I heard it but I can't believe it. A phone call this evening informed me of a plant to drain a wetland on the Barrington Tops area in New South Wales, about two hours north of Sydney. The area of interest is Poll Blue Swamp, a pristine montane area rich in orchids both terrestrial and epiphytic. The status of the land is uncertain at the moment but the plan is to drain the swamp and mine the area for sapphires and rubies. Information says these are of average quality. Hard to belive in this so-called enightened age this type environmental savagery could still be permitted. More information will be available in the next week as facts are uncovered. Alan W Stephenson National Conservation Officer Australasian Native Orchid Society Conservation Director Australian Orchid Council
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