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Media
Release
10 July 2006
More
State Forests Turned into Hunting Grounds
Another
46 State forests covering 422,100 hectares in the Central-West and
Southern NSW have just been designated as hunting areas, putting
in danger neighbouring landholders, campers and walkers visiting
public lands while creating new problems for the control of feral
animals.
“NPA is alarmed about the NSW Government policy of turning
over vast areas of public forests and woodlands to hunters,”
said Andrew Cox, NPA Executive Officer.
“This brings to 155 the number of State forests made available
to hunters for the next five years since the declaration of the
first hunting areas by Minister for Primary Industries, Ian Macdonald,
earlier this year. A total of 1.39 million hectares, or half of
all State forests in NSW, are now declared as hunting areas, bringing
into conflict forest users and hunters with their guns and pig dogs.”
“The Game and Feral Animal Control Act was passed in 2002 despite
fierce opposition from environmental and animal welfare groups.
Hunting on public lands is overseen by a Board that is required
to have a majority of hunters,” said Mr Cox.
“NPA opposes the Game Council and its approach to feral animal
control because:
There is no evidence it has a strategic approach to feral animal
control;
Professional hunters will achieve effective feral control outcomes,
not sporting hunters;
Areas of bushland used for recreation become unsafe;
Recreational hunters have a history of deliberately introducing
feral animals.”
“The views
of the community have been ignored in the NSW Government’s
determination to give hunters access to vast areas of public land,
despite fears and concerns expressed by forest visitors and adjacent
landholders and the lack of a convincing feral animal control strategy.”
A recent study published by the Feral Animal Control
CRC[1] states:
“The sport and business of hunting is contributing significantly
to Australia’s feral animal problems. During this study the
following problems were noted:
* 127 new feral deer populations have been created by hunters Australia-wide
(Moriarty 2004).
* The newly-created Game Council of New South Wales has been given
a mandate to manage Californian Quail, Pheasant, Chukhar Partridge,
Peafowl and Turkey, even though none of these species occur (yet)
in the wild on mainland Australia.
* Pigs are also released into national parks and other lands to
create future hunting opportunities. Such pigs can often be recognised
by their torn ears, showing they have previously been held down
by dogs.”
“The NSW Government should end its experiment in using recreational
shooters for feral animal control. Instead it must put in place
real programs to control ferals and keep our public bushlands as
safe and peaceful places,” concluded Mr Cox.
Contact: Andrew Cox 9299 0000 (w); 0438 588 040 (mob)
PUBLIC LAND
AREAS DECLARED FOR HUNTING 7 JULY 2006 FOR FIVE YEARS
| REGION
|
STATE
FOREST |
LOCATION
|
AREA*(HECTARES) |
| Central-West |
Ben Bullen
|
2km E of
Cullen Bullen |
7,812
|
|
Coricudgy
|
30km E
of Rylstone |
7,392
|
|
Dog Rocks
|
20km W
of Oberon |
3,521
|
|
Essington
|
15km W
of Oberon |
4,330
|
|
Gurnang
|
30km S
of Oberon |
12,835 |
|
Hampton
|
15km E
of Oberon |
4,472 |
|
Jenolan
|
12km E
of Oberon |
9,536 |
|
Mount David
|
40km SW
of Oberon |
6,759 |
|
Newnes
|
7km NE
of Lithgow |
23,338 |
|
Nullo Mountain
|
20km E
of Rylstone |
5,668 |
|
Sunny Corner |
5km W
of Portland |
21,295 |
|
Vulcan
|
20km S
of Oberon |
19,604 |
| South-West
Slopes |
Green Hills
|
5km W of
Batlow |
25,800 |
|
Mundaroo
|
10km W
of Tumbarumba |
6,134 |
| Western
Plains |
Paddington
|
90km SW
of Cobar |
6,682 |
|
Wyrra |
25km NW
of West Wyalong |
1,295 |
| South Coast
|
Badja |
50km E
of Cooma |
7,516 |
|
Benandarah
|
5km N of
Batemans Bay |
2,489 |
|
Bodalla
|
5km SW
Bodalla |
23,987 |
|
Bolaro
|
10km W
of Batemans Bay |
1,810 |
|
Boyne |
10km N
of Batemans Bay |
6,195 |
|
Buckenbowra
|
10km W
of Nelligen |
5,024 |
|
Clyde |
25km N
of Nelligen |
3,565 |
|
Dampier
|
5km W of
Bodalla |
33,671 |
|
Flat Rock
|
10 km W
of Lake Tabourie |
4,829 |
|
Moruya
|
15km S
of Moruya |
4,527 |
|
North Brooman
|
10km W
of Lake Tabourie |
3,626 |
|
Shallow
Crossing |
10km N
of Nelligen |
3,948 |
|
South Brooman
|
15km N
of Nelligen |
5,537 |
|
Wandella
|
30km W
of Narooma |
5,452 |
|
Wandera
|
10km W
of Moruya |
5,196 |
| Far South
Coast |
Bermagui
|
3km W of
Bermagui |
23,987 |
|
Bruces
Creek |
40km S
of Eden |
911 |
|
Cathcart
|
18km W
of Candelo. |
1,655 |
|
Coolangubra
|
15km E
of Bombala |
10,454 |
|
East Boyd
|
15km S
of Eden |
18,607 |
|
Mogo |
2km S of
Batemans Bay |
14,585 |
|
Mumbulla
|
12km NE
of Bega. |
5,971 |
|
Murrah
|
10km SW
of Bermagui |
4,592 |
|
Nadgee
|
25km S
of Eden |
20,216 |
|
Nalbaugh
|
18km SE
of Bombala |
5,054 |
|
Nullica
|
10km W
of Eden |
18,380 |
|
Nungatta
|
45km SW
of Eden |
915 |
|
Tantawangalo
|
20km W
of Candelo |
2,181 |
|
Timbillica
|
30km S
of Eden. |
8,094 |
|
Ingebirah
|
30km SW
of Jindabyne |
2,657 |
TOTAL 46 AREAS
422,100 HA
[1]
Norris, A. et. al. 2005. Review of the Management of Feral Animals
and Their Impact on Biodiversity in the Rangelands: A resource to
aid NRM planning. A report to the Australian Government prepared
by the Pest Animal Control Cooperative Research Centre, June. http://www.invasiveanimals.com/images/pdfs/RangelandsLR.pdf
|
