Gary Dunnett, Chief Executive Officer
In reality TV an alliance is a bunch of contestants who’ve decided to exclude others from their ‘cool kids’ club. The role of alliances is thankfully different when it comes to conservation alliances. The reality is that much of NPA’s most effective advocacy happens in collaboration with other conservation organisations. This article touches on the purpose and importance of some of those alliances.
NPA current alliances include the Places We Love Alliance, which lobbies for better federal nature laws; the Nature Alliance, advocating for changes to NSW biodiversity and land clearing legislation; the Forestry Alliance, groups focused on bringing an end to logging in public native forests; the Marine Sanctuaries Alliance, allies working to improve the dire state of our marine habitats and species; and the National Parks Australia Council (an alliance in all but name), the national voice championing National Parks and Protected Areas.
So why the emphasis on collective advocacy? Wouldn’t NPA be better off seizing every opportunity to lift our own profile with potential supporters?
There are many benefits that come from working closely with those who share our passion for nature. Firstly, no single conservation organisation can access anything like the resources wielded by industry and government. It is only when we combine our skills, expertise and capabilities that we can compete on a level playing field.
This issue of combined capability has been a big factor in the debate about our public native forests. In years past only government had the ability to acquire and compile broad scale spatial information about the forests. Now, between citizen science supported by affordable technology, the scientists and experts employed by conservation NGOs, and open access to biophysical databases, we’re in the position to build an undeniable case for the conservation of our forests.
Another value of the collective voice is to dispel the oft repeated claim that the conservation movement has no coherent vision for the future. There is no denying that collective voices speak loudly and with maximum impact.
Finally, and from my perspective most compellingly, NPA’s involvement in alliances ensures that our perspective on the importance of National Parks and other Protected Areas is fully woven into the conservation debate. In a world beset by climate change, extinctions and massive environmental change, it is all too easy to become consumed by the problems we confront.
What NPA brings to the table is the conviction that expanding and safeguarding networks of Protected Areas is a major part of the solution. Our National Parks, Marine Parks and other equivalents are arks for biodiversity, the very best way of sequestering and storing the atmospheric carbon that drives climatic change, and the best possible way of generating clean air and water. Bigger and better conserved National Parks may not be the solution to every environmental challenge, but they are certainly part of the answer. NPA’s task is to ensure that safeguarding the future of Protected Areas features in all our alliances.