A small lizard has paralyzed the construction of more than 300,000 homes.
The Victorian Planning Authority (VPA) has halted progress on three separate district structure plans around Bacchus Marsh, in Melbourne’s west, after the Victorian earless prairie dragon was rediscovered.
This species, thought to be extinct, was detected last year for the first time in half a century, prompting a joint investigation between the state and federal governments.
The lizard’s natural habitat is the volcanic grasslands between Melbourne and Geelong, which have become a hotspot for new development, and sustainability experts are calling for more land to be set aside for conservation.
Planners and developers, obliged to protect the species under federal law, are now scrambling to figure out how they can continue to provide jobs, housing and infrastructure for Victoria’s growing population.
This critically endangered species, thought to be extinct, was detected last year for the first time in half a century.
Linda Allison, chief executive of the Urban Development Institute of Australia Victoria, said Age that a substantial protection zone had been established after the “remarkable find” while a conservation strategy was underway.
“This is a serious concern for the sector as planning work in some of the state’s fastest growing areas has effectively stopped,” he said.
“Early modeling indicates this could potentially affect up to 310,000 homes and 230,000 jobs. This could be a blow to the state government’s commitment to build 800,000 new homes by 2034.’
Allison said the institute was working with all levels of government to protect the lizard while providing housing.
“This issue must be treated as a priority to ensure the longevity of the species and provide security to the industry,” he said.
The lizard’s natural habitat is the volcanic grasslands between Melbourne and Geelong, which have become a hotspot for new developments.
In an update this month, the VPA said it was working with the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) to understand how it would study populations of the lizard in the Parwan Station, Parwan and Merrimu districts.
The VPA said it will be in a position to consider moving this project forward when the department has made these decisions and a strategy is in place to fund the project.
The population of Bacchus Marsh is expected to double to 50,000 by 2041.
The Draft National Recovery Plan said it is “critical” to “stop developments that may pose a risk of inadvertently losing the earless dragon from the grasslands of Victoria or Bathurst”.
A spokesperson for the federal department said projects likely to have a significant impact on a threatened species were required to be submitted for consideration.
He also said they had evolved in grassland habitats that were desirable for urban, industrial, agricultural and renewable energy developments.
These types of projects will likely need approval under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, which protects unique plants, animals, habitats and places.
A spokesperson for the federal department said projects likely to have a significant impact on a threatened species should be submitted for consideration.
The draft report says the federal minister is expected to take a “precautionary approach” where there is uncertainty about the species’ population size and safety when considering projects.
Dr Sarah Bekessy, professor of sustainability and urban planning at RMIT, said less than one per cent of Victoria’s original volcanic grass plains remain.
In December, a breeding program at Melbourne Zoo managed to breed 16 males and 13 females as part of efforts to improve their chances of recovery.
“We have to be very careful when looking for the dragon and if we find it, this place should not be developed,” he said.
‘There are not enough viable patches of this ecosystem for it to be a self-sustaining population. We really urgently need to consider purchasing land and creating new reserves.’
Wildlife specialist Manfred Zabinskas, hired by developers to take into account the impact the projects have on animals, told the Herald of the sun “we only have one chance.”
“Because they are so special and threatened, we have to do everything we can to save them,” he said.
Animal Justice Party MP Georgie Purcell also supported conservation efforts.
“The government should not cower under pressure from powerful developers and should take the same approach when it comes to kangaroos and koalas that are routinely decimated by developers,” he said.
When the lizard was rediscovered in Melbourne last year, experts hailed it as similar to the discovery of the extinct Tasmanian tiger.
In December, a breeding program at Melbourne Zoo managed to breed 16 males and 13 females as part of efforts to improve their chances of recovery.