1. 1.  No multistorey buildings over the water (e.g. finger wharves) on the eastern shore of Brisbane Waters;
3. 2.  Retention of the Gosford waterfront and reserves in public ownership – NO sell off of public foreshore land;
5. 3.  Continued public access to foreshore lands and associated  public facilities;
7. 4.  Government should focus efforts on implementing the existing Gosford CBD Plan to revitalize Gosford.

This Event is now booked out (max 100 people)

Breakfast with the Birds – Pioneer Dairy Tuggerah

Saturday 4th February 2012     8-11am

Join us to celebrate World Wetlands Day – Pioneer Dairy, South Tacoma Rd, Tuggerah
(see Events for map)

Activities include guided bird watching walks, breakfast, wetland talks, water testing, dip-netting for water bugs, native plant sale, displays.

Cost: $6 Adults, $3 children (4-16yrs)
RSVP essential for catering by 5pm Thursday 2nd February.
Phone: 4349 4757 or 4349 4756 or email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Download Invite(PDF 462Kb)  for full details

North East Forest Alliance is outraged at the bias of the Federal House of Representatives report ‘Inquiry into the future of the Australian Forestry Industry’ and its refusal to consider the timber supply crisis and the over-logging of north-east NSW’s public forests.
NEFA spokesperson, Dailan Pugh, said that most of the evidence presented in NEFA’s 111 page submission was ignored by the inquiry on the grounds that it “criticised the industry”. “What they didn’t ignore they misrepresented. This pretend inquiry was a sham” he said.
To read the full article go to the NEFA website

The Institute of Foresters of Australia (IFA) today announced it’s support of the findings of the House of Representatives Standing Committee inquiry into the Australian forest industry.
The Committee which is chaired by Dick Adams MP released its report yesterday. ‘Forestry has the potential to supply more building materials to the construction industry, to contribute more renewable energy to the Australian economy, and to improve land management practices across the agricultural sector’. Dick Adams said.
To read the full article go to the IFA website

North coast environment groups have described the extent of coal seam gas exploration licences in NSW as a disaster waiting to happen, and in a submission to the Coal and Gas Strategy have called for an immediate moratorium on any further coal seam gas approvals in NSW.
Submissions closed last Friday on the NSW Coal and Gas Strategy, which was released by the former Labor Government for public exhibition, but which the new Coalition Government has indicated it will probably go on to adopt.
“Just last week, as we finalised our submission to the NSW Coal and Gas Strategy Scoping Paper, we uncovered the full extent of coal seam gas licences across NSW” said Ms Carmel Flint, spokesperson for the North East Forest Alliance. “Using Department of Mineral Resources data, we found that 23.5 million hectares of NSW is already covered by petroleum exploration or production licences, and a further 13.8 million hectares has current applications pending approval. This equates to almost half of NSW.

New South Wales Environment Minister Robyn Parker is moving to amend laws which will allow Forests NSW to harm the endangered population of the yellow-bellied glider on the state's far south.

The documents show Ms Parker is planning changes to the Threatened Species Conservation Act which "authorises harm to the endangered population of the yellow-bellied glider of the.

To read the full story go to ABC News

Right now, the State government is making critically important decisions about the future of wind energy in NSW. It will soon decide on new planning guidelines for wind farms and we need to make sure NSW does not follow Victoria's lead with restrictions on the growth of this important clean industry.

  'Love the River' partners invite you to join the campaign over the summer holidays 2011 / 12. Volunteers are needed at busy boat ramps to raise awareness of the iconic Hawkesbury River.

More information  http://www.cen.org.au/projects/lovetheriver/

Sydney Water (SWC) has requested permission to increase pollution from the Brooklyn Sewerage Treatment Plant (STP) following failure to get the plant to operate correctly over 5 years. Normally a non-performing plant would be fixed to avoid increasing pollution into the river. The discharge occurs from an outlet pipe from the road bridge into the Hawkesbury River.

The Community Environment Network has questioned the motives of Sydney Water in requesting this increased pollution level. Chairman of CEN, John Asquith said: “The plant was designed with high standards to minimize pollution as a compromise to discharging the effluent through Sydney or into the Ocean. Now Sydney Water want to increase pollution and lower the standards rather than fix the plant, why?”

To learn more download "Media Release(PDF 78.7Kb)"

The public are encouraged to provide submissions to the Department of Planning by 14^thNovember 2011 and send a letter to their local MPs.

CEN and locals are campaigning to prevent residential development of Peat Island and associated foreshore.

To learn more download Peat Island Proposal(PDF 255Kb)

The Community Environment Network (CEN) is proud to offer the services of a professional Bush Regeneration Team. CEN has been conducting professional Bush Regeneration Services for over 6 years.

CEN’s Bush Regeneration team has extensive experience in rehabilitating ecosystems including wet and dry sclerophyll forests, rainforest, wetlands, coastal dunes and heathlands. Many of ecosystems that CEN maintains are listed endangered ecological communities including River-flat Eucalypt Forest, Swamp Sclerophyll Forest, Freshwater Wetlands, Littoral Rainforests and Themeda grasslands on seacliffs and coastal headlands.

Emeritus Professor Harry Recher draws on four decades of bird research in Australia to ring the alarm bells on the decline of Australia's small birds. These are the bush birds of our forests, woodlands and suburbs, and he finds that perhaps half of their former populations and abundance have already been lost. He outlines what we can do to save the rest, and concludes that Australia's small birds are too beautiful, too precious, to lose.

Central Coast Marine Discovery Centre promotional video now on Youtude http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5ze-2gIsNI

It is clear that our climate is changing. Over 20 years ago, Dr George Woodwell of the Woods Hole Research Centre testified to the US Senate that:

“The fact is that we, humans, have changed the composition of the atmosphere with respect to heat-trapping gases enough to start the progression of global climate, not into a new steady state, but into an open-ended warming that is pulling the environment out from under this civilization.”  

 US Senate testimony by Dr George Woodwell, 1988

We have added a new "Category" ,called Climate Change, to our "Information" section . The first article in this new category is
"The Answers to Global Warming Scepticism" by Heather Hughes.

It is a A non-technical summary based on: The Scientific Basis for Scepticism about Global Warming by Dr Frederick C. Bell.
Fred Bell had a multidisciplinary background with about 50 years professional experience in government agencies, universities (Australia, USA and UK), and as a consultant in the private sector. In his various academic appointments he lectured in hydrology, quantitative analysis, environmental science and climatology. His recent research and consulting included mathematical modelling of natural processes, environmental impact assessment, risk assessment, catchment management, global warming and sustainable development. He was the author or co-author of about 120 publications and major reports. Sadly, Fred Bell passed away suddenly on 22nd July, 2009.

We have also added Climate Change to our Planning Category in the "Issues"  section. To learn more about planning for Climate Change in the Coastal Regions of NSW go to :http://www.cen.org.au/issues/planning/climatechange.html

Food Integrity Group

FIG is a community organisation dedicated to developing connections between the local community and local food producers, with ethically grown and affordable organic produce the result.

FIG is committed to the long term ecological and social future of the Central Coast through the close support and promotion of sustainable agricultural methods, and is working towards a Community Supported Agriculture system where farmers are paid the “real” cost of growing food.