote for Option A.  We are very thankful to the 8 Councilors for choosing to vote for Option B that ensures the path will be kept exclusively on the footpath precinct and will not encroach on the endangered ecosystem in any way.  Option B also ensures that no trees or undergrowth will be cleared from the reserve and ensures that tree roots will not be damaged in the footpath area, which will be prevented by the building of small retainer walls and fences.

Toowoomba Regional Councilors agreed again (as was mentioned in the initial vote in January 2014), that a Management Plan for the reserve would be advisable. This management plan will involve local residents, the Rogers family and members of the "Friends of Charles and Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve" working with TRC to ensure that the endangered ecosystem is preserved.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who signed the initial petition, who sent emails, texts and letters to Councilors, who offered support, advice, assistance and knowledge of their particular fields to all work together to achieve this positive result.  The 8 Toowoomba Regional Councilors need to be commended for making such a positive decision.

In other news, we can confirm, based on a news report by High Country Herald journalist Miles Noller, that the rumored road widening for O'Brien Road, Highfields to 4 lanes, (which would result in mass tree-clearing and land loss within the Charles and Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve), is something that is planned to occur within 10 years as advised by Mike Brady, General Manager Infrastructure Services Group, TRC.  This is a serious issue that will need to be addressed in the near future.

I  wish that I could thank everyone who has been involved in this petition individually.  I have been inspired by the caring people of this community and the Toowoomba Region who have shown what community spirit is all about.  Your kind words, advice, encouragement and support will not be forgotten. Your respect for Mr and Mrs Charles & Motee Rogers and this generous gift they have given to our community is truly heartwarming.  Thank you again,

Kind Regards,

Judi Gray
Petition Organizer
rogersreserve@yahoo.com.au
www.rogersreserve.blogspot.com

Plant Walk at Charles and Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve on 21st March 2014

News Article from High Country Herald by Journalist Gary Alcorn 18/03/2014

A Friends Group for the Charles and Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve has been formed and will be hosting an informal Plant Walk this coming Friday the 21st of March at 9.00am at the reserve entrance on Community Court.  Trish Gardner will be sharing her knowledge of the interesting native plants within the reserve, which will be then followed by a BYO morning tea and get-together to discuss ideas and options for the Friends Group.  Please BYO morning tea, drinks and chairs.

High Country Herald Confirms Plans for road widening of O'Brien Road 17/03/14

High Country Herald Newspaper has confirmed plans for future road widening on O'Brien Road to four lanes in the near future.  Based on a news report by High Country Herald journalist Miles Noller, in the 18th March 2014 Edition,  that the rumored road widening for O'Brien Road, Highfields to 4 lanes, (which would result in mass tree-clearing and land loss within the Charles and Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve), is something that is planned to occur within 10 years as advised by Mike Brady, General Manager Infrastructure Services Group, TRC.  This is a serious issue that will need to be addressed in the near future.

This article also hastily  featured the plan proposal for the Option A Path through the Charles and Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve, of which councillors were expected to vote for.  On the day that this article was published, eight Toowoomba Regional Councillors voted against the proposal printed in the paper, and voted instead for Option B (see more here).  As mentioned in the Herald article that Option A ensured that no trees would be removed within the reserve, Option B also ensured that no trees, undergrowth or wildlife habitat would be removed, making it a far better option for the *Endangered Ecosystem. The final result by Council does not see any tree removal as stated it would in a previous article in the High Country Herald (see article here).

(*Charles and Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve is a certified Ecosystem under the Queensland Vegetation Management Act 1999 and listed as an Area of Ecological Significance in a biodiversity area in the Toowoomba Regional Council Planning Scheme & Town Plan 2013)

High Country Herald Front Page 18 March 2014 "Trees will remain intact"

High Country Herald Article 18th March 2014 - printed the Plan A path proposal for the Charles and Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve, prior to the TRC Councillors Voting for Option B later that morning.  This article does confirm plans by TRC Infrastructure General Manager Mike Brady to widen O'Brien Road to 4 lanes within 10 years.

Town Plan States Biodiversity Areas Should Not Be Impacted 13/03/13

The Charles and Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve at Highfields is listed as an area of Biodiveristy Ecological Signifigance and is stated as such on the Highfields/Meringandan Town Plan created by Toowoomba Regional Council with consultation of local residents in 2013.

In the Toowoomba Regional Planning Scheme, The "Areas of Ecological Significance" and "Areas of Ecological Significance Buffer" in the Biodiversity Overlay correspond to parts of the code which is Section 8.5.1 of the other scheme report (see attached). As the code shows, impacts on these areas should be avoided, or if that is impossible, then impacts must be strictly minimised, and preferably offset.

