TREASURES FOR HUMANITY A gift to the people of Queensland to celebrate its National Park Centenary 2008

Transcription

1 TREASURES FOR HUMANITY A gift to the people of Queensland to celebrate its National Park Centenary 2008 National Parks Association of Queensland December 2003 Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland The Royal Society of Queensland The Queensland Academy of Arts and Sciences The Royal Geographical Society of Queensland

2 Treasures for Humanity proposes a new 4 year initiative to establish, or expand, 20 National Parks as a gift to the people to celebrate Queensland s National Park Centenary in Queensland has the most living wealth of any State in Australia. Securing this wealth not only protects this world class natural heritage, but also provides a stronger platform for the growth of the State s nature based tourism industry. The initiative will: reserve about 1,000,000 hectares of the most biologically important areas of Queensland protect some of the most endangered species and ecosystems in the State. increase the representation of ecosystems in National Parks to nearly 80% in conjunction with current initiatives. increase the protection of poorly represented ecosystems by 58%. increase rural tourism by creating a series of linked National Parks to provide combined natural and cultural tourism trails, one of which is based on the route taken by the explorer Ludwig Leichhardt in It is not a land grab. It is a highly strategic and targeted initiative that aims to get the biggest return in protecting the State s living wealth for the least cost. Many of the new proposed parks will also enhance regional tourism by adding natural heritage attractions that build on existing heritage trails and their cultural pastoral pioneering attractions. The initiative will achieve an important legacy that will position Queensland as a leading State in pursuing a sustainable future.

3 Queensland has the richest variety of wildlife of any State in Australia. Three quarters of Australia s land mammal and bird species are found in Queensland. The State is number one for the number of native bird species. This magnificent living wealth is the legacy of millions of years of evolution. But, in addition to the intrinsic value of this natural heritage, it also underpins the State s growing nature based tourism and bio-prospecting industries. Nature-based tourism is an economic powerhouse for Queensland. Government studies tell us that 13 million people visited its National Parks in The economic impact of their spending in that year was around $1.3 billion. Queensland and Australia s National Parks are its premier conservation investment in providing the much needed safety net to secure the future of our wildlife and ecosystems for our grandchildren and their children. Treasures for Humanity is proposed as a new initiative to both secure some of the biologically most important areas in Queensland, and build a stronger platform to draw tourists into regional Queensland. This is smart for the State s natural heritage, and smart for regional tourism. These 20 park proposals exclude the areas under negotiation on Cape York Peninsula and associated with the Forest Agreement in South East Queensland. Rather, this initiative focuses on the often forgotten parts of the State where biodiversity may be highly threatened but away from the general public eye. The proposal also recognises that it needs to be integrated into landscape scale conservation strategies to achieve biodiversity conservation aims through both on- and off- park measures.

4 Economic Benefits of National Parks Treasures for Humanity - In 2001 alone, 13 million people spent at least part of a day in Queensland National Parks. 1 This high use of National Parks creates major economic returns for the State, from direct uses such as tourism and recreation and indirect uses such as producing clean water. Tourism and recreation expenditure based on our National Park system is large. Visitors to National Parks include local residents, as well as tourists from other parts of Queensland, Australia and overseas. Tourists attracted to parks also support accommodation, retail, transport and other economic activities outside the protected areas. The distribution of parks across Queensland is important to encourage spending by tourists and urban Queenslanders in rural regions. It is often difficult for Australia s travelling public to access interesting places and experience our natural heritage here huddled around a council toilet block beside the road between Mt Isa and Cloncurry. The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service estimates that the revenue collected from park visitors in was about $8m, but estimate that the economic impact of expenditure of park visitors is around $1.3 billion. 2 For the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area, direct expenditure has been estimated at $443m, and with a multiplier effect generates economic activity of $753m (based on an average of two nights accommodation attributable to the visit to a park). 3 Noosa National Park is the most visited National Park in Queensland, at around one million person visitor days per year. Direct expenditure is estimated to be $34m, and with a multiplier effect that generates economic activity of $54m and supports employment of 797 people. 4 The commercial tour industry in mainland and island parks provides a business for at least 176 active operators. Their annual turnover is around $138m and they employ 2,249 people. 5 Visitors support many accommodation establishments, restaurants and other services near parks. A study of 42 resort establishments, which identified an average of 95% of their business being dependent on the attractions of parks, revealed a turnover of around $126m a year and employment of at least 3,100 people. 6

