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New research shows alpine grazing does not reduce blazing

burnt snowgum woodland near Mt Hotham
burnt snowgum woodland near Mt Hotham

The following excerts come from a piece by Grant Williamson, Brett Murphy, and David Bowman published in The Conversation. It seems pertinent given the current proposal to re-introduce cattle into a section of the Alpine national park.

Their actual research report can be found here.

This was not an on-ground research project into how grazing might be used as a fuel management tool. Rather, it was based on an assessment of satellite images of the Victorian Alps. They looked at vegetation maps from the past, and compared them with areas after the cessation of grazing, and also the impacts of extensive areas burnt by fires.

“We overlaid maps of crown scorch derived from satellite imagery following large bushfires in 2002/03 and 2006/07 with the location of pastoral leases. Crown scorch is a measure of fire intensity, based on the degree to which flames have reached a height which enables them to burn the forest canopy”.

They summarise their findings in this way:

“Using geospatial statistics we found that cattle grazing had no effect on the likelihood of crown scorch in eucalypt forests and woodlands.

This result is biologically plausible given that cattle are grazing animals, not browsing animals – they do not extensively feed on woody vegetation focusing on grasses instead. Our study is also consistent with previous ground-based studies that have demonstrated the cattle prefer to graze in grassy areas”.

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new management at lake Mountain & Baw Baw?

wtg_14The Victorian government recently called for Expressions of interest for long term private managers to take on running the Lake Mountain and Mount Baw Baw Alpine Resorts. Tender applications have now closed.

As noted recently on this site, the Victorian Government has previously decided to open up the state’s national parks to further development and private investment. The depth of this agenda is not yet clear.

The government describes Mt Baw Baw as
“an all-season alpine resort, open year round for summer and winter adventures. It is Victoria’s affordable, family friendly ‘learn to ski’ destination. Activities include downhill skiing, snowboarding, cross country skiing, tobogganing, terrain parks and other event in the white season, plus walking, hiking, cycling, downhill and mountain biking and a number of events in the green season”.

And Lake Mountain as
Lake Mountain is a Crown Land reserve which is open year round for summer and winter experiences. It is Victoria’s affordable family getaway in the great outdoors, and is Australia’s premier cross country skiing and snow play resort. Only a two hour drive from Melbourne, Lake Mountain is Melbourne’s closest alpine resort.

Given the prognosis of expected warmer conditions and less reliable snowfalls as a result of climate change, any private operator considering taking on a new project in these lower elevation resorts will need to be building up the ‘green season’ activity at the resorts.

This begs a fairly obvious question: with the pro development agenda of the current state government and a limited ability to run economically viable resorts based on snow activity at lower elevations, what devil in the detail might emerge once the new operators are announced?

Let’s hope this doesn’t become an opportunity for new operators to radically increase the footprint and impact of activity at these resorts.

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Alpine grazing: still no news from government

source: MCAV
source: MCAV

Four days after The Australian newspaper announced that the Victorian government intends to ask the federal government to approve a new grazing trial within the Alpine national park, there is still no statement from the government about its intentions. The environment minister has had the time to issue a media release on the birth of a baby hippo at Werribee zoo, but apparently not to let the Victorian community know what is happening with this controversial proposal.

The grazing announcement has been a long time coming. In January 2013, The Weekly Times reported that the mountain cattlemen had toured Mr Smith to the Wonnangatta Station, specifically to talk about the re introduction of grazing.

Then last week, it was reported that the mountain cattlemen had again toured the Wonnangatta Valley with Mr Smith and also the Upper House MP Philip Davis.

Both the Age and the Australian have run pieces on the visit and subsequent announcement that the Victorian government is moving to gain federal approval to introduce cattle back into the Alpine national park.

The Weekly Times is reporting that a referral for the trial had been sent to the Federal Government on monday November 25.

Any attempt to re-introduce cattle gazing will be highly controversial. It seems strange that the Minister appears to be making announcements via the media, and not communicating directly with the people of Victoria about his intentions by making a detailed statement on the trial.

