Henrietta Dubb's Diary

Stockland's Vulnerable Woodland Stewardship

Readers of my diary will know my concern for the woodland adjacent to the Portarlington Road's intersection south of the Bellarine Highway. Some say it is 400 years old. It is slap bang in the middle of the proposed Stockland development site. You can see it drawn on the plans in the Stockland "top shop" office. Go and have a look.

Three Christmases ago, before Stockland came on our scene, I discovered this treasure and took my camera there. The photos are a delight to all who see them. Magnificent.

Since then I regularly visit and take shots of the woodland's changing character. It looks like it is in decline to me. Last Christmas, you may recall, we had very high winds and buckets of rain in one night that made a big impact upon the wood's ecosystem. The ancient wood was battered. I can still see the impact.

I visited it again today. The signs of regular trail-bike riders are clearly evident; their ruts have become deep puddles in the paths. Inconvenient overhanging branches have been broken or cleared away in some parts and it seems to me that this simply allows the joy riders to continue on their joy-riding way.

The entry is now a shadow of the peaceful colonnade that greeted me previously. The proof is in my photos.

It is long past the time that Stockland should take active remedial responsibility for this part of their property. Giving the wood an appropriate fence would be a good follow up the removal of the 'detritus of civilisation' I commented upon previously. There are still cars and auto-artifacts lying around, however.

But having seen the state of the woodland today, I am convinced, more than ever, on the need of a couple of full-time park managers. They need to be appointed NOW by Stockland. That would demonstrate Stockland's bona fides whatever the outcome of their application to commence development.

What's wrong with this corporation? I ask myself. Why haven't they secured the woodland by now? Are they blind? Maybe they have never visited.

The longer the prevarication on this the stronger the attachment of Stockland's public image to the decline in the woodland. That's the irony that Stockland management don't seem to understand. It is urgent. I am no advocate of idealistic economics. We just need good economics. Good economics means good stewardship - active care and respect for people and resources. Narrow, short-term efficiencies that are solely worried about how to make a profit as soon as possible need to be avoided because, as in this case, that will lead to costly distortions later. And the cost of losing this woodland is incalculable. It is of unpriceable scarcity. if you don't believe go and have a walk around it yourself.

If the woodland continues to decline under Stockland's stewardship, will this not have a negative impact on the overall development? It is in that sense an unrecognized danger. Stewardship means conservation and avoidance of waste and sometimes urgent action must not be avoided. NOW the ancient treasure needs to be secured.

It is only when such stewardship becomes part of our dealing with each other, as God's norms for us, that we find the path of openness to take the next step along the way. This is my suggestion for the first step in our dealings with Stockland. Does the developer want to be a part of Point Lonsdale? Really?

Then let it act urgently on what is clearly its own stewardship. It is a privilege Stockland has not yet seemed to appreciate. It now has title deeds to the land and thus its stewardship of an ancient treasure cannot be avoided, anymore than local people should walk away and give up saying, "There is no alternative!". There are always alternatives - now is the time for Stockland to face up to that fact.

Henrietta Dubb, Christian citizen of the 21^st century.

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October 2005 © Henrietta Dubb's Diary, written and published by Bruce C Wearne, 29 Lawrence Rd., Point Lonsdale Vic 3225 AUSTRALIA, 61-3-5258-3913. Each entry in the diary may be photocopied or retransmitted in its entirety but shall not otherwise be reprinted or transmitted without the author's written permission. This project encourages positive Christian citizenship, the development of policies and political attitudes that better express our love for God and our neighbour. Comments are welcome. Email can be sent to: bcwearne@ozemail.com.au  Web-site http://members.ozemail.com.au/~bcwearne/hdd.htm