Latest News

Court decision puts further pressure on endangered species

MEDIA RELEASE - 08 June 2023     COURT DECISION PUTS FURTHER PRESSURE ON ENDANGERED SPECIES - SCEC The Sunshine Coast Environment Council (SCEC) is extremely disappointed with the decision delivered in the Planning and Environment Court today (08 June) by Her Honour Judge Kefford DCJ to uphold the Sunshine Coast Council’s contentious approval of the Sekisui development proposal at Yaroomba....

Vale Des Ritchie-a true Green Legend

  DES RITCHIE, MA, BCommm, Dip Agr, OAM AWARDED HONORARY LIFE MEMBERSHIP OF SCEC IN 1994 Desmond Maurice Ritchie was born in 1931 in Ballnamallard, Northern Ireland, and spent his childhood years on family farms there and in Enniskillen. He attended college in Dublin and worked in the early days of computers in London, Ireland, Canada and then Australia, but was drawn back to the farming lifein Torbanlea, Queensland. Des arrived on the Sunshine Coast in 1979 and explored living in a community called Shalom in the...

Make this Earth Day EPA Day!

This Earth Day we need to make a real difference for Queensland. On Saturday 22 April, we will be urging the State Government to announce a new independent Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for Queensland - the only state without one! Will you help make 22 April EPA Day? The window of opportunity is closing fast, so our collective voice and strong support could make the establishment of an independent EPA a reality in this term of government. There needs to be a Queensland equivalent working alongside the new Federal EPA - an independent,...

People power stands tall after year long battle to save forest

By Narelle McCarthy, Sunshine Coast Environment Council IT WAS Margaret Mead who said: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” And, indeed we have seen this in the fight and wonderful win to protect Ferny Forest, a 130ha section of the Beerwah State...

Community Celebrates as Ferny Forest Protection Confirmed

MEDIA RELEASE     14 December 2022 COMMUNITY CELEBRATES AS FERNY FOREST PROTECTION CONFIRMED Sunshine Coast Environment Council (SCEC) and Save Ferny Forest have welcomed the announcement that an important 130ha section of Beerwah State Forest, locally known as ‘Ferny Forest’ will not be logged. The Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF)’s plan to log the forest was strenuously opposed by SCEC,...

Wildlife corridors needed from the floodplains to the forests

  Increasing urbanisation brings increasing pressures on our precious native wildlife.  Here on the Sunshine Coast, the landscape from our floodplains to our forests has been heavily fragmented pushing wildlife into  fast diminishing habitat. It's critical the hard-fought for National Parks, State Forests and conservation areas are connected to remaining bushland, wetlands, waterways and core habitat areas to provide...