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National Park logging canned – now to stop ‘ecological thinning’

The New South Wales Government has rejected the recommendations of an Upper House enquiry that called for logging in National Parks. However, their response leaves the door open for ‘scientific’ trials that could still see commercial logging crews sent back into sensitive protected areas.

barmah treesFriends of the Earth welcomes the Government’s response to rule out a moratorium on new National Parks and to open Parks for commercial logging. Politicians of all persuasions can’t ignore the fact that Australians don’t want to see our National Parks trashed. If National Parks aren’t safe from logging, where is? This response is a small win for the millions of Australians who care about our unique ecosystems and want to see them properly protected.

However, the response still provides support for a controversial ‘ecological thinning’ trial in the Barmah-Millewa National Park; Australia’s largest Red Gum forest and an internationally significant Ramsar wetland. This trial mimics a commercial forestry operation and will have significant impacts on this environment of national significance. If the O’Farrell Government is serious about protecting our natural heritage, they should rule out all logging in National Parks, whether commercial or ‘scientific.’

Friends of the Earth worked alongside Traditional Owners, scientists and local communities to ensure that precious remaining River Red Gum forests in Victoria and NSW were protected in National Parks.

We now need to mobilise to safeguard this legacy. Please check out and sign our petition to the federal Government calling for them to reject the proposed thinning trial.

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on walking, part 2

IMG_00000875The week’s craziness dissipates with every step, evaporating and blowing away. Another wave of clouds come through and I pause under a big old tree, waiting for the rain to pass. Behind me, what sounds like a frogmouth ohms its call, and as a rainbow breaks over the shallow valley in front of bright cumulus, the kangaroos slowly emerge from under cover and start grazing again. The stream is flowing clear, and everything is still green in a flush of late spring growth.

I am reminded, as I often am, of how walking is the only real way to experience landscape on an intimate scale. Surfing and cross country skiing are the same. Once it gets mechanical, you’re generally moving too fast to catch the nuances of landscape.

It also got me thinking about the frame of mind that can help to drive and inform your walking.

What jumps out at me is this.

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yet another attempt to get cows back into the Alpine Park

in the Wonnangatta, looking north
in the Wonnangatta, looking north

In a nicely orchestrated media piece, it has been announced via The Australian newspaper that the Victorian government will propose a three year cattle grazing trial in the Wonnangatta Valley, within the Alpine national park.

The paper reports that the government is supporting a three-year trial of cattle grazing in the Wonnangatta Valley, one of the main south flowing river systems in the central Alps.

“Victorian Environment Minister Ryan Smith will refer the issue to the Abbott government on Monday, backing a scientific study during the summer months of about 60 head of hereford and angus cattle”. The Victorian government has not yet issued a statement on the trials.

While previous attempts by the Coalition have been soundly attacked by scientists for the poor basis of the research framework, apparently this new trial will be “part of a scientific investigation of bushfire prevention options across 2200 hectares.”

Mountain cattleman Charlie Lovick is reported as saying he hopes this trial will re open access for grazing to a broader area.

The report says that the “preservation of Australian bush heritage will be crucial to the application” that will go to the federal environment minister, Greg Hunt, for approval.

The Wonnangatta was settled by Europeans in the 1860’s and incorporated into the national park in 1988. It is a lowland area compared with the previous attempt by the Victorian government to re-introduce grazing. One has to assume that should this trial be a success at reducing fuel load and weeds, then there would be an attempt to introduce it at higher elevations, where the science clearly shows that ‘grazing does not reduce blazing’.

The Victorian environment minister Ryan Smith (who is a member of the far right Institute of Public Affairs, well known for its anti –environment agenda) said “it’s not an ideological position, it’s a land-management issue.”

Assuming Greg Hunt approves the ‘scientific survey’, grazing could start as early as January 2014.

A spokesman for Mr Hunt said yesterday the government would assess the referral when it was received in accordance with Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.

take action

If the prospect of grazing in the park troubles you, please contact the Minister for the Environment, Greg Hunt, making it clear you would not support such a move.

E: greg.hunt.mp@aph.gov.au

Website: http://www.greghunt.com.au

Twitter: https://twitter.com/greghuntmp

Possible tweet:

Alpine grazing is about politics, not good policy. @GregHuntMP – please: No cows in the Alpine Park.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greg.hunt.mp

 

For background on the grazing issue, please see here.

https://themountainjournal.wordpress.com/environment/alpine-grazing/

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Ducane Range, winter

The Acropolis & Geryon
The Acropolis & Geryon

Mountain Journal has been pretty serious of late. There’s lots of threats to the environments that we all love. But I figured it might be time for something a bit lighter.

