SYDNEY AIR NO PICNIC

I was dismayed to find in the August Journal a flyer from Kuring-gai council in which it pursues its utterly phony campaign against the planned route of the Chatswood-Parramatta rail link.

Phony, because this council has a history of opposing rail links through its area although with its very high level of car ownership, its residents do their share in polluting Sydney’s air.

Lane Cove Park is a National Park in name only – it is a picnic area which already has a stream of motor vehicles passing through on weekends and holidays – far noisier, intrusive and polluting than a bridge and an occasional train would ever be.

Environmental issues of greater substance are:

q (poor) air quality – over 250,000 people in Sydney suffer from respiratory diseases caused by or aggravated by vehicle exhaust fumes.

q Greenhouse gas contributions from motor vehicles.

NPA leadership and Sydney Branch committee should remember that a large number of NPA members are environmentalists first and foremost and National Parks are only one aspect of the total environment.

NPA should at the very least allow a representative from a recognised public transport users group, e.g. Action for Public Transport, equivalent space in the Journal.

Norman Rich
Newport
16 August 2001

NPWS ARE ON THE JOB

I am writing to reassure your readers, in particular John Morrison of Burwood (NPJ June 2001), that the rangers of the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service are working hard to ensure that NSW national parks, nature reserves and state recreation areas are managed to the highest standard.

The role of rangers in managing parks and reserves is complemented by field officers and project officers, who together look after over 5.5 million hectares (6.7% of NSW), in over 500 reserves. Rangers’ duties cover a wide range of nature conservation, heritage management and visitor services tasks.

The level of knowledge, experience and professionalism required of rangers is very high. In addition to such duties as law enforcement rangers are also responsible for:

• Developing statutory planning documents such as reserve plans of management

• Developing fire management plans; assisting with threatened species recovery plans

• Planning and undertaking feral animal and weed control

• Undertaking fire management activities e.g. wildfire suppression, hazard reduction burning

• Developing heritage conservation plans

• Working with Aboriginal people to protect cultural heritage

• Environmental assessment of works and activities

• Developing visitor and recreation plans and supervising the construction of visitor facilities

• Licensing and liaising with commercial tour operators

• Community consultation on a wide range of issues

• Undertaking and supervising biodiversity surveys and a range of scientific research

• Developing interpretation and education programs and implementing them

Rangers also have duties relating to conservation of natural and cultural heritage in the community. They are responsible for:

• Working with local community groups to facilitate bush regeneration and other community conservation activities

• Issuing and enforcing wildlife licences and implementing wildlife laws

• Wildlife incidents, such as protecting whales and removing snakes from backyards

• Negotiating voluntary conservation agreements

• Assisting with the protection of Aboriginal cultural heritage

The job of a ranger is diverse and challenging. They play an important role in the communities they live in and the work that they do enables over 20 million visitors per year to enjoy our parks and reserves. The role of rangers is complemented by the on the ground work of field officers, and the other NPWS staff who work to make visiting a national park or reserve a special experience for so many people.

Brian Gilligan
Director-General
NPWS
13 August 2001

NADGEE – PURE SCIENCE

I was interested to read the thoughts of Allan Fox and John Dorman on science and wilderness in Nadgee in the June and August issues of the NPJ.

I agree with both Allan and John that the Nadgee Plan of Management needs to recognise the highly significant role of Nadgee as a scientific resource, not least because it contains the most intact catchment along the whole New South Wales coast.

Nadgee was first identified as wilderness in the Helman report back in the 1970s. The formal declaration under the Wilderness Act is not 'political correctness', but rather a recognition of the value of Nadgee as the State’s only significant area of wild coastal land. Nor need the wilderness dedication thwart science.

In the same way scientists have adapted techniques to meet community concerns regarding animal welfare, they can make changes to research procedures to limit their impacts on the Nadgee’s supreme wilderness values.

Roger Lembit
Campsie
28 August 2001

NAME'S NOT THE TOPS

I am disappointed in the review 'Yeranda at Barrington Tops and the Bower' in the supplement to the National Parks Journal, April 2001.

The Main Creek Road on which both these properties lie comes off the Dungog-Gloucester Road at a point some 20 km or so from Barrington Tops.

Why should the name Barrington Tops be given to tourist accommodation, no matter how good in other ways, that is so far from and relatively inaccessible to that area?

Dr Kevin Orr
Blakehurst
22 April 2001

The New Zealand Way

I haved lived in New Zealand for ten years and was thoroughly impressed by the walkways and huts throughout the North and South Island. When I recently visited the Waa Gorge on the edge of Kaputar National Park I was surprised that the Park lacked outdoor development. It was disappointing to read that camping was banned.

Australia may lack the grandeur of the Southern Alps but has some outstanding rock climbing and bush walking country which will benefit the local and international public with better promotion.

Roger Greene
Burwood
31 May 2001

VEHICLES OFF BEACHES 
Thank you for your timely article ‘Fighting for our Beaches’ by Alan Catford (NP Journal, April) . We certainly intend to step up the campaign and have recently formed the Get Vehicles off our Beaches Association GVOOBA in the Bellingen/Coffs Harbour area.

The Bellingen Shire Beach Vehicle Users Association claims that the NPWS permit system for driving on North Beach in Bongil Bongil National Park is working well.

Our experiences of vehicles on the beach tell a quite different tale. At Christmas a driver lost control of his vehicle and ploughed through the middle of families picnicking.

The NPWS Plan of Management has provision for a review of the permit system in five years time.

If any readers would like to join our association they are most welcome. We are happy to provide support to those fighting similar battles on other beaches either within or outside National Parks.

Bruce Champion
Repton
5 June 2001

THE ENGLISH WAY 
I write to support Vincent Serventy’s continued championing of regional parks (NPJ, June). These are rural areas whose characteristic landscape beauty and other environmental values deserve special protection.

I was born and bred in such an area, the Peak District, which 50 years ago became the first national park to be declared in England and Wales.

Fifty years on there is no doubt whatsoever about the success of this park. An area that faced being swallowed up by cities has not grown in population at all…and the very large number of visitors are well catered for.

As Vincent Serventy says, a similar approach, complementary to our national parks, would greatly benefit Australia. As Director of the ACF from 1973 to 1986 I endeavoured to win acceptance for the idea with mixed success.

If a leaf is to be taken out of the successful English book, the following are essential.

•the backing of legislation

•a sense of partnership between residents and visitors

•a separate plan for each park to guide the control of development and positive action

•a special authority for each park

•a living landscape approach

Geoff Mosley
Hurstbridge Vic
7 June 2001