Jennifer Marohasy

a forum for the discussion of issues concerning the natural environment

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Market-based conservation for privately-owned Tasmanian forests

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In a joint media release yesterday, Federal Environment Minister, Senator Ian Campbell and Member for Braddon, Mr Mark Baker, launched the Forest Conservation Fund (FCF), under the $250 million Tasmanian Community Forestry Agreement.

The stated objective of the FCF is to protect up to 45,600 hectares of forested private land, targeting old growth forest and under-reserved forest communities, of which there will be a minimum of 25,000 hectares of old growth forest and up to 2,400 hectares of forest in the Mole Creek area.

Private landholders have been invited to tender for support for the long term protection of old-growth and under-reserved (under-represented on publicly-owned) forests on their lands, through mechanisms that include covenants and conservation management plans.

An additional $3 million boost for Tasmania’s ecotourism industry was also announced, with $1million earmarked to develop bushwalking and related infrastructure in the Tarkine area and $2 million for forest-based tourism infrastructure, including for forest reserves created under the Tasmanian Community Forest Agreement.

Tourism grants in the range from $100,000 to $500,000, are open to application from groups including tourism operators, local councils, land managers and conservation groups, as well as from private individuals.

Tasmanian conservationists have congratulated the Federal Government for its funding of eco-tourism in the Tarkine forest but are also urging the Government to consider the Tarkine for World Heritage listing.

The Minister agreed that the area is of high conservation value and advised that it is being assessed for National Heritage listing, with the assessment verdict due in another six to 12 months. World Heritage listing would be considered once the Tarkine is on the national heritage list.

[Read more…] about Market-based conservation for privately-owned Tasmanian forests

Indigenous funding for conservation

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ABC News Online reports that the Federal Government has doubled the funding under its Indigenous Protected Area program, from three to six million-dollars a year.

Twenty-two initiatives are currently funded to help indigenous communities run conservation programs on land covering 15 million hectares, or 6 per cent of Australia’s land mass.

At $5 per hectare, I wonder how this investment in public monies compares with the cost per hectare, within the publicly-owned protected area estate?

Federal parliamentary secretary for the environment, Greg Hunt, says “We weren’t expecting social impact but what we’re finding is when people are doing meaningful work in remote Indigenous communities, there’s been a decrease in domestic violence, a decrease in drug and alcohol and other substance abuse and an increase in social cohesion.”

No doubt the economic beneficiaries of recurrent funding on the public estate also enjoy the social benefits of employment in the name of conservation, but surely the greater challenge for Australia is the development of sustainable economies on indigenous communities that meaningfully revitalise traditional care for country.

The major difficulty, as I see it, is the environmental functions and mandates of government land management agencies are not regarded as business activities; therefore, they are not required to maintain competitive neutrality. The supply of environmental goods and services on public estate is heavily subsidised to provide the illusion of free or nominal-fee entry, excluding fair trade upon non-government tenures.

Australian Government’s Tourism White Paper states:

The tourism industry is only meeting half the market demand for Indigenous tourism experiences. International visitors are clearly interested in experiencing these cultures but, at this stage, our tourism industry has not been able to develop sufficient Indigenous tourism product to meet that demand. Visitors are particularly interested in learning, experiencing and interacting with Aboriginal people, with authenticity an important aspect of the experience. Germany, the United Kingdom, other European countries and North America show the strongest potential demand for Indigenous tourism experiences in Australia.

Tourism offers particular opportunities for Indigenous Australians. In many areas of regional and remote Australia it offers the prospect of a pathway to economic independence. A significant proportion of the Indigenous population resides in regional and remote Australia. Developing Indigenous tourism can provide much needed opportunities for employment, social stability and preservation of culture and traditions.

Amethystine Python

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When I learnt that previous owners of our Daintree rainforest property had lost a baby to an Amethystine Python, I was indelibly impressed.

From the night of arrival of each of my three children and for the first two weeks of each of their lives, a six-metre python menaced at the periphery of our dwelling.

In the Daintree, visitor expectations prioritise the observation of unique wildlife in natural habitat. The Amethystine Python has a more profound impact on nightwalkers than almost any other species. Sustainable management of freehold World Heritage estate relies on visitor-willingness to distinguish themselves from the popularity of subsidised public-access facilities.

My paternalistic concern for my newborn children was judiciously moderated by my presentation enthusiasms of such predictable and awe-inspiring sightings. At the same time, our newborn children were never left alone for a moment.

