NPA welcomes Government’s recognition of the importance of nature to regional NSW and calls for forests to be protected as a key pillar

The National Parks Association of NSW (NPA) has welcomed Sunday’s announcement by Minister for Tourism, Adam Marshall, to develop a nature-based tourism strategy to ‘unlock NSW’s multi-billion dollar backyard’, and calls on the Government to heed NPA’s Forests For All strategy to exit native forest logging on public land and use the forests to promote nature conservation to underpin nature-based tourism.

Koscuiszko National Park tourism plans risk further damage to fragile ecosystems

The NSW Government this week announced $27 million to upgrade and expand walking and cycling trails in Koscuiszko National Park (KNP), designed to boost tourism. The proposals however add to an increasing number of pressures on alpine ecosystems—sensitive and highly localised in Australia—says the National Parks Association of NSW (NPA).

Leave No Trace

Leave No Trace

Dr Helen Smith, Activitives Officer, National Parks Association of NSW

Nothing is more heartbreaking than seeing natural areas trashed by current and previous visitors. Particularly when we all work so hard to protect natural places through our campaigns at the NPA. But protecting natural areas isn’t just about being loud through media coverage and campaigns. It also comes down to setting a good example to others when we’re out exploring.

We know we’re preaching to the converted here, but it’s worth refreshing the Leave No Trace Principles so you can clearly articulate them and their importance to others. Leave No Trace Australia is an organisation dedicated to inspiring and promoting responsible use of the outdoors through research, partnerships and education. The Leave No Trace guidelines describe best practice for visiting natural areas. They consist of seven principles:

Adventure World Racing Championships 2016

Bob Sneddon and Tony Hill, NPA members and former members of the South Coast Regional Advisory Council

In November 2016 Adventure Racing World Championships were held in South Coast Region national parks including Morton National Park and Budawang Wilderness.  Ninety-eight teams of four members made their way from one destination to another by foot and on bicycles along formed and unformed tracks that were chosen by their navigators as the fastest route.

Events such as this, especially when held in declared Wilderness Areas, are contrary to the intent and legality of the plans of management for these areas. The Act is specific: national parks and wilderness are for “appropriate” recreation.

A Better Future for Public Native Forests

It’s possible with diverse community support

Dr Oisín Sweeney, Senior Ecologist, National Parks Association of NSW

Last year the National Parks Association NSW (NPA) released a report that showed how, despite being a noble attempt to marry some pretty uncomfortable bedfellows (logging, conservation and recreation), the Regional Forest Agreements (RFAs) have failed in all of their high level aims. From protecting the environment to maintaining long-term economic stability and jobs in forest industries, the RFAs have not worked. A new approach is desperately needed writes Oisín Sweeney.

Implementing an environmental-economic accounting framework

Mladen Kovac, Chief Economist, Office of Environment and Heritage
Nicholas Conner, Principal Conservation Economist, Office of Environment and Heritage

Implementing an environmental-economic accounting framework to support environmental policy-making: a work-in-progress

Introduction to SEEA

Along with nearly all other countries, Australia produces a set of national economic accounts – the System of National Accounts (SNA).  The SNA provides information on economic activities in Australia, for income, expenditure, output, net worth and international transactions by households, businesses and governments.  Importantly, the SNA shows not only how economic activity changes over time, but also how changes in one sector flow through, and affect other sectors in the economy.  This information is routinely used by government policy makers to inform policy decisions, often supported by economic modelling showing trade-offs between different sectors of the economy under different policy options.