Destruction of woodland at Beverley Grove in Kingsgrove begins. Credit:Peter Rae "That's not irony, it's an insult," Deb Little, said president of the Wolli Creek Preservation Society, adding that crews were expected to return on Thursday to complete the clearing. About 1.4 hectares of the critically endangered Cooks River-Castlereagh Ironbark Forest is earmarked to be cleared at the site in part to provide parking bays for construction equipment being used for the WestConnex motorway project. "It's a beautiful place and it's so sad to see it go for something so unnecessary," Colin Hesse, a member of the Wolli Creek Preservation Society, involved in Wednesday's protest action. "It makes me pretty upset." Mr Hesse said about eight workers had earlier stopped clearing after removing a small patch of vegetation that had been occupied by blue wrens just days ago.

Requiem for a forest: Protesters at the Wolli Creek site on Wednesday. Credit:Peter Rae According to data from 2002, only about 1000 hectares, or about 7 per cent, of the original ironbark forest remains, mostly in western Sydney. The habitat lies mostly on clay soils derived from deposits of ancient river systems, and is known to be home to powerful owls, among other vulnerable species. Protester being hauled away by police from the clearing site on Wednesday. Credit:Peter Rae Mehreen Faruqi, Greens environment spokeswoman, was among those witnessing the clearing.

"The needless destruction of critical habitat to make way for WestConnex is heartbreaking to watch,

especially on Threatened Species Day," Dr Faruqi said.



"This just highlights yet again the massive flaws in the planning and biodiversity offset systems where endangered ecological communities can be cleared without even having to secure an offset."



Mark Speakman, the environment minister, has defended the clearing, saying the new M5 conditions of approval require the Beverley Grove site clearing be offset entirely by protection of other Cooks River-Castlereagh Ironbark Forest. Protesters at the Beverly Grove site earlier this week. Credit:Steven Siewert "The BioBanking agreements for this offset have not been finalised but I am advised that Sydney Motorway Corporation is in negotiations with landholders to supply the offsets," Mr Speakman told Fairfax Media. "These offset agreements increase protection and also require land to be managed in a way that improves its biodiversity values," he said. Powerful owls have been spotted in the endangered woodland. Credit:Animals in the Wild

Ms Little, though, said offsets were of "dubious value", noting the Beverley Grove site was supposed to have been protected in perpetuity when the M5 was built. Most of the other ironbark sites were in similarly small patches, and should not be used as compensation. Digging in: Westconnex project near Kingsgrove. Credit:Steven Siewert Loading "They should be preserved," Ms Little said. "They shouldn't be knocking them down anyway."

Follow Peter Hannam on Twitter and Facebook. Part of the woodland in the Wolli Creek area near the M5 due to be cleared.