March 2013 No 252 Federal Election Prospecting In
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FEDERAL ELECTION MARCH 2013 NO 252 PROSPECTING IN PARKS PROTECTING NATIVE VEGETATION CLIMATE CHANGE AND BUSHWALKING ALPS LAND SWAP LARGE OLD TREES VICTORIA’S LIGHTSTATIONS CHILDREN AND NATURE Features... LEFT: Centre pivot irrigation often results in the loss of paddock trees and other vegetation. Read how the State Government is planning to make it easier for landowners and others to clear native vegetation. BELOW: Discover the delightful new children’s book Lyrebird – a true story, by Jackie Kerin, illustrated by Peter Gouldthorpe. You can buy copies from VNPA at a page special member discount. Ideal gift! 12 KELSALL YASMIN PHOTO: ‘Heavens to Betsy!’ The bird examined her from head to toe A curious young bird blocked her way. with his black button eyes. Edith examined Edith stood as still as a statue. ‘You’re the bird. A lyrebird. And bold as brass. ‘Aren’t no ordinary chook,’ she murmured. you supposed to be a shy bird?’ He began to scratch for grubs beside the path. Edith was puzzled. ‘Whatever happened to your tail?’ She took out her notebook and pencil. FEBRUARY Lyrebird! (a young male — a plain-tail!) page 342 PARK WATCH • MARCH 2013 NO 252 By the time she’d fi nished her sketch, he’d vanished. 5 Be part of nature PRESIDENT Russell Costello DIRECTOR Matt Ruchel CONTENTS Level 3, 60 Leicester Street 4 From the President Carlton, VIC 3053 ABN 34 217 717 593 4 From the Editor Telephone: (03) 9347 5188 Facsimile: (03) 9347 5199 5 Parks, the best investment E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.vnpa.org.au 6-7 Engaging with the Earth-Story VNPA’S VISION 8 The federal election: what about the We share a vision of Victoria as a place with a diverse, secure and healthy natural environment cared for and appreciated by all. environment? EDITORIAL COMMITTEE 10 Prospecting: time for some real changes Ann Strunks, Matt Ruchel, Philip Ingamells, Michael Howes. 12 Net Gain? Net loss! New habitat clearing ADVERTISING rules on the cards Ann Strunks, [email protected] GETTING INVOLVED IN VNPA 14 Divers discover diversity: the Great Victorian Everyone can help in the conservation of Victoria’s wild and Fish Count 2012 beautiful places. You can: • make a donation 15 Bastion Point – we’re not going to take it! • become a regular giver or member 16 Less snow, more fire • volunteer. You’ll be welcome in the office, on a campaign or in a park • leave a bequest to VNPA in your will. 17 The future of bushwalking PUBLISHING POLICY All advertisements should be compatible with VNPA policies. 18 Parks open to development Publication of an advertisement does not imply endorsement by 20 The fall of the giants the VNPA Inc. of the advertised product or service. The VNPA reserves the right to refuse any advertisement at any time. 22 That White Pages listing – the VNPA in Park Watch may be quoted without permission provided that the 1990s acknowledgement is made. The opinions of contributors are not necessarily those of the VNPA Inc. 24 Protecting Grampians-Gariwerd GUIDELINES FOR CONTRIBUTORS 26 What’s stopping you? You’re always welcome to contact the editor to discuss ideas for articles. Phone the VNPA or email [email protected]. Articles may be 28 In Parks – a new lease of light submitted by email, on disk or as hard copy. Include your contact details and brief biographical information. Photos, maps and drawings are 30 What on earth …? needed too. Digital photos should be 300dpi and around 8cm by 12cm. 31 Vale Ann Stokie and Arthur Thies COPY DEADLINE for June 2013 Park Watch is 29 April 2013. DESIGN Mary Ferlin/Damon Carr 32 Checking out the Chathams PRINTING Adams Print 34 The story of Lyrebird! FRONT AND BACK COVERS Children enjoy time in natural surroundings at 35 Book reviews Edwards Point near St Leonards (front cover) and Sheoak Falls near Lorne (back) with Geelong-based 36 Muddy Boots and Sandy Hands group Muddy Boots and Sandy Hands. See page 36. Photos courtesy Danielle Bain. 37 Family pet kills endangered bird Park Watch ISSN 1324-4361 38 In memory of Jenny Barnett; BWAG notes PARK WATCH • MARCH 2013 NO 252 3 • opportunities to help support our is to be a secretive land swap in the Alpine conservation work and Victoria’s NP. The full story is on page 18. natural environment. Similarly, in February all planning There will also be an option to combine schemes were amended to exempt DSE membership with regular giving, of from the requirement to obtain a planning which all but a $40 membership service permit to clear native vegetation on the fee will be tax-deductible. The new Crown land it manages. annual fee structure, effective from May I urge you to write to Environment PHOTO COURTESY RUSSELL COSTELLO COURTESY PHOTO 2013, is as follows: Minister Ryan Smith or your local MPs Concession: $40 • about this, and about the Victorian • Individual: $65 Government’s apparent intention to dilute From the • Household/family: $90 native vegetation clearing controls – see • Giving Naturally – Conservation President Partner and Member: $20 per month article on page 12. minimum, plus $40 membership fee. We ended 2012 with the enjoyable STOP PRESS We will contact relevant organisations annual picnic at Lysterfield Park and As this Park Watch was going to print, about new fees for Associate Members started 2013 with the defeat of the State Premier Ted Baillieu announced his and Subscribers. Government’s court appeal to overturn resignation and was replaced by Denis the ban on cattle grazing in the Alpine On a brighter note, I joined some 26 Napthine as Premier. National Park. All good. VNPA members in the Alpine NP on Under the Baillieu leadership we have But it hasn’t been an easy year for the the last weekend of February removing willows from the Falls Creek bogs. seen significant backward steps on the VNPA. We are finding – like many not- environment and conservation. The key for-profit organisations – that grants for It was hard work but lots of fun, and question is whether a new leadership will specific projects have practically dried up. the good news is that many areas that bring a new approach. Your Council has regrettably had to take were thick with willows a few years ago Premier Napthine has pledged to continue action to wind back some programs and now have only scattered regrowth or the Baillieu agenda. As an MP and seek new sources of revenue. seedlings. Minister he has not been a great supporter We are placing particular emphasis on My thanks to Parks Victoria staff for of conservation issues, but perhaps their capable organisation, and to our regular giving program, and welcome leadership will bring new insights. your participation, because it helps us to Phil Ingamells and all our dedicated plan with a more reliable revenue base. volunteers for their hard work. The VNPA calls on the new Premier to clarify his approach to the environment The Victorian Government is still We have also reviewed VNPA and conservation. • PW membership fees. There have been no presenting us with conservation changes in fees for at least seven years, challenges. We recently learnt that there Russell Costello, VNPA President so we are implementing modest rises of around 11-20%, depending on the category. VNPA membership is still good value for money; members receive: From the Editor • our quarterly full-colour magazine Welcome to the first Park Watch for 2013. I hope you Park Watch find plenty to interest and inspire you. • our Nature’s Voice E- Newsletter and campaign alerts Thanks to all our contributors, and in particular to • access to one of Australia’s largest three volunteers who have made a big contribution bushwalking and nature-based activity to this edition. programs Michael and Evelyn Feller have each written articles on • invitations to tree planting and habitat important subjects and have brought wide experience restoration days, plus special events to the task. Evelyn is also helping in the VNPA office. • insurance coverage while participating in authorised VNPA events Writer and editor Warwick Sprawson has • access to our citizen science programs contributed two articles and helped with editing NatureWatch and Reef Watch and layout. His questions and ideas have kept me on • discounts at leading gear and my toes, and his interest and enthusiasm are much bushwalking stores appreciated. • PW • capacity to vote at AGMs and/or join Michael Howes the Council or one of its Committees FERLIN MARY PHOTO: 4 PARK WATCH • MARCH 2013 NO 252 Hattah-Kulkyne National Park. In 2010, governments at the 10th meeting of the Convention on Biological Diversity in Japan adopted 20 landmark Aichi Targets, including Target 11 which calls for at least 17% of the world’s terrestrial areas and 10% of marine areas to be conserved by 2020. These ambitious targets will require dramatic efforts by all countries. This will mean adding an area of at least 6 million square kilometres on land, roughly twice the size of India, and 8 million square kilometres on sea – an area greater than the size of Australia! To this end, IUCN will convene its sixth World Parks Congress in Parks, the best investment November 2014 in Sydney, Australia. PHOTO: PAUL SINCLAIR PAUL PHOTO: The ten-yearly World Parks Congresses is where the world gets together to THIS IS AN EDITED VERSION OF A SPEECH BY chart the future for protected areas – JULIA MARTON-LEFÈVRE, DIRECTOR GENERAL but also way beyond their boundaries! OF THE INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR THE What we hope to achieve in 2014 is CONSERVATION OF NATURE, GIVEN AT A to place solutions on the table that CONFERENCE IN BUDAPEST IN NOVEMBER 2012.