There’s just 10 days left to submit comments to the Queensland Government’s flying-fox roost management review.

The Department of Environment and Heritage Protection (EHP) is currently consulting on a new approach for flying-fox roost management and seeking feedback to a discussion paper released on 29 May 2013.

Before May this year, anyone wishing to conduct activities that affected flying-fox roosts, specifically destroying a roost?, driving a flying-fox away from a roost, or disturbing a flying-fox in a roost,  had to apply to the EHP for a Damage Mitigation Permit. 

As The Newsport reported, the Department transferred flying-fox roost management to local councils on May 2. Under new laws, councils will have the authority to manage problem roosts without applying for a government Permit. 

The proposed “new approach” addresses current “public concern regarding whether the DMP process is responsive enough to effectively manage the arrival of flying-foxes in a roost or the rapid increase in the size of an existing roost”.

Community consultation and feedback on the discussion paper will be used to help develop the legislation before it comes into effect. 

As well as outlining the new approach, the discussion paper poses a number of questions for consideration. These relate to strategies for dealing with roost dispersal where dependent young are present, council authority over roost management, and non-harmful methods of roost management. 

The discussion paper also notes community concern regarding the relationship between flying-foxes and the Australian Bat Lyssavirus and Hendra Virus.  Though, according to the Cairns and Far North Environment Centre (CAFNEC), “research suggests relocation of colonies will add further stress to these populations, increasing the susceptibility of individuals to disease. The stress of the relocation can actually increase the possibility of virus circulation and transmission in the bat colonies.”

The Cairns Regional Council applied for a Permit to relocate the bat colonies near the Cairns City Library on March 27 of this year. It was the second recent motion brought by Council, with the first voted down in October 2012. The CAFNEC presumes the motion was unsuccessful because of the prohibitive cost of relocation –estimated to be at least $80,000 in the October Council report, with costs increasing if multiple relocations were required.

The discussion paper is available to view at http://www.ehp.qld.gov.au/wildlife/livingwith/flyingfoxes/pdf/roost-management-discussion-paper.pdf

http://www.ehp.qld.gov.au/wildlife/livingwith/flyingfoxes/pdf/roost-management-discussion-paper.pdfFor more information about the community consultation and submission process, visit http://www.getinvolved.qld.gov.au/gi/consultation/1354/view.html

Submissions close 21 June 2013, and can be made by email or post.