LEG has been advocating for the environment in the Lithgow area since 2005. There are 83 names on our Register of Members, but the actual work gets done by a small group of less than 10 dedicated volunteers.
We have bimonthly meetings where we discuss local environment issues and organise the work. We do collaborate with the Blue Mountains Conservation Society, Bathurst Climate Action Network, the Central West Environment Council and Nature Conservation Council.
Some of the things we do are:
- Write submissions on environmental issues,
- Run education stalls at local events,
- Volunteer at tree plantings with the Local Lands Services
- Sit on various Community Consultation Committees
- LCC’s Environment Advisory Committee
- Monitor water quality in our local waterways and
- Run an Indian Myna reduction program with 60 local hosts trapping the invasive species.
At times it has been hard to be speaking out for the environment in our mining town. Many livelihoods have depended on work that has big environmental impacts. Yet while we seek to ‘Preserve The Balance Of Nature’ and find ways to reduce the impact we all have on our environment, we also have been very conscious of the social impacts that are affecting our region. For example, we recently we have joined a NSW coal communities delegation to NSW Parliament, lobbying for just economic transition supports for mining communities as they progressively move away from coal mining and burning for electricity production.
One successful campaign achieved the declaration of the Gardens of Stone State Conservation Area. We had initially campaigned for the former NSW State Forest land to become part of the National Parks, but that would have meant that the three local coal mines would have had to stop. So, a compromise was found whereby mining underground can still continue while the surface is protected and developed by National Parks and Wildlife Service to the wonderful nature-based tourism facilities we are seeing pop up now. This is but one example of how good environmental outcomes can be good for local economies also.
We hope that the balance of nature can similarly be achieved in the numerous large projects in the planning for Lithgow – windfarms, pumped hydro, batteries… Len Ashworth of the Lithgow Mercury once described us as “The Mouse that Roars”, and we hope we will be ‘roaring’ for many more years.
We have recently lost three key members, and we are in the process of reorganising our activities. It all needs a lot of work, and if you are interested and able to join, we would welcome you very much.
Website at https://www.lithgowenvironment.au/
Email: lithgowenviro@gmail.com
