6 APRIL 1999
Landholder's legacy saves precious woodland
A landholder's generous offer to the NPWS has resulted in the protection of a significant wildlife corridor linking the bushland of the Blue Mountains to the coast, providing a haven for the rich diversity of wildlife in the area.
In February of this year, Environment Minister Pam Allan joined Member for Penrith and Minister for Community Services, Faye Lo Po, in announcing a joint State and Federal Government $1.3 million rescue plan to add 75 hectares of threatened Cumberland Plain woodland to Mulgoa Nature Reserve, in Sydney's west. The land was acquired from former owner Ted O'Loughlin in an effort to conserve the last of this type of wood land.
The Mulgoa NR is closely bounded by numerous Sydney suburbs and is one of the few remaining tracts of land in the City's west to resist the pressure of an increasing human population.
Since colonial days, urban development has had significant impacts on the Cumberland Plain woodland and the wildlife that it supports. Early Sydney residents quickly discovered that the west's shale-based lands were more fertile than the land along the coast, prompting large areas to be cleared for wheat and grazing.
Over the years, the Cumberland Plain was fragmented, creating barriers for animal species at tempting to move between the Blue Mountains and coastal areas.
Mr O'Loughlin's decision to overlook offers from land developers in favour of NPWS conservation means that animals such as the masked owl, swamp wallaby and the ring-tailed possum will have greater protection.
Liz Rossiter
Environment News, Views
A free-flowing river
The NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service has just published a book on the Paroo - A Free-Flowing River: the ecology of the Paroo River. It was edited by Dr Richard Kingsford, Senior Scientific Officer with the NPWS, and contains papers by eminent river and wetland ecologists as well as researchers of human-river interactions.
There are very few free-flowing rivers left in the dry regions of the world. In such places, it galls many to see water run uncontrolled, free.
But to those who know the benefits of a flood, the beauty of the untamed, or the scientific value of unfettered ecosystems, the Paroo is special. It is the last free-flowing river in the degraded Murray Darling Basin: no big dams, little interference with its highly variable flow, and no broad-scale irrigation.
The papers in A Free-Flowing River were delivered at a scientific workshop held on the Paroo at Hungerford in July 1997, which was organised in response to the threat of the westward migration of irrigation, particularly for cotton.
The common themes throughout the papers, of the importance of natural flows, of flood and drought, and the ecological responses these engender, are the basis upon which the book advocates `no irrigation' on the Paroo - and are themes applicable to many inland rivers.
The book's publication is timely - six weeks from a NSW State election in which the Coalition is promising new dams, more water for irrigation and less for the environment in the Murray-Darling Basin. The strong links between flow regulation and environmental degradation made in the book reinforce the importance of limiting further water extraction for irrigation in the Basin, and the continued release of water for environmental purposes. The Murray-Darling Basin Cap and environmental flows are two key aspects of water reform in NSW, and must be main tained to achieve sustainable water management.
A Free-Flowing River is available from the NPWS, Hurstville, ph 02 9585 6444, for $35.
Stuart Blanch
Coordinator Inland Rivers Network
New Shadow Minister
The State Opposition have appointed a new Shadow Minister for the Environment, Marie Ficarra. NPA representatives Tom Fink, Anne Reeves and Noel Plumb were recently party to an extensive briefing session with the Shadow Minister. Southern Sydney Branch have had a long acquaintance with Ms Ficarra, and will also be meet ing with her soon.
Africa matters
Congratulations to Emmanuel J Gereta, author of the article on Tanzania in the December NPJ. He was then Senior Park Ecologist at Serengeti NP, but has recently been promoted to Chief Ecologist for all Tanzanian national parks.
The World Conservation Union will be holding its next world con ference (a one-in-ten-year event) in Africa. Planning is now under way for the 2002 conference.
Lane Cove crossing off the tracks?
For years community and environment groups have been calling for a change in direction for Sydney's transport planning - from private cars to public rail.
There has been a slow turnaround, including the announce ment of a number of new rail projects, especially the mooted Chatswood to Parramatta railway.
This railway is a project supported by many conservationists because of its potential contribution to the reduction of local road traffic and air pollution, as well as a global contribution to reducing fossil-fuel consumption and green house gases.
But the initial picture of a largely underground rail line with little surface impact is beginning to look more and more doubtful. At initial community meetings to discuss the proposal prior to a formal Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), there has been a suspicious narrowing of design options, heading the project towards a major disturbance of Lane Cove NP.
There is concern that the park will suffer permanent visual and noise degradation at its most popular point because of a proposed new bridge - which would cross Lady Game Drive - or significant environmental disturbance from a "cut-and-cover tunnel".
Alternatives of a deeper tunnel, or a bridge at the current Epping Road crossing, appear to have been shunted aside by the project managers: they are not compatible with several of the desired station locations. Once again the community is facing a fight to protect its special areas and living amenity, because of the dismissal of these priorities as relatively unimportant, or too expensive.
And whatever happened to the light rail proposal which was the preferred public transport system put forward by community public transport advocates? A proposal which was far more economical, flexible and able to minimise environmental impact.
Concerned readers should contact the EIS project managers, ERM Kinhill, on: 1800 684 490 or GPO BOX 1618, Sydney 2001; and their local MP, to demand that the EIS exclude any options with substantial impact on Lane Cove NP. A community rally is being planned - enquiries to TRACKS, ph 02 9416 9488.
Website on fire
The Nature Conservation Council of NSW has set up a website on bushfire management. The aim is to support the community in under standing the role of fire, and to assist those involved in the prepa ration of bushfire risk management plans. The address is www.nccnsw.org.au/bushfire.html Anne Reeves, as a member of the Bushfire Coordinating Committee, would also like to hear from NPA members with a particular interest in fire matters. You can contact Anne via Head Office.
Save Kosciuszko
The Carr Government is poised to decide the future of Kosciuszko National Park (KNP) in the light of the recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the proposed expansion of the Perisher Range Resorts. This decision, through the Minister for Planning, will also set the agenda for many other development versus conservation decisions in our parks (see NPJ February 1999).
NPA has made a submission to the Premier and the Minister strongly rejecting the COI Report on the following grounds: the protection of the ecosystems within KNP is the most significant use of the park, not " snow sports" as stated in the COI; the proposed development is primarily an urban (village) real estate and commercial development, rather than a skiing development more validly related to the nature-based recreational objectives of the park; the proposed development is not lawful nor appropriate within the park under the National Parks and Wildlife Act; the proposed development contradicts planning strategies of the Department of Planning, which point to the existing towns in the region (not the ski resorts in KNP) as the sites for major accommodation and commercial development; the environmental carrying capacity of the park has not been assessed prior to consideration of the proposal for additional urban development; additional information placed before the COI was still insufficient to amend the defects which had caused the local council and the COI itself to find the Environmental Impact Statement inadequate.
The real crux of the matter is whether we are prepared to see our national parks treated as development sites and sold to the highest bidder.
It is most important that you let the Premier and the Minister know, loud and clear, that you oppose the Perisher Resorts expansion and, indeed, any development within national parks. Send your letters to: Premier Bob Carr, Level 40, Governor Macquarie Tower, 1 Farrer Place, Sydney 2000; and Minister for Planning, Craig Knowles, Level 33, Governor Macquarie Tower, 1 Farrer Place, Sydney 2000.
Noel Plumb Executive Officer
8 APRIL 1999
Gwydir landholders in agreement Cath Webb*
World Wetlands Day - 2 February 1999 - was a landmark day for the embattled Gwydir wetlands. After three years of discussions between NPA, World Wide Fund for Nature and a number of local landholders, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the land holders, the conservation groups and the State and Commonwealth governments. The landholders also agreed to listing of their properties (totalling over 1000 hectares) with the Ramsar Convention on Wet lands.
Over the past 20 years the Gwydir wetlands have been dying due to water extraction for irrigation use, weed invasion and clearing for agriculture. The MoU sets new standards for wetlands conservation on private land, by setting out the rights and responsibilities of landholders as stewards and custodians of the Gwydir wetlands.
The MoU and Ramsar listing are being supported by the land holders in order to maintain and enhance the social, environmental and economic values of the area.
The Ramsar Convention The Ramsar Convention on Wet lands is the major international inter-governmental agreement for the protection and sustainable use of important wetlands.
The Convention on Wetlands was adopted in 1971 following a meeting in Ramsar, Iran. Its aims are to list wetlands of international importance and encourage better protection of wetlands generally.
To recognise these benefits, the Convention promotes the "wise use" of wetlands - which equates to sustainable use - and stresses the importance of managing entire catchments.
The Gwydir wetlands The Gwydir wetlands are located along 95 km of the Gingham and Lower Gwydir watercourses west of Moree where flat, overland grades allow shallow, extensive flooding over as much as 200,000 hectares. The wetlands are a terminal inland delta of the Gwydir River. Although highly variable, on average flooding can occur one out of every two years.
The Gwydir region contains a number of different types of wet land environments, namely water couch and Bolboschoenus fluviatilis pasture, with some bullrush and lignum, and areas of coolabah and black box floodplain wood lands. The area of Bolboshoenus is thought to be the largest remaining in NSW.
The Gwydir wetlands are recognised as internationally important to the nesting and breeding of water bird populations. Around 225 species of birds have been recorded in the wetlands area, of which 58 species are waterbirds. A number of waterbirds which are rare in NSW are found in the wet lands, including jabiru, magpie geese and freckled duck.
Most of the wetlands are in private ownership and used mainly for cattle and sheep grazing. A few properties have irrigation development, mainly for cotton production.
There are no publicly owned conservation reserves in the wetlands, and it is unlikely that the governments concerned would allocate funds to purchase such land in the foreseeable future.
Grazing in the wetlands meets sustainable use criteria, and the current water-sharing rules (agreed to by a broad range of shareholders) are an essential element of the planning and resource manage ment framework.
The agreement The Memorandum of Understanding signed on World Wetlands Day sets out each party's commitments to supporting good management of the wetlands in consultation with all parties, and to seeking the agreement of the landholders prior to any change in management policy.
Under the MoU, nominated wetlands would continue to be managed for sustainable livestock production by the landholders, as well as for conservation. As the areas would remain under private ownership, there would be no public access to the nominated properties. In future, should the landholders concerned seek to diversify their businesses, they may choose to benefit from appropriate ecotourism.
The listing of the privately owned wetlands under the Ramsar Convention would be in perpetuity.
Although no legally binding agree ment is being entered into, State and Commonwealth governments would need to take the listing into account when considering new developments and water diversions that may affect the wetland.
This is the first time in Australia that private landholders have voluntarily agreed to use an international convention to provide better protection for the environment on their own land. The good will of the landholders and the support from both NPA and WWF were pivotal to the success of the negotiations.
* Cath Webb is the NPA/WWF Western NSW Project Officer and coordinated the MoU negotiations.