In this case of the proposed footpath along the edge of the Charles and Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve and then through it, the Environmental impacts could be avoided if Council employed some lateral thinking and developed a better plan for the whole area.  

The Local Town Planning Scheme was an expensive and time-consuming project decided after consultation with local residents and Toowoomba Regional Council in 2013.  While Council is likely to be able to legally ignore its own planning scheme it is totally hypocritical for it to do so.

See screen prints of attachments from the Town Plan and the Planning Scheme re Biodiversity areas and the Charles and Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve (which is un-named on this plan and called "Treed Section behind recreational Centre")  The fact that this area is not named is also questionable, when other biodiversity areas such as Williams Park and Franke Scrub have names. It is presumed that this is because the Rogers Reserve is not listed as an official park or Reserve as it was intended, but as freehold land.

See links here to view the Town Plan and Planning scheme by TRC for yourself:

Read more and download the Town Plan for Highfields & Meringandan Here:  http://www.toowoombarc.qld.gov.au/our-region/major-projects/local-plans/highfields-meringandan-meringandan-west

1. Key natural areas - The LP area contains regionally and locally significant natural areas and biodiversity. The escarpment is a key natural area for this LP area. Access — pedestrian, cycle and possibly bridle trail — to and along this green spine will be strengthened with a series of recreation and open space nodes proposed along this edge taking advantage of the views and amenity. Other locally significant natural areas are:
   1. Franke Scrub
   2. William Park and the drainage corridor to the north
   3. The treed area behind the Highfields Recreation Centre (aka Charles & Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve)

Town Planning Scheme of Toowoomba Regional Council stating the Biodiveristy areas of overlay code which relate to the areas of ecological significance map by TRC below.

Areas of Ecological Significance and Areas of Ecological Significance Buffer shown on the TRC Regional Planning Scheme.

The Toowoomba Regional Council Planning Schemes can be downloaded from the TRC Website here:
http://www.toowoombarc.qld.gov.au/planning-and-building/planning-scheme

We suggest you look at Page 36 on the Part 8 - Overlays section of the Toowoomba Planning Scheme which clearly outlines the restrictions placed on a Biodiversity area.  

Say NO to any encroachment into Rogers Reserve for pathway 12/03/14

Recent requests for information from the local Toowoomba Regional Councillors has met with their responses explaining that no tree removal will be performed for the 2nd pathway proposal as part of the TRC's "Compromise" Plan.  This is a stated Fact.  Here are other facts:

FACTS:

1. No trees will be removed for the 2nd path plan proposed through the Charles and Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve at Highfields
2. Undergrowth from a certified area of Biodiversity Remnant Bushland in a regional ecosystem type 12.5.6, which is classified as endangered by the Qld. Department of Environment and Heritage Protection will be removed to make way for the new path proposal if it is approved.
3. There are no ecological or environmental laws protecting this reserve if Council feels that community facilities are required within its perimeter. 
4. No logical reason has been provided to explain the need  for a path to go through the reserve, when many other options including one wholly beside the reserve in the footpath precinct is available.
5. The Reserve land was donated to the people of Highfields to ensure is preservation 20 years ago by generous local residents. 
6. The original hand-over records and agreements from Charles Rogers and Crows Nest Shire Council were requested by the public from the Crows Nest Shire Council Offices have been removed from the Crows Nest Shire Chambers by Toowoomba Regional Council and these records have since been “misplaced or lost!”
7.  The Rogers Reserve is one of the only patches of remnant dry rainforest bushland left in the Highfields area.
8. The Rogers Reserve is home to the Koala, Gliders, Echidnas, Possums, Bandicoots, Birds and Butterflies, any removal of their habitat either undergrowth or trees will result in a decline of their vital habitat.
9. The Rogers Reserve is home to three vulnerable native plant species and one endangered native plant species and have been identified by an ecologist.
10. Despite being marked on TRC's recently released new town plan as "Conservation (Area of Environmental Concern)", we are now told that the land is not classed as a bushland reserve or a public park, but is a freehold allotment and TRC is free to sell it any time it chooses.
11. A pathway through obscured bushland is not a safe option for children or local residents to use on a daily basis.
12. The TRC Roads and Drainage department confirmed that O’Brien Road is earmarked on the future town plan for road-widening to 4 lanes and that the Charles and Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve will lose at least 20 metres of land for this road widening in the very near future.
13. Only two Councillors (Cr Bill Cahill & Cr Sue Englart) have publicly declared that they are against any encroachment for community facilities into the endangered ecosystem of the Charles and Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve and plan to vote against the 2nd path proposal on the 17th March 2014.
14. Rate payers are voted in by the public to speak for the people with regards to their concerns in their local region.