These pics are from a mid winter trip into the Ducane Range & Castle Crag, central TAS.

There are some track notes here.

Ducane Range
Ducane Range
Castle Crag
Castle Crag

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IMG_0431IMG_0439

eastonern face of Gery
eastern face of Geryon

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Mt Wellington cable car ‘up and running by 2017’?

The Sunday Tasmanian reports that

IMG_0384“Buoyed by the removal of the Wellington Park Management Trust’s veto power last week, the man behind Mt Wellington’s proposed cable car project hopes it will be up and running by 2017.

In State Parliament on Wednesday, the Labor Party supported legislation introduced by the Liberals aimed at removing the trust’s power to veto developments on the mountain.

Proposed developments will still need to go through the regular council planning approvals. But the legislation has given new hope to Mt Wellington Cableway Company executive director Adrian Bold, who said the controversial $37 million project would be funded private Canadian investors”.

Greens environment spokeswoman Cassy O’Connor said

“The bottom line is that we’ve never seen a cable car proposal come forward that is viable, that is economically sound, and that has overwhelming public support.

“I think we can do better for the mountain. Yes, I think we should have a sensible discussion about development on the summit … but a cable car is not the answer.”

Greens MP Peter Wish has previously said

I recently met with Sky Rail owner and consultant Dr Ken Chapman in Cairns and he described the business case for a cable car on Mount Wellington as very complicated and far from certain to be economically viable.

Any serious push for a Mount Wellington cable car has in the past resulted in community division. In 1984 there was a serious push for a cable car and again in 1993 and on both occasions there was no economic backing, the project was not viable and the cable car was put aside.

There is, of course, diversity of opinion, even amongst people that aren’t just of the ‘develop at all costs’ mind set. One example comes from writer Susan Moore:

“I reckon if more people can experience the beauty of Hobart from the top it would be a good thing. Aside from the tourists, I think it would be a popular option for people who want to go up the top and walk or mountain bike down or take the kids to play in the snow. Maybe, like some Swiss ski resorts, Mount Wellington could even become car-free?”

I tend to feel this is a bit hopeful, as any attempt to close the mountain would create an up roar amongst car advocacy groups and push people that want to get up the mountain without walking or riding into having to pay a private developer for the privilege of getting there.

Where is the project at?

It is still in the concept phase, described by the proponent like this:

Once the Tasmanian Planning Commission ratify the proposed WPMT 2012-2017 management plan, MWCC can initiate the next steps ahead, including a comprehensive technical analysis and environmental impact study to identify the most appropriate system, route, amenities and location for the project.

Once evaluated, MWCC can continue design work towards submitting a formal proposal, bringing the Concept Stage to a close.

Details on the WPMP (Wellington Park Management Plan) can be found here.

With both the Liberals and ALP voting to remove the Wellington Park Management Trust’s veto power over developments, the cable car proposal is getting closer.

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Nowa Nowa residents have mixed feelings about mining project

nowa nowaThe following article comes from the ABC, journalist Jenni Henderson.

Check here for a background on the project and details on the community consultation process that has been happening. Leaving aside the direct environmental impact of the project, there is the key issue of what impact a large number of large trucks on the narrow Princes Hwy will have on locals and tourists.

Residents of Nowa Nowa and surrounds are expressing mixed feelings about the prospect of the Iron Ore mine being established seven kilometres north of the town. Mining company Eastern Iron is now putting together a feasibility study for the mine and has held community information sessions in Nowa Nowa, Lakes Entrance and Orbost.

The company estimates about 200 people have attended the sessions so far, to learn more about the project.

The mine still requires environmental and planning approval from the State Government.
Neil Smith a Nowa Nowa resident says the community has been ignored in the decision making process so far.

“I’m not just talking about the mining company. The East Gippsland Shire are in the process of negotiating a memorandum of understanding but they don’t see that’s there’s any need to talk to community before they reach an agreement,” he says.