A couple of months ago, a neighbouring twelve-year-old was attacked in his bed by a four-metre python. His screams awoke his household and the snake was hurled out into the night. Undeterred, it attacked the boy again the following night and was summarily executed.

It appears that departing members of the local community had given their cat to the boy, which he shared his bed with. In all probability, the python was attracted to the cat and the boy rolled onto the snake, two nights in succession.

I don’t imagine that there would be many who would begrudge the father for killing the python to protect his son, but it is almost inevitable that some would argue that the family had put themselves at risk by residing in python habitat.

I have spent that last thirteen years, on an almost nightly basis, scouring the nocturnal landscape of the Daintree rainforest for pythons, amongst a multitude of other species. They are unpredictable and over the course of the year I might see one per fortnight.

Quite recently, a three-and-a-half metre female has been behaving in an unexpected and innovative manner. It discretely positions itself amongst the branches of an exotic custard-apple called soursop. Patiently it awaits to ambush the spectacled flying-fox, which finds the fruit irresistible. If the strike is unsuccessful and the fruit falls to the ground, the python repositions in readiness to ambush one of two species of bandicoot, which are similarly attracted to the fruit.

During an animated discussion about the perceived improbability of a python-sighting, a night-walk client promised to send me a copy of a book he’d recently read that would reinforce, in his opinion, my stated belief that pheromones were largely at play. Jacobson’s Organ is one of the most enjoyable and thought-provoking books I’ve read over the past few years.

Treaty troubles

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In Matthew Denholm’s article in Saturday’s Australian, Greens Senator Bob Brown describes a Howard Government proposal to amend the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act 1999, as “…an absolutely pivotal moment in Australian environmental history.”

In a federal court case brought by Senator Brown, Justice Shane Marshall found Forestry Tasmania’s exemption from the EPBC Act did not apply at Wielangta.

Under the EPBC Act, a person or corporation must not take an action that is likely to, or will have, a significant impact on a listed threatened species included in the endangered category. The threatened species in this case include the Tasmanian wedge-tailed eagle, the broad-toothed stag beetle and the swift parrot. Under another section of the same act, however, approval is not needed for forestry operations permitted by Regional Forest Agreements (RFA).

The RFA definition of “protect” lay at the centre of contention. The applicant submitted that ‘agrees to protect’ means ‘deliver protection of’ and not ‘agrees to try and protect’ or ‘consider protecting’.

According to the article, Forestry and Conservation Minister, Senator Abetz, said the judgment appeared to create a definition of “protect” that went far beyond that envisaged by commonwealth and state governments. Amendments to the act and the RFA might be necessary and could constitute a speedier way of returning certainty than appealing against the decision.

Senator Brown is quoted as saying “the Government would need to rewrite the EPBC Act to get around the ruling and most likely withdraw from international biodiversity conventions.”

As ratified treaties bind Australia in international law, the EPBC Act is constructed in conformity with its international obligations. The Commonwealth Constitution does not provide the Parliament with specified powers to legislate in respect to the environment in any way, other than under the Section 51(xxix) External Affairs power.

Bird-dropping Spider

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Not a picture of immediate beauty, but consider its design a little more closely. The spider has laid down a foundation of very white silk, resembling the character of a bird-dropping and has positioned itself centrally, with glossy-white carapace and strategically-darkened fore-legs, creating a marvellous depiction of that which both repels predators and attracts prey.

As with so many lessons that can be learnt from nature, this evolutionary model of competitive success can be seen in human behaviours, where offensive conduct repels and quite possibly by intent. yinyleon hd.

The weblog rules explain that properly monitoring comments would be a full time job. Given the growing readership and concern from some readers, comments that are spam, abusive, defamatory, off-topic or repetitive may be deleted. We are advised that it won’t always be fair and asked that if we want to make more than five posts in any given 24 hour period, it would be great if we really had something new, important and informative to say that sixth, seventh and eighth time.

As a gathering place for a great many people with a common interest in politics and the environment, we might strive for tolerance and respect … even when a comment is akin to bird-droppings.

Jen’s On Holidays

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I’m going to the beach tomorrow. I’m staying in a place with no telephone, no internet connection and I assume there will be no polar bears. A friend will be looking after this blog.

I look forward to continuing the discussions in about 10 days when I return to Brisbane.

Cheers,

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