NSW farmer fined over $2 million for devastating koala habitat
- Auen Grain cleared over 1,262 hectares of native vegetation, affecting 30 threatened species.
- The court found no evidence of remorse from Greentree or Auen Grain regarding their actions.
- The case highlights the ongoing struggle to protect wildlife habitats from illegal land-clearing activities.
In the north-west of New South Wales, Australia, a significant legal case concluded regarding unlawful land-clearing activities. Ronald Greentree, a prominent farmer and former chair of GrainCorp, along with his company Auen Grain, was penalized more than $2 million due to their illegal acts that occurred on a property named Boolcarrol. Between December 2016 and January 2019, Greentree and Auen Grain cleared 1,262 hectares of land which was home to several threatened species, including the koala and the Glossy Black Cockatoo. This clearing took place to establish a private airstrip, as well as agricultural facilities like crops and cattle yards. The New South Wales government emphasized that these actions severely impacted critical habitats crucial for biodiversity conservation in the region.