Submission ~ Australian Government National Wildlife Corridors Plan

8/2/2019 Submission ~ Australian Government National Wildlife Corridors Plan

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SUBMISSIONONTHE DRAFT NATIONALWILDLIFE

CORRIDORS PLAN

SUBMISSION

We believe that an Australia-wide network of bush corridors, building upon existing networks like

Travelling Stock Routes, is absolutely critical to the long term sustainability of Australia and

commend the Australian Government for their leadership initiating the Draft National Wildlife

Corridors Plan.

These grass routes are essential to ensuring we have healthy native habitats, to remembering our

heritage and for providing areas for sustainable livelihoods such as agriculture, tourism and education.

Other than reiterating the importance of wildlife corridors and of the Australian Government's work

in this respect, the key message for our submission is a request to strengthen the inclusion of

Travelling Stock Routes (TSRs) in the Draft Plan.

While the Draft Plan refers to TSRs as ecological and cultural pathways they need to be

appropriately recognised as a Foundation Stone along with national parks, reserves and Indigenous

Protected Areas, wetlands and riparian zones, and high-quality habitat on private land.

ABOUT TRAVELLING STOCKROUTES

We must never let 'em take this life away

Old stock routes belong to one and all

Drovers, dreamers all agree, poets, Aborigines

We have a right to light a camp fire on the road.

From Camp fire on the Road by John Williamson

Australia's TSR networks are most extensively throughout NSW and Queensland though also exist

more widely into Victoria, Northern Territory and Western Australia (such as the internationally

renown Canning Stock Route) as well, have the potential to be a globally unique, continental-scale

bush corridor which concurrently provides environmental, economic,

cultural and social benefits.


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CORRIDORS PLAN

To paraphrase from the The Long Paddock Scientists Statement (copy attached), and open letter to

the Premiers of NSW and Queensland:

The relevant roads and reserves that make up the travelling stock route networks have

nationally important environmental, cultural heritage, economic and recreational values.

They cover 2,600,000 hectares in Queensland and 600,000 hectares in New South Wales.

In many cases these are the best remaining examples of native vegetation in highly cleared

landscapes.

Stock Routes also provide ecosystem services to adjacent agricultural lands.

A major value of the network is in its integrity and geographical extent. The value of thewhole network is greater than the sum of its parts.

Yet at this time Travelling Stock Routes are at risk from further sale, fragmentation and inadequate

funding for proper sustainable management.

The NSW Government has released the review of the NSW Livestock Health and Pest Authority

(LHPA) model for public comment. The review provides no clear framework for the ongoing

maintenance and management of the NSW TSRs.


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CORRIDORS PLAN

While legislation has been drafted in Queensland, the Stock Route Network Management Bill, there

continues to be significant uncertainty regarding the ongoing funding for maintenance and

management of the Queensland TSRs.

Both NSW and Queensland TSR networks suffer for being managed within a framework which

largely recognises and funds only one (droving and grazing) of their many values (ecosystem services,

conservation, recreation, cultural, historical and other sustainable livelihood uses such as apiary,

tourism and education).

The National Parks Association (NSW) has been working for over 50 years to protect the unique

properties of TSR network in NSW. In addition to the administrative and financial risks to TSRs

detailed above they list a range of other threats including (The NSW travelling stock routes and

reserves network, Bev Smiles, Cathy Merchant and Kirstin Proft, June 2011):

Industrial logging. TSRs are Crown Timber Lands, giving Forests NSW the right to cut and

sell the timber on them.

Firewood collection is allowed with a permit from the local LHPA.

Illegal tree felling. Invasion of weeds

Gas and mineral exploration and infrastructure construction

It is for these reasons that The Grass Routes Initiative request the Australian Government alter the

Draft National Wildlife Corridors Plan to recognise Travelling Stock Routes and Reserves as a

Foundation Stone along with national parks, reserves and Indigenous Protected Areas, wetlands

and riparian zones, and high-quality habitat on private land.

ABOUT THE GRASS ROUTES INITIATIVE

The purpose of The Grass Routes is to contribute to the creation of a unique Australia-wide network

of bush corridors, building upon existing networks like Travelling Stock Routes. These grass routes

are essential to ensuring we have healthy native habitats, to remembering our heritage and for

providing areas for sustainable livelihoods such as agriculture, tourism and education.


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CORRIDORS PLAN

To achieve this vision requires a ground swell of action from all Australians ~ individuals,

organisations, businesses, scientists, drovers, politicians and more ~ to collaborate and contribute

towards the conservation, regeneration and sustainability of our unique bush corridors. It requires a

new network to form and build a common ground for the shared and sustainable use of these habitats.

The Grass Routes strategy has been developed to galvanise existing and new efforts to create this

globally unique Australia-wide network of bush corridors. A key component of the strategy has been

the creation of a social marketing campaign and identity that is appealing to the public-at-large who

will be key to our success. A web presence of several sites has been established to draw together thenetwork of projects and organisations and promote their initiatives regenerating Australian bushland

corridors. Inspiring stories about showpiece stretches of TSRs and other bush corridors are also key

in the strategy.

Kangaroo Grass Seed Packs are available as a fund and awareness raising tool with proceeds invested

equally in local works and the national campaign, just like a school chocolate bar fundraiser.

For more information, visit www.grassroutes.org.au.

20 April 2012

Adam Blakester | Co-Coordinator

[email protected]| 02 6775 2501 | 0419 808 900
http://www.grassroutes.org.au/mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.grassroutes.org.au/mailto:[email protected]

Documents

Submission ~ Australian Government National Wildlife Corridors Plan