5 Consolidating Queensland s Heritage Trails Many people currently view National Parks as a single destination. They make a special single trip to say Carnarvon National Park and Noosa National Park, but do not journey further. What has not been well developed has been linked park experiences where a number of parks can be visited along a particular route around a particular feature or drawcard (see Leichhardt story next page). A foundation of this approach already exists. The Queensland Heritage Trails Network (QHTN) aims to draw people through regional Queensland to a number of key destinations. The destinations are important in themselves. However, the journey is also an important part of the tourism experience. Treasures for Humanity creates the opportunity to consolidate the Heritage Trails Network by combining both cultural and natural heritage. The proposed parks associated with various routes display a spectacular diversity of landscapes featuring rugged forested areas, rolling native grasslands, moist tablelands, dry shrublands, limestone caves and the remote coastal Gulf lowlands. The opportunity exists to link these natural attractions with Queensland s new heritage trails network as part of a combined natural and cultural heritage journey of discovery. The following suggestions illustrates the major potential for a natural and cultural heritage network to be developed through the Growing Tourism initiative and with Local Government.

6 Drawing Tourists into Queensland through the Channel Country To increase nature based tourism in outback Queensland, establishing the proposed Bulloo Lakes - Grey Range National Park creates an opportunity to protect important wetlands of the Channel Country and to interpret the natural heritage of the Channel Country. The proposal would help develop a new route that entices people to go further than the highly-visited Sturt National Park (NSW). It would also increase the use of the Strezlecki Track from South Australia to bring people into the Channel Country to see the area central to the Burke and Wills saga. This setting provides a range of stories for the visitor journeying through this land the natural values and what Queensland is doing to protect and interpret those values as well as the nationally significant history of Burke and Wills. Once people have been drawn into Queensland by this new and unique network, they can readily join the Matilda Highway. Although there are now a number of attractions on the QHTN north from Charleville to Longreach, the new National Parks would provide additional linkages and integrate natural values to the Matilda Highway experience. The creation of Harpophylla as the final western extension of the Carnarvon Gorge National Park, and the proposed Aramac Springs and Grasslands National Park creates a ring of green around the Longreach - Barcaldine-Blackall area. The Proposed Ludwig Leichhardt Heritage Trail The route taken by the explorer Ludwig Leichhardt from Jimbour Station on the Darling Downs to Port Essington in provides an ideal basis for a new heritage trail. Such a trail would extend from Brisbane through the hinterland of Queensland and terminate either in Cairns or extend on to the Northern Territory. The trail closely aligns with a series of existing and proposed National Parks. In this modern age, Leichhardt s route and journey can be a virtual interpretation of the challenges and triumphs of his exploration, with the use of specific parks and local routes to highlight parts of the story. For example, the proposed Shotover National Park covers an area of Brigalow which Leichhardt had extreme difficulty traversing. The proposed Einasleigh Wetlands National Park is not only a stunning environment, but is part of Leichhardt s route. Such explorations led to settlement. After taking the costs into account of acquiring the proposed Parks associated with this route and after establishing appropriate management and visitor facilities, a positive net economic benefit would result. 7 This can be achieved with a level of visitation well within the range of existing visitation to Parks.

7 Science-based Selection and Management The 20 National Park proposals have been selected using the best available science available, including systematic regional surveys, e.g., the Mulga Lands study, 8 the Channel Country survey, 9 the Central Brigalow Belt assessment, 10 the Northern Desert Wetlands survey, 11 and the Gulf Lowlands survey. 12 They were identified on the basis of: biological diversity with emphasis on increasing comprehensiveness of ecosystems representation in Queensland s National Park estate. threat, particularly where the loss of biodiversity may be irreplaceable. improving the adequacy of representation of poorly reserved ecosystems. protection of rare and threatened species; protection of regional ecosystems that are endangered and of concern (vulnerable). management considerations, such as linking or expanding existing reserves to improve their ecological viability, the protection of environmental gradients and improved boundaries to aid management. These criteria conform with the Scientific Guidelines for the National Reserve System, which stress comprehensiveness as the priority criteria to be addressed in developing a Comprehensive, Adequate and Representative (CAR) national reserve system, together with an assessment of threat and the protection of other values. Expanding the National Park estate to include most of these proposals, the areas under negotiation under Cape York Peninsula and the finalisation of the Forest Agreement areas in SEQ would: increase the comprehensiveness of the National Park system by more that 10% to nearly 80% based on a gap analysis of comprehensiveness of the existing estate. increase the representation of the 350 threatened regional ecosystems from 192 (55%) to 240 (69%). increase by 58% the protection of ecosystems that have a low representation in the existing park estate (i.e. <4%, a figure relative to the overall size of the current estate). To ensure that these new National Parks are well managed, both the cost of establishing management and visitor facilities and the cost of on-going management has been factored into this proposed initiative. Conservation of the unique biodiversity associated with these National Park proposals requires regular monitoring to guide on-ground management. It is proposed that a formal system of ecological integrity monitoring be adopted. Provision has been made in the management cost estimates for dedicated scientific staff to implement such a monitoring system.

8 CONCLUSION The Treasures for Humanity initiative gives the new government an opportunity to better secure the State s important biological riches and build a stronger platform for regional tourism. Treasures for Humanity initiative at a glance 16 new National Parks. 4 significant extensions to existing National Parks. The initiative is a highly strategic and targeted initiative that aims to get the biggest return in protecting the State s living wealth for the least cost. It has been designed to complement the existing SEQ Forest Agreement and Cape York Peninsula initiatives. Treasures for Humanity will create an important legacy, which will be applauded in 2008, the centenary of Queensland s first National Park. About 1,000,000 hectares reserved or 0.58% of Queensland. National park attractions linked to Queensland s new heritage trails network as part of a combined natural and cultural heritage journey of discovery. With areas under negotiation on Cape York Peninsula and finalisation of the South-east Forest Agreement areas, the initiative will increase the comprehensiveness of the National Parks system to nearly 80%, the representation of threatened regional ecosystems from 55% to 69% and protection of poorly represented ecosystems (that is, less than 4%) by 58%. Total cost of $64m over 4years for both acquisition and establishment of management and visitor facilities with some sharing of costs between the Queensland and Commonwealth Governments under the Commonwealth National Reserve System program. Recurring management investment of $5-6m/yr and the creation of 50 new jobs. Establishment of a formal system of ecological integrity monitoring to ensure that new parks are well managed. Achieved by 2008 to celebrate Queensland s National Parks Centenary

9 20 National Parks for Queensland map /page reference BIOREGION NAME AREA ACQUISITION ESTABLISHMENT 000 HA $M (approx.) $M (approx.) 1 2 Brigalow Belt South Newcastelia Harpophylla Brigalow Belt North Shotover Nogoa River -Emerald Bogie River - Mt Abbot The Pinnacles Mulga Lands Angellala Creek Warrego Fan Darling-Riverine Plain Culgoa Floodplains Channel Country Bulloo Lakes - Grey Range New England Tableland Roberts Range Nandewar Lower Traprock Wet Tropics Mahogany Glider Gulf Plains Gulf Plains Gulf Wetlands Desert Uplands Desert Uplands Springs Lake Buchanan Mitchell Grass Downs Aramac Springs and Grasslands Einasleigh Uplands Einasleigh Wetlands South-East Queensland Scenic Rim Total approx This proposal envisages: that acquisition costs be shared by the Queensland and Commonwealth Governments under the Commonwealth National Reserve System program. a $5-6m/year allocation for on-going management ramping up over 4 years. the appointment of 50 new ranger and support staff as well as scientific staff to implement a system of ecological integrity monitoring across parks. new parks in place with substantial development of management infrastructureby 2008.

10 end notes 1. Steffan, C Pursuing Common Goals: Opportunities for Tourism and Conservation. Commonwealth Department of Industry, Tourism and Resources: Canberra. Pg Steffan, C Pursuing Common Goals: Opportunities for Tourism and Conservation. Commonwealth Department of Industry, Tourism and Resources: Canberra. Pg Driml, S Towards Sustainable Tourism in the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area. Wet Tropics Management Authority: Cairns. 4. Pearson, L., Russell, I. and Woodford, K., Economic Impact of Noosa National Park on the Sunshine Coast and Noosa Economies. University of Queensland: Gatton. 5. Kinhill The Value of Protected Areas to Queensland. Report to the Department of Environment and Heritage: 6. Kinhill The Value of Protected Areas to Queensland. Report to the Department of Environment and Heritage: 7. Sattler, P.S Queensland s National Parks: an investment in our future. Thirteenth Romeo W Lahey Memorial Lecture to the National Parks Association of Queensland Inc: 8. Purdie, R.W., Selection of key area networks for regional nature conservation the revised Bolton and Specht method. Proceedings of the Royal society of Queensland, 98: Wilson, B.A. and Young, P.A.R., Conservation Strategy: Channel Country Biogeographic Region. Report to the Australian National Parks and Wildlife Service, Endangered Species Program, Project No. 14, Canberra. 10. McCosker, J.C., Fensham, R.J. and Cox,M.L., Brigalow Reserve Proposals in the Central Highlands: Unpublished Report, QEPA, Bisbane. 11. Gasteen, W.J., A report on the Northern Desert Wetlands Survey, North East Central Queensland, with recommendations for new National Parks. Unpublished report to QNPWS, 12. Gasteen, W.J., Proposed National Parks in the Gulf Lowlands of Queensland, unpublished report, 13. Bean, A.R., An analysis of the vascular flora of Mt Abott near Bowen, Queensland. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Queensland. 104: Monteith, G.B. and Joyce, K.A., Mt Abbot Summit. Unpublished report, O Keefe, S.T. and Monteith, G.B., Clidicus Abbotensis O Keefe, a new species of Scydmaenidae (Coleoptera: Staphylinoidea) from Australia with description of the larva. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 46 (1): ISSN Purdie, R.W., Selection of key area networks for regional nature conservation the revised Bolton and Specht method. Proceedings of the Royal society of Queensland, 98: Purdie, R.W., Selection of key area networks for regional nature conservation the revised Bolton and Specht method. Proceedings of the Royal society of Queensland, 98: Sattler, P.S. and Williams, R.D., The Conservation Status of Queensland s Bioregional ecosystems. QEPA, 18. QPWS, Glencoe Key Area; Mulga Lands Biogeographic Region. Unpublished report, 19. Wilson, B.A. and Mitchell, C., Conservation Strategy- Channel Country Biogeographic Region. Unpublished report, QDEH, Wilson, B.A. and Young, P.A.R., Conservation Strategy: Channel Country Biogeographic Region. Report to the Australian National Parks and Wildlife Service, Endangered Species Program, Project No. 14, Canberra. 20. Environment Australia, A Directory of Important Wetlands in Australia, 3rd edition, Environment Australia, Canberra. 21. Jaensch, R.P.,1998. A Survey of Waterbirds of Bulloo Lake and the Cooper floodplain, south-west Queensland, August - September Wetlands International Oceania. 22. McFarland, D., Fauna of the Channel Country Biogeographic Region, South West Queensland. Unpublished report, QDEH, 23. Wills, A.K., The Granite and Traprock Area of South East Queensland. Part 1 land inventory. QDPI report, 24. Sattler, P.S. and Williams, R.D., The Conservation Status of Queensland s Bioregional ecosystems. QEPA, 25. Gasteen, W.J., 1986/87. An illustrated report on the North West Highlands (Queensland) : 2 Wentworth / Troutbeck. Unpublished report, 26. Blackman, J.G., Perry, T.W., Ford, G.I. Craven, S.A., Gardiner, S.J. and Dehai, R.J., Characteristics of Important Wetlands in Queensland. QEPA publication, 27. Blackman, J.G., Perry, T.W., Ford, G.I. Craven, S.A., Gardiner, S.J. and Dehai, R.J., Characteristics of Important Wetlands in Queensland. QEPA publication, 28. Blackman, J.G., Perry, T.W., Ford, G.I. Craven, S.A., Gardiner, S.J. and Dehai, R.J., Characteristics of Important Wetlands in Queensland. QEPA publication, 29. Garnett, S.T., Aerial surveys of waders (Aves: Charadriiformes) along the coast of north eastern Australia. Australian Wildlife Research Sattler, P.S. and Williams, R.D., The Conservation Status of Queensland s Bioregional ecosystems. QEPA, 31. Blackman, J.G., Perry, T.W., Ford, G.I. Craven, S.A., Gardiner, S.J. and Dehai, R.J., Characteristics of Important Wetlands in Queensland. QEPA publication, 32. Environment Australia, A Directory of Important Wetlands in Australia, 3rd edition, Environment Australia, Canberra. 33. Fensham, R.J., Minchin,P.R., Fairfax, R.J., Kemp, J.E., Purdie, R.W., McDonald,W.J.F. and Neldner,V.J., Broad-scale environmental relation of floristic gradients in the Mitchell grasslands of Queensland. Australian Journal of Botany, Vol. 48, 1: Tait, pers. comm Ponder, pers. comm Blackman, J.G., Perry, T.W., Ford, G.I. Craven, S.A., Gardiner, S.J. and Dehai, R.J., Characteristics of Important Wetlands in Queensland. QEPA publication, 37. Sattler, P.S., Queensland s National Parks: an investment in our future. Thirteenth Romeo W Lahey Memorial Lecture to the National Park s Association of Queensland Inc., Brisbane 38. Morgan, G., Landscape Health in Australia. National Land and Water Resources Audit, Canberra.

11 December 2003 WWF Australia PO BOX 528 Sydney NSW AUTHOR Paul Sattler PRODUCTION AND EDITING Andreas Glanznig, Biodiversity Policy Manager WWF Australia GRAPHIC DESIGN / FINISHED ART Sophie Verrecchia Zebra Communication PHOTO CREDITS WWF Absolutely Wild Visuals Image Library Garry Steer Bettina Dalton Nature Focus Australian Museum Norman Chaffer Estate Don and Molly Trounson A Selby Len Robinson K A Ireland Paul Sattler Vicky and Keith Grima G Schmida Peter Hazelgrove Rod Fensham John Thompson Jim Gasteen Peter McRae Russell Cumming Wetland International Queensland Museum QEPA ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The National Trust of Queensland for advice on complementing Queensland Heritage Trails Network