Photograph thanks to Steve Hogan

Alcoa Facts at a Glance

154 SCIENTISTS VOICE THEIR CONCERN We, the scientists of Australia urge the WA Government and community of WA to listen to the science and halt the destruction of one of the World’s most important and biodiverse temperate forests – for future generations, for the sake of the planet and to avert an extinction catastrophe.

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ALCOA IS DESTROYING OUR FORESTS

ALCOA IS DESTROYING OUR FORESTS End Mining the World’s Only Jarrah Forest We, the scientists of Australia urge the WA Government and community of WA to listen to the science and halt the destruction of one of the World’s most important and biodiverse temperate forests – for future generations, for the sake of the planet and to avert an extinction catastrophe.

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Response to Report 62 by the Standing Committee on Environment and Public Affairs

The DBCA prescribed burning program is heavily dependent upon a 2009 study by Boer et al., which maintains that the area burned by wildfire decreases when the area burned by prescribed fire increases. The expectation for this concept of leverage was that a small prescribed burn could prevent a large wildfire, but Boer et al. found prescribed burns were 44 times less effective than expected, requiring a large area of prescribed burning to prevent small areas of wildfire.

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Defining and Creating New Protected Areas in the South West Forests Beyond 2024

This mapping envisions how new protected areas can be defined and created in the south west forests Beyond 2024. This process has been conducted in consultation with Traditional Owners, community groups and scientists.

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"Fire regimes that cause biodiversity decline" as a Key Threatening Process

With a decline in rainfall in southwest Australia and higher incidence of wildfires there is a growing interest and perceived need for the deployment of planned fire as a tool to reduce fuel loads

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Coming of age: research shows old forests are 3 times less flammable than those just burned

As coal-fired climate change makes bushfires in Australia worse, governments are ramping up hazard-reduction burning. But our new research shows the practice can actually make forests more flammable. We found over time, some forests “thin” themselves and become less likely to burn – and hazard-reduction burning disrupts this process.

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Self-thinning forest understoreys

As climatic changes continue to drive increases in the frequency and severity of forest fires, it is critical to understand all of the factors influencing the risk of forest fire. Using a spatial dataset of areas burnt over a 65 year period in a 528 343 ha study area, we examined three possible drivers of flammability dynamics

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Submission to: Royal Commission into Natural Disaster Arrangements

We offer this submission as leading Australian experts in areas ranging from fire behaviour to ecology, ecophysiology, forestry and indigenous land management. Our submission addresses national standards on hazard reduction, and the use of traditional Aboriginal knowledge.

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Submission to: Independent Scientific Panel Inquiry into Hydraulic Fracture Stimulation in Western Australia 2017

Fracking, similar to other types of resource extraction, is often considered to have a relatively small development footprint. This is because the actual extraction pads cover a relatively small area. However, the assessment of the footprint and its impact also needs to take into account the linear infrastructure associated with the actual extraction infrastructure.

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Submission from The Leeuwin Group to Environmental Protection Authority Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Reflect the science. Prevent new or expanded fossil fuel production. Apply to all polluters and account for all pollution. Ensure offsets are delivered in WA to benefit our environment.

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Understanding the long-term impact of prescribed burning in mediterranean-climate biodiversity hotspots, with a focus on south-western Australia

Wildfires are expected to increase worldwide both in frequency and intensity owing to global warming, but are likely to vary geographically. This is of particular concern in the five mediterranean regions of the world that are all biodiversity hotspots with extraordinary plant and animal diversity that may be impacted by deliberately imposed fire.

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The Role of an Environmental Court in WA

Presentation for Urban Bushland Council, 6th March 2018: Provision for public engagement in governance. A Better Way: An Environmental Court or Tribunal

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Proposed national heritage listing for "The Kwongkan (Southwest Australia)"

The Kwongkan (Southwest Australia) extends from Shark Bay in the north to the western end of Great Australian Bight in the southeast and encloses a region of exceptional global biodiversity, which is under threat.

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Media Statement BCBill 22 March 2016

Media Statement The Leeuwin Group identifies more science is needed in Biodiversity Conservation Bill

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Media Statement BCBill 1 July 2016

Media Statement 1 1 st July, 2016 The Leeuwin Group calls for more consultation on the Biodiversity Conservation Bill

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Leeuwin Group Comments on BC Bill 22 March 2016

Biodiversity Conservation in Western Australia A Critical Issues Paper prepared in response to the Biodiversity Conservation Bill 2015 March, 2016

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The Leeuwin Group Terms of Reference

The Leeuwin Group (LG) is composed of concerned scientists who are committed to the conservation and protection of Western Australia’s natural environment and biodiversity. Purpose: To provide high-level independent scientific commentary and advice on environmental matters to Government, industry, environmental organisations and managers.

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The Leeuwin Group calls all parties to support an Environment Court in Western Australia. 19th January 2017

Emeritus Professor John Bailey, the convenor of the Leeuwin Group of Concerned Scientists, said "Recent Court findings and Government decisions have demonstrated that WA needs to join the rest of the country and establish an Environment Court urgently"

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