Australia's: Queensland, is destroying over 100,000 hectares of native vegetation yearly

Australia's rainforest state, Queensland, is destroying well over 100,000 hectares of native vegetation a year, and rising, write Martine Maron, Bill Laurance & colleagues, including 'at risk' habitats and Koala bear forests. This is more than reversing the entire nation's eco-restoration programs and pushing endangered species ever closer to extinction.
The loss of native vegetation cover in is one of the major drivers of the deteriorating water quality in the Great Barrier Reef's lagoon, which threatens seagrass, coral reefs, and other marine ecosystems.
Land clearing has returned to Queensland in a big way.
After we expressed concern that policy changes since 2012 would lead to a resurgence in clearing of native vegetation, this outcome was confirmed by government figures released late last year.
It is now clear that land clearing is accelerating in Queensland. The new data confirm that 296,000 hectares of bushland was cleared in 2013-14 - three times as much as in 2008-09 - mainly for conversion to pastures.
These losses do not include the well-publicised clearing permitted by the government of nearly 900 square kilometres at two properties, Olive Vale and Strathmore, which commenced in 2015.


http://www.theecologist.org/blogs_and_comments/commentators/2987227/queenslands_land_clearance_is_costing_australia_and_its_wildlife_dear.html