Features

Mining creates a major barrier to reserve dedication. In most cases, mining interests preclude reservation altogether, as the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) has a virtual veto over reserve proposals if they consider the proposed areas have potential mineral deposits.

In some cases areas may be reserved where there is active mining or mining potential. However, the reserve category used for this purpose – State Recreation Area – is inappropriate, as this category often falsely conveys to the public that the areas reserved are suitable for intensive recreation.

Recently as part of the Comprehensive Regional Assessment process, disputed areas have been declared as Crown Reserves vested under the control of the Director General of the NPWS. However this reserve strategy also has limitations because such reserves are outside the public planning process and are dedicated for a period of five years only, with no guarantee of permanent protection.

North-east NSW showing present National Park Estate (black) and other vegetated lands (grey)
Map: John Macris

As we quantify the ecological effects of human
impacts such as massive habitat reduction and enhanced greenhouse, it's becoming clear that our reserve areas — places set aside for the survival of nature — are being required to do more than ever before, against a backdrop of diminishing natural integrity.

It has been acknowledged internationally that a shift is required from viewing protected areas as ecological islands. Modelling of the enhanced greenhouse effect predicts changes in environmental conditions at faster rates than any time in the past 300,000 years. Many species will have to either adapt, relocate or decline.

The World Conservation Union has endorsed a global priority to establish major reserve networks, or macro corridors. These ideally contain well-connected landscapes that track environmental gradients such as latitude and altitude, giving species the best chance of migrating in response to climate change or local disturbance.

New South Wales has been subject to more far reaching and substantial modification than most parts of Australia. Remaining natural areas are small, isolated remnants, surrounded by cleared or settled expanses.

A stand-out exception is the forested crescent of land that rises behind the coastal plains and valleys along virtually the entire length of our seaboard - our eastern highlands.

The highlands occasionally back only a very narrow coastal plain, and elsewhere deviate some distance inland. Significant environmental gradients are associated with local geology, soil fertility, altitude, microclimate and exposure to moist or dry air masses. A high diversity of ecological niches are thus provided by topographic successions and all of these variables. This has provided for immense biodiversity. Coupled with the preservation of a series of areas of high natural integrity, this gives us the backbone of a long- distance, long-term corridor of forest habitat.

A new NPA proposal seeks an historic conservation initiative to add sufficient available areas to the reserve system to create a viable conservation corridor in the southern, central and northern sections of the highlands.

Accompanying this would be strategic programs of land acquisition, ecological restoration and voluntary conservation agreements with private landholders to achieve, within a decade or so, an ultimately continuous, viable protected area stretching from the Victorian to Queensland borders, with a number of east–west offshoots.

Recently, a 350 kilometre southern corridor has been
achieved, while the largely continuous series of reserves in the central highlands has been inscribed as the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage area. Some significant links in the north were delivered in 1998, while further areas were placed within a network of informally reserved forestry zonings.

The diversity of the eastern highlands, combined with large connected habitats of relatively high integrity, gives us a major opportunity for achieving a protected macro-corridor of international importance. The full NPA proposal document will shortly be available in print and electronic formats.