From the President Our 50th anniversary public attention to the beauty and value of Namadgi. Our website is an absolute Congratulations to all our members, joy to log into, full of information and supporters, officeholders and life inspiration. Our email newsletter is members who have made NPA ACT making communication with our such a wonderful organisation for the members quicker, easier and more past 50 years. For us to have survived effective. and thrived for 50 years is a significant Our publications program has grown achievement, and for us to have achieved substantially. The Bulletin has gone to as much as we have is inspiring. colour, at least on its cover, to do justice What has sustained us? What Clive to member’s passion for capturing the Hurlstone wrote 10 years ago in his beauty of our natural world with digital President’s column for the Bulletin on photography. Think about it: how many fields and up tall mountains every the occasion of our 40th anniversary of us actually owned a digital camera weekend with good grace and remains true today: 10 years ago? We have been fortunate to camaraderie. We have been entertained … the camaraderie, the shared have had a succession of excellent and informed at a grand total of enjoyment of bushwalking and the editors over the past decade and Bulletin 100 general meetings over the decade, intellectual stimulation of turning articles have continued to canvass ideas and our Christmas parties have become ideas, research and practical and issues, stimulate debate, and inform legendary. experience into submissions, have all and educate us all. We have put all past Moving our office was a big event, as been part of the sustaining process. issues of the Bulletin on the website. was the archiving of many important Many other things have changed, but That was a mammoth task made possible records with the ACT Heritage Library, the need for a strong, active NPA ACT is by many willing volunteers, and what a making us feel a bit like a teenager greater than ever. The worst tragedy we treasure-trove it has proven to be. leaving home with our parents putting all experienced in 50 years was the 2003 We have published new editions of our stuff in the garage. Volunteers fires which devastated Namadgi and our field guides and added new works to continue to staff the office and take care swept through our city, killing four our list. Our series of conferences of business, and without them we would people and destroying over 500 homes. brought prominent local scientists and be lost. In a hundred different ways, our Since that awful day, NPA ACT has led national parks staff together with the members, volunteers and supporters community efforts to establish community to discuss local and regional have fulfilled Clive’s charter of 10 years environmentally sustainable and challenges for managing environmental ago and that of our founders 50 years effective fire-management regimes in our issues in these difficult times. The third ago: we have created and sustained a park and nature reserves. But even in this series, to be held in May this year, dynamic, successful organisation that tougher challenges lie ahead. Drought will take this debate out into the national has worked in so many different ways to and climate change are altering the context and we hope it will be equally protect and conserve our challenging but seasons, intensifying fire danger, successful. Papers from these beautiful environment. supporting new pest and weed invasions, conferences have been distributed to The exciting events that have been and threatening the survival of key ACT schools and libraries, and have planned for the year ahead will give us a species. been a rich resource for submissions and chance to pause, reflect and celebrate In response, NPA ACT has got papers. who we are and what we have achieved. smarter and more effective. We have Our outings program has continued I hope to share a glass of Namadgi Red taken advantage of new technology to to be a major feature of our activities. or Gudgenby White with you all in 2010. find innovative ways of promoting our Though there may be slightly more car Christine Goonrey national park and its conservation values camps and perhaps a few easier walks February 2010 in the community. Our photographic than 10 years ago, our members still exhibitions are once again attracting stride through forests, across the open National Parks – can they take the heat? NPAACT Symposium 2010. Registration form with this Bulletin Friday 7 May, 1pm – 5pm Discovery Centre, CSIRO Saturday 8 May 2010, 9am – 5pm Clunies Ross Street, Acton Dinner Friday night Convenor: Kevin McCue 0262511291 [email protected] Themes Changing expectations of national parks Reducing the risk for threatened species Timelines for climate change Resilient cities/natural parks Treasures in national parks Tourism, population and recreation pressure After the drought? Living with fire NPA BULLETIN − MARCH 2010 3 Celebrating the 50th year of the National Parks Association of the ACT Molonglo Gorge being the first one. environment protection is of the utmost For 50 years, talented people have importance and must not be worked as presidents, secretaries, compromised by allowing human treasurers, committee members, walks activities to intrude and destroy. and outings leaders and organisers of The rangers and park workers in the social events, publicity, and school essay National Parks Service have half of the and art exhibitions. ACT to care for and protect. Over the Creative editors have produced the past 50 years many rangers have become NPA Bulletin every quarter, or more good friends of the Association and its frequently, and several books have been members as we work together. Climate published. change and population growth will bring Energetic people have worked on challenges to the administration of our track making and tree planting and National Park, and extra funding will be weeding. Skilled members have restored needed to increase staff numbers. historic buildings in the park, and others Namadgi National Park’s beautiful The National Parks Association of the have organised seminars to publicly mountains, clear streams and alpine ACT is a quiet achiever. discuss conservation issues. vegetation is special amongst Australia’s Fifty years ago an association of Members have learned to appreciate many varieties of landscapes. My hope people striving to protect the natural more deeply the value of the natural for the next 50 years is that there will landscapes and the wildlife within them, environment, and their lives have been continue to be a body of people called came together in the Canberra Institute enriched by such knowledge. Monthly the National Parks Association of the of Anatomy (now the Australian Film meetings, walking together, working ACT who will strive to protect the and Sound Archives). Under the together, camping together, yarning natural environment of the ACT and all leadership of Dr Nancy Burbidge, the around the campfires have created many Australia. National Parks Association of the ACT long friendships. Fiona MacDonald Brand was founded with the aim to gain a The strivings of the National Parks Foundation member, NPA ACT National Park for the National Capital. Association must never cease, as each Fifty years of striving has achieved new generation of public administrators that goal, plus several smaller reserves, has to be educated to the idea that natural The birth of the NPA ACT Up until 1958, Canberra was a small recreational activities. The locals pine plantations in the Cotter quiet town. In the 45 years since its realised that, with a population catchment area. It is indeed declaration as the national capital of explosion, existing legislation that said imperative that this interference with Australia, the population had increased that the ACT was protected as a ‘park’ the natural vegetation should cease from that of a very small rural wasn’t sufficient to guarantee the water … So continuous has erosion of such community in 1913 to only 39 000 by catchments, let alone preserve natural slopes been over the last four or five 1958, despite the opening of Parliament flora, fauna and geology. years, at least, that we have almost House in 1927. In 1958 the National forgotten what good water is like. … Capital Development Commission was Catchment clearing and water If the Health Department accepts no given the task of planning, developing responsibility beyond that of ensuring and constructing Canberra, with the quality concerns a water supply free of harmful money to do the job. The population There is inevitably a provocation before bacteria of known types and the increased by 22 000 (that is over 50 per action and, in Canberra, water quality Advisory Council is without power to cent in just 2 years) to 52 000 in 1960. It was that provocation. Leading up to request remedial action, the sooner was destined to double every 5 years for 1959, the quality of the water supply we press for the establishment of a many years to come. that Canberrans had taken for granted committee of properly qualified Up to that point, apart from people deteriorated, and Nancy Burbidge and persons to guard our community whose work supported the Federal other established citizens of the town against exploitation, the better. Parliament, a sizeable proportion of the blamed clearing for pine plantations. While the fundamental purpose of the Canberra population was involved in Letters to the editor of the Canberra catchment area in relation to the research, either at CSIRO or the Times voiced that concern. Nancy wrote provision of a first-class water supply Australian National University. Now the on 20 March 1959: to the National Capital is all- city was invaded by public servants, and Sir — Your correspondent ‘Rumex’ is important, our community interests developers and builders.