We would like to believe that the Toowoomba Regional Councillors have the best interest of the local community at heart.  If this is the case, I would suggest you mention any of the above FACTS to your favourite councillor and see what response you are met with.  As mentioned above, this pathway through the reserve is only an option, it is not the only option.  Alternative options are:

1.  Footpath solely  on the existing footpath preceint on O'Brien Road on the edge of the Rogers Reserve.

2.  Students use the existing footpath on Rogers Drive to walk to and from the new High School and sporting and cultural facilities.

3.  The footpath on the eastern side of O'Brien Road is finished (currently it is partly cemented) and is extended along O'Brien Road to the School, with a pedestrian crossing supplied.

What can we do?  With only 6 days until the next vote is made, and with council staff keen to get their footpath started, it is vital that the public speaks out about their concerns.
If you share our belief that this reserve, with its carefully preserved natural environment, is a vital component of the "heart" of Highfields, now is the time to let TRC know. Their vote next Tuesday is not just about a path. It gives permission for the thin edge of a wedge which could destroy the this reserve, bit by bit.
A brief email sent to all the councillors before next Tuesday's Council meeting would be timely. If we all do it, it may produce the desired result.

1.       
Things you can do:
1.      Contact the TRC Councillors and Mayor with your concerns By Email. (see links to their email addresses below. It's easy enough to state your case in a brief email and cut and paste it to all.  An example is provided below, or better still – write your own)

2.      Contact the TRC Councillors by TEXT Message (Copy and paste the text below and send to all councillor numbers provided)
2.      Sign the online petition for the original request for the footpath re-location & ask your friends and neighbours to do so also.
3.      Share this Email and its contents where ever you can.
4.      Encourage others to stand up for what is right and save this area from the destruction that will be its destiny if we do not act.

 Do you remember who you voted for?  Do you expect them to speak for the local citizens and for the publics property?  Remind them of the reasons you voted for them in the first place.

EMAIL EXAMPLE TO COPY & PASTE & SEND TO TRC COUNCILLORS:  "I ask TRC's Councillors to vote against the proposal to put any footpath, apart from the existing environmentally sensitive narrow gravel path, through the understorey of the Charles and Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve at Highfields. I do not support the view that the shortened "compromise" footpath proposal is acceptable. I ask the councillors to support the retention of the total area of the reserve as a complete ecosystem with all its component parts, from tall trees to understorey, as intended by its very generous donor, Mr Charles Rogers."

SEND A TEXT TO ALL COUNCILLORS:  "I ask TRC's Councillors to vote against the proposal to put any footpath, through the understorey of the Charles and Motee Rogers Bushland Reserve at Highfields. I do not support the view that the shortened "compromise" footpath proposal is acceptable. I ask the councillors to support the retention of the total area of the reserve as a complete ecosystem from tall trees to understorey, as intended by its very generous donor, Mr Charles Rogers."

Link to All Council’s Emails -   http://www.toowoombarc.qld.gov.au/about-council/councillors

Councillors Mobile Phone Numbers – Cr Mike Williams 0428 182 976, Cr Geoff McDonald 0499 774 276, Cr Ros Scotney 0427 578 264 , Cr Carol Taylor 0417 723 948, Cr John Gouldson 0499 774 273, Cr Chris Tait 0499 774 274, Cr Anne Glasheen 0408 718 720, Cr Sue Englart 0499 774 271, Cr Nancy Sommerfield 0499 774 278 , Mayor Cr Paul Antonio 0429 954 109 

Original Petition Address - https://www.change.org/en-AU/petitions/toowoomba-regional-council-preserve-charles-motee-rogers-bushland-reserve-at-highfields

Reserve Blog/Website – http://www.rogersreserve.blogspot.com

Facebook Page:  https://www.facebook.com/charlesandmoteerogersbushlandreserve

(*For those interested, the reserve is regional ecosystem type 12.5.6, which is classified as endangered by the Qld. Department of Environment and Heritage Protection.)

I would sincerely like to thank everyone who has supported the petition to ensure the longevity of this precious bushland reserve in Highfields.  Your support and encouragement has shown the local community spirit at its best, and I am truly grateful to each and everyone of you.

Kind Regards,

Judi Gray

(Petition Organizer)