Autumn 2013 Times are changing
Transcription
Autumn 2013 Times are changing
Autumn 2013 Times are changing... During this past spring and summer, we’ve seen some pretty dramatic changes in weather with mother nature lashing out on our environments with cyclones, hurricane’s, floods and fire. Whether we like it or not, change takes place. We can choose whether to make the best of these situations or not. Like nature, we simply have to try and develop adpatations to cope with these changes the best we can. Likewise in our work environments. At the QRA 2013 muster at Christmas Creek, Lamington National Park with the theme ‘Changing Environments’ we will be looking at some of these changes taking place in our work environments. It was only fitting then that this edition of the Ranger Rambler also focussed on this subject. The last 6 months have blown in dramatic changes in our departments, regions and position descriptions. We’ve seen the focus of QPWS evolve to increase access and use of national parks through a variety of recreational users and increased commercial investment. And we’ve seen changes in our workforces with some old friends leaving and new ones arriving. In this edition we also cover extensively the life-changing experiences of the two QRA members attending the World Rangers Congress in Africa. We also look at the effect Cyclone Oswald had on life on the east coast, and we acknowledge one of QPWS greatest assets - Dick Clarkson. We hope you enjoy... Inside this issue: Ramblings from the chair International Rangers Congress QRA sponsors Kenyan ranger Miki’s experience at the IRF Cyclone Oswald QRA Muster 2013 agenda Dick Clarkson In the News 2 4 9 10 14 16 18 21 Ramblings from the Association Ranger Rambler chair... Queensland Ranger Autumn 2013