In kosciuszko national park the nsw government has abandoned a science based management plan developed following extensive consultation. Consultation and advice from the kosciuszko wild horse community and scientific advisory panels has been critical to planning the postfire control of wild horses. Kosciuszko national park draft wild horse management plan 2016 3 summary kosciuszko national park is the largest national park in new south wales and one of the largest conservation reserves in australia. About 4,000 feral horses will be removed from kosciuszko national park in new south wales as part of an emergency response to protect the. A nsw national parks and wildlife service cull during 2006 and 2007 in kosciuszko national park, where there were an estimated 1700 horses in 2005, resulted in a reduction of 64 horses. Feral horses also known as wild horses or brumbies. While this plan is an important breakthrough, the invasive species council is sceptical of the goal to reduce feral horse numbers to 600 in 20 years can be achieved while aerial culling remains. This article is a response to that plan, and is written by a bushwalker for a bushwalking audience. Passing the brumby bill is a backward step for environmental protection in australia. Why is there a wild horse management plan for kosciuszko. The decision to protect destructive feral horses in kosciuszko national park at the. In australias snowy mountains, a battle over brumbies. This management plan discusses the available management tools that could be used to minimise the impact of feral horses in the alpine region of kosciuszko national park.
Objectives which are often in direct or indirect conflict. No management of brumbies in kosciuszko for 18 months the. Called the kosciuszko wild horse heritage act 2018, it prioritises a harmful invasive species over the fragile ecosystems of a national park and world biosphere reserve the decision to protect destructive feral horses in kosciuszko national park at the expense of our native plants and. Kosciuszko national park draft wild horse management plan 22july2016. Reinforcing land management history that is not grounded in national park values is a mistake. The wild horse legislation undermines kosciuszko national parks legal plan of management. The removal of wild horses will occur under the 2008 kosciuszko national park horse management plan. Kosciuszko wild horse heritage bill 2018 parliament of nsw. Aug 19, 2016 it is this deep knowledge of ecology and management which allows us to draw our conclusions that rapid, humane horse control is essential for kosciuszko national park to perform its primary. The national parks and wildlife service, part of the nsw office of environment and heritage, has a legal duty to protect the range of natural and cultural values within kosciuszko national park, and a responsibility to minimise the impact of introduced species, including wild horses.
Kosciuszko national park plan of management nsw environment. With deeply entrenched viewpoints on either side, one of the aims of the process was to engage with everyday citizens and understand their views and values. Name kosciuszkonationalparkhorsemanagementplan080254. Protecting the snowies wild horse management in kosciuszko. Dubbed the brumbies bill, the proposed laws require the minister for the environment to prepare a heritage management plan for the brumby, which will identify areas within the kosciuszko national park where populations will be maintained, and set rules around brumby management. Hike to the summit of mount kosciuszko, or descend underground to magical yarrangobilly caves adventure seekers can get their thrills on the many walks and mountain bike trails. Kosciuszko national park brumbies cull banned to protect.
It was originally published in the latest edition of the bushwalk. Advisory council means the national parks and wildlife advisory council. Submission in support of the draft kosciuszko national park. Kosciuszko national park office of environment and heritage. Kosciuszko national park draft wild horse management plan. Submission to the draft wild horse management plan. So far this year the npws has removed about 460 wild horses from the northern end of the park using trapping.
Kosciuszko national park alpine area horse management plan. It is this deep knowledge of ecology and management which allows us to draw our conclusions that rapid, humane horse control is essential for. The following is taken from a statement put out today 29 may by penny sharpe mlc shadow minister for the environment. These horses are part of a much larger population within northern kosciuszko national. The presence of these horses within the park is highly controversial due to a range of stakeholders having different perspectives based on different. Department of the environment 2015 national recovery plan for the alpine sphagnum bogs and associated fens. Jan 11, 2019 management of wild horses in kosciuszko national park appears to be in tatters with both environmentalists and brumby supporter groups saying they are deeply concerned there has been no removal of. Managing the feral horses in alpine areas has long been a deeply contentious issue. Ski or snowboard the highest runs in the country at thredbo and perisher. He told guardian australia the new plan should be seen as an. Called the kosciuszko national park draft wild horse management plan, the document has already undergone a protracted development process in consultation with communities and relevant stakeholders.
Go camping, explore caves, climb australias highest mountain, or stay in heritage accommodation. Thousands of feral horses to be removed from kosciuszko. Ensure that the plan of management of kosciuszko national park is the primary management document to guide the operation of the park. On 1 of may 2016, the draft wild horse management plan for the kosciuszko national park knp 2016 the 2016 plan was released for public comment. Kosciuszko national park draft wild horse management plan 22. Wildlife regulation in kosciuszko national park 2019 36 eplj 674 675 management, which encompasses an entanglement of harm and care, 6 has increasingly been called to account. Kosciuszko national park is home to a horse population of an estimated 6000 horses.
The draft plan has proposed reducing the brumby population in the states biggest national park by 90 per cent in 20 years, from an estimated 6,000 to 600. Protecting kosciuszkos wild horses from culling nsw government. Maintaining the balance between protecting the park and facilitating. No management of brumbies in kosciuszko for 18 months. Management of wild horses in kosciuszko national park appears to be in tatters with both environmentalists and brumby supporter groups saying they are. We congratulate the nsw national parks and wildlife service, office of environment and heritage on the way the draft plan recognises the great damage cause by wildferal horses to kosciuszko national park knp, and are impressed that the plan seriously attempts to deal with the problem. In 1976 the npws closed the road to public vehicles because of safety and environmental concerns. The kosciuszko wild horse heritage bill 2018 will give the wild horses living in the kosciuszko national park cultural and heritage value. Kosciuszko wild horse heritage bill 2018 nsw part 2 wild horse heritage management plan part 2 wild horse heritage management plan 5 preparation of draft wild horse heritage management plan 1 the chief executive is to cause a draft wild horse heritage management plan to be prepared for kosciuszko national park the draft plan. Review of the 2008 horse management plan and wild horse management program, kosciuszko national park 2 a balance must be found between the protection of the environmental and other values of the park and retention of the cultural values represented by wild horses. Kosciuszko national park wild horse management the delicate alpine and subalpine ecosystems of kosciuszko national park face many threats, including pressures from introduced animals such as wild horses. Sep 12, 2016 on 1 of may 2016, the draft wild horse management plan for the kosciuszko national park knp 2016 the 2016 plan was released for public comment. Since 2003 the number of horses within nnp has increased to.
Feral horse management environment, planning and sustainable. Feb 19, 2020 about 4,000 feral horses will be removed from kosciuszko national park in new south wales as part of an emergency response to protect the alpine ecosystem after large areas were devastated by. In june 2018 the nsw parliament passed a law that protects feral horses in kosciuszko national park. Kosciuszko feral horse plan confronts growing disaster. Namadgi national park feral horse management plan 2007. Kosciuszko national park wild horse management plan. May 03, 2016 called the kosciuszko national park draft wild horse management plan, the document has already undergone a protracted development process in consultation with communities and relevant stakeholders. Kosciuszko the destruction of a national heritage icon. Announcing an agreement between horse lovers and nationalpark. Kosciuszko national park is located around 350km southwest of sydney and is the largest national park in nsw. The bill will require all future plans of management for kosciuszko national park to consider the cultural significance of the horses. May 21, 2018 dubbed the brumbies bill, the proposed laws require the minister for the environment to prepare a heritage management plan for the brumby, which will identify areas within the kosciuszko national park where populations will be maintained, and set rules around brumby management. The new south wales governments plan to protect wild horses from lethal culling inside kosciuszko national park will veto evidencebased management of their environmental impact, the. A cracking dawn lights up a stunning display of wildflowers in an area that may be kept feral horse free in kosciuszko national park if the new hire management.
Labours sixpoint plan to save kosciuszko national park and manage the wild horse population. Visitor facilities closed in act parks and reserves in response to covid19. In 2008, the kosciuszko national park horse management community steering group made a fateful decision. Kosciuszko national park horse management plan environment. Control of horses in kosciuszko national park began in the early 1970s with a licensed horse roping brumby running program. As a result, some areas of the alpine national park, are in poor condition and are not showing. Protecting kosciuszkos wild horses from culling nsw.
Wild horse management kosciuszko national park the npws carries out a passive trapping program within kosciuszko national park to reduce the number of wild horses in the park, currently estimated to number between 4,500 and 5,000 following the 2009 aerial survey by dr michele dawson. Nsw government to scrap proposed cull kosciuszko national park brumbies. The section on cultural and social values of wild horses in kosciuszko national park pages 11 must explain why elimination of feral horses is necessary and appropriate for a national park due to the damage that feral horse cause to park values. Sep 22, 2014 in 2008, the kosciuszko national park horse management community steering group made a fateful decision. The 2008 kosciuszko national park horse management plan remains the current plan for the management of horses in the park. Geotechnical and water management amendments to kosciuszko national park plan of management. In accordance with the act, a wild horse heritage plan of management will be developed to. Wild horses in the national park were given protection by the nsw parliament in 2018 under the divisive kosciuszko wild horse heritage act but with the caveat that active management of the. Kosciuszko national park australian alps national parks. Kosciuszko national park exists to protect the unique. This, along with information, views and opinions provided by stakeholders and members of the public, has assisted npws in formulating this draft plan. With their help, we have set a number of objectives for horse removal. A heritage management plan will be created for the horses, which will override other management plans for the national park where there is inconsistency. The invasive species council cautiously welcomed the plan released today to drastically reduce feral horse numbers in kosciuszko national park.
Humane effective feral horse control essential for kosciuszko. Kosciuszko national park is the largest national park in nsw and one of the. The draft plan is to identify the heritage value of sustainable wild horse populations. The park is a unesco biosphere reserve and is an integral component of the australian alps national parks and reserves, which were. Public and national parks and wildlife service npws concerns over the inhumane practice, along with the adoption of a plan of management in 1982, resulted in the practice being banned. The namadgi national park feral horse management plan 2007 was. Protect kosciuszko national park from feral horse degradation please support the npws kosciuszko national park draft wild horse management plan 2016 by writing a submission using the guide below. However, the draft plan is currently up for public consultation, and people are encouraged to make a submission prior to the 8th of july this year.
Decc 2008, kosciuszko national park horse management plan, department of environment and climate change, tumut, nsw. May 20, 2018 a 2016 draft wild horse management plan handed to the nsw government recommended reducing the number of horses in the park by 90 per cent over 20 years, primarily through culling. The draft plan proposes to reduce wild horse numbers through humane and cost effective means. This communitybased steering group was made up of members from relevant organisations and was created to guide the development of the plan to ensure it. Who we are formed in 2005, lawyers for animals lfa is a notforprofit. Kosciuszko national park alpine area horse management. Download feral horse management australian alps national parks. This act is the kosciuszko wild horse heritage act 2018. These methods were narrowed to a smaller group by the wild horse management steering comitte. Kosciuszko national park wild horse management nsw. Kosciuszko national park archives pestsmart connect. Plan to cull 90 per cent of mount kosciuszko brumbies pulled after outrage erupted about destroying the iconic horses.
After crossing the snowy river the track climbs gradually to rawson pass. Kosciuszko national park in submissions a cracking dawn lights up a stunning display of wildflowers in an area that may be kept feral horse free in kosciuszko national park if the new hire management plan is adopted. Submission in support of the draft kosciuszko national. A wild horse plan will be prepared for presumably large areas that have been identified as being part of the wild horse plan. The npws carries out a passive trapping program within kosciuszko national park to reduce the number of wild horses in the park, currently estimated to number between 4,500 and 5,000 following the 2009 aerial survey by dr michele dawson. However, we urge you to reduce horse numbers more rapidly, to lower numbers, and using aerial culling which is the most effective and most humane approach. Draft wild horse management plan kosciuszko national park. Namadgi national park feral horse management plan 2007 3 1. Kosciuszko national park plan of management kosciuszko national park, which encompasses 673,542 hectares, is the largest national park in new south wales and one of the most complex conservation reserves in australia.
Kosciuszko national park spoils you with snow sports, walks and mountain biking in the snowy mountains. Australian ecologists letter to the nsw premier in. Thousands of feral horses to be removed from kosciuszko national. Protect kosciuszko national park from feral horse degradation. The grim story of the snowy mountains cannibal horses. Jun 03, 2018 the new south wales governments plan to protect wild horses from lethal culling inside kosciuszko national park will veto evidencebased management of their environmental impact, the. Kosciuszko is one of the best known and best loved national parks in australia, attracting around three million visitors each year. Draft wild horse management plan each year, kosciuszko national park provides thousands of visitors with experiences that are not available anywhere else. Maintaining the balance between protecting the park and the heritage value of wild horses is a complex task. Labours six point plan to save kosciuszko national park and. Wild horse management kosciuszko national park flickr. Its borders contain a mix of rugged mountains and wilderness, characterised by an alpine climate, which makes it popular with recreational skiers. The nsw national parks and wildlife service commenced a plan in 2007 to reduce brumby numbers by passive trapping in the oxley wild rivers national park. Nsw brumby plan makes kosciuszko conservation impossible.
In kosciuszko national park the nsw government has abandoned a sciencebased management plan developed following extensive consultation. The park is named after mount kosciuszko, which at 2,228 metres is australias highest mountain. Minister vows to stop brumbies doing more damage to kosciuszko. Feral horse management in national parks colong foundations 2003 submission to the draft feral horse plan for the alpine area of kosciuszko national park. A 2016 draft wild horse management plan handed to the nsw government recommended reducing the number of horses in the park by 90 per cent over 20 years, primarily through culling.
This horse management plan was prepared by staff of the south west slopes and snowy. Kosciuszko wild horse heritage act 2018 nsw legislation. Signatories to this letter include 41 ecologists from 16 universities in queensland, new. May 20, 2018 plan to cull 90 per cent of mount kosciuszko brumbies pulled after outrage erupted about destroying the iconic horses. Management of the wild horses in kosciuszko national park is clearly highly contentious and emotive, and the extensive engagement process has not resolved this issue. Wild horses and the unique value of the snowies office of. That plan, passed in 2008, relied on trapping the brumbies with lures, and then removing them from the park for domestication and rehoming. Labours six point plan to save kosciuszko national park. The park is approximately 150 kilometres in length, running from the victorian border to the west of the acts. After carefully considering the range of options for managing horses, the committee decided. Part 2 wild horse heritage management plan clause 5 requires the chief executive of the office of environment and heritage the chief executive to cause a draft wild horse heritage management plan to be prepared for kosciuszko national park. Review of the 2008 horse management plan and wild horse. Mountains region of the nsw national parks and wildlife service the.
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