The State government’s landmark acquisition of 352,589-ha Vergemont Station is an unprecedented win for western Queensland’s threatened species and a call to action for nature lovers and adventurers Imagine you could explore a natural wonderland bigger than the USA’s Yosemite National Park within a day’s drive of Brisbane. A place of incredible arid landscapes and […]
Securing our national park protected areas is half the battle. The other, more important, part is how our national parks are managed to protect their natural beauty for the future. QPWS provide some insight into their Values Based Management Framework approach.
Before we follow other states starry eyed about potential short-term gains, let us examine the costs and benefits of existing ecotourism developments. With this knowledge, there is an opportunity to demonstrate real leadership rather than copy others.
Discussion on a Bill to establish Special Wildlife Reserves (a new class of privately-owned protected area) at an Agriculture & Environment Committee hearing has cleared up some confusion around the name and produced many interesting perspectives, including AgForce’s fears over “locking up land”.
Highlighting the importance of the various land tenures in the protected area estate and the role they play in aiding endangered species, the estimated population of wild northern hairy-nosed wombats – one of the world’s rarest species – has almost doubled since the successful reintroduction program commenced at the Richard Underwood Nature Refuge in 2009. There’s more cause for celebration, with the arrival of the species’ first joey recorded in Queensland for five years!
Ten years equals almost 5000 turtle nests protected, 110,000 feral animals removed, 27 tonnes of fishing nets cleaned up on Queensland’s ocean foreshore and much more! The Indigenous Land and Sea Rangers can be mightily proud of their achievements as this fantastic program completes its first decade.
Queensland Environment Minister Steven Miles has introduced a Bill to Queensland Parliament to create a new category of protected area: Special Wildlife Reserves. NPAQ President Michelle Prior looks at the increasingly important role played by private protected areas and cautions that there is potential for public protected areas to become more focused on nature-based recreation and tourism.
The State Budget has allocated an extra $40 million over two years for national parks, however only $5 million of that will potentially go towards operational funding and conservation planning. The rest is essentially a tourism spend disguised as environmental dollars. Learn why the Queensland Government’s boast of a record environmental spend isn’t all it’s made out to be.
After being confronted by hordes of tourists jostling for position and blaring music at Uluru, NPAQ President Michelle Prior ponders whether the futureof Australia’s national parks may be heading the same way as America where there has been a loss of the spirit of wilderness preservation.
Australia’s national parks famous worldwide and form part of our national identity. NPAQ President Michelle Prior looks at the abundance of benefits they provide.