Mr Smith says he feels that there has been no opportunity for the community to reach a consensus on what they want out of the mining project.

“If it’s ten years of mining and ten years of jobs and then nothing except a big hole in the ground and some potential environmental damage then there’s no benefit,” he says.
Nowa Nowa needs the cash flow and employment opportunities a mine would bring, says Paul Oakes, president of the Nowa Nowa and District Business and Tourism Group.
“Nowa Nowa is a very small community; it just needs the funds in. It’s pretty quiet, of course the mills have all been cut right back and forestry is cutting back on the harvesting so it’s sort of shrinking, the area is shrinking really,” he says.

Mr Oakes says the business and tourism group is concerned that East Gippsland Shire Council is representing the Nowa Nowa community in signing a memorandum of understanding with the mining company.

“It’s pretty hard for us to get any services from the shire except the basic ones. We’d prefer the mine to deal directly with the development group that’s here,” he says.

Helen Shields, a Nowa Nowa resident, says the mine proposal has the potential to divide the community.

“Communities always have dreams about things they can do for their area which improve them. Of course people want work, of course people want a future for their children to stay here but nobody’s had those conversations in relation to the mine,” she says.

Ms Shields has concerns about any environmental and social impacts the mine could have on the town.

“If there is explosions happening here 24 hours a day for 10 years I don’t believe that it won’t impact on this catchment area,” she says.

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new fees for camping in national parks

IMGP4039The Victorian government has announced that it is intending to introduce charges for overnight hiking and camping in more than 100 of our state and national parks.

In addition to increasing existing fees at car camping spots that have basic services, there is a proposal to introduce “overnight walking” fees.

You only have til COB this Friday, November 22 to make a submission.

Background information and details on how to make a submission is available here.

Check here for a statement by Glenn Tempest of Open Spaces Publications

Some quotes from Glenn’s submission:

There are so many issues regarding these proposals that it’s difficult to know where to start. Firstly, however, I have to say that I’m astounded at the size of the proposed increase in camping fees. A fee of almost $50 for an individual to stay one night at a campground designated as having a ‘high’ level of facility and service is simply outrageous.

Many park users are travelers who don’t plan ahead but simply ‘roll-up’ to various campgrounds. So who thought it was a good idea to confine those park users to an online booking system upon arrival at the campground?

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Little Red Toolangi Treehouse – week 2

996033_684143504937992_1091510074_nOn sunday 10 November, 2013, a young activist called Hannah Patchett launched the beginning of what is intended to be a long term tree sit to highlight the immediate threats to the Leadbeaters Possum through continued destruction of its habitat.

Now in her second week of living in treesit, she has been getting some great media and good local support.

Background on the Toolangi forest campaign available here.

Stay in touch via facebook.

Read Hannah’s article in the Guardian here.

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Alpine National Park to get survey for vulnerability

This information comes from the Great Walks website.

snow gums near Mt Lovick, VIC
snow gums near Mt Lovick, VIC

The eastern edge of Victoria Alpine National Park is set to receive one of the most thorough surveys ever, involving palaeontologists, geologists and biologists beginning 18 November.

Parks Victoria, Museum Victoria and 4WD Victoria will cooperate to examine the wildlife in the area and gather information about how well certain species are inhabiting the alpine terrain of the park compared to some threatened populations in other areas of Victoria.

“We love exploring the bush and this project presented a unique opportunity for our volunteers to be used for the first time in a major fauna research survey,” Project and Events Manager of 4WD Victoria Wayne Hevey said.

“Many of the high altitude species in the highest parts of Victoria are the most vulnerable in the state,” Dr Mark Norman, Head of Sciences, Museum Victoria, said.

“Over 80 researchers will be seeking the signs, sounds and movements of these wonderful creatures. The data we collect will help establish the status of many of the area’s endangered species,” said Dr Norman.

This is the fifth Bioscan to be undertaken by Parks Victoria and Museum Victoria as part of a five-year program designed to study wildlife across Victoria’s national parks, from deserts to forests to underwater kelp reefs. The program commenced in 2011.

Results will be presented at programs with four local schools and students and local residents will be able to interact with the scientists who conducted the survey at a Friday night ‘Science at the Pub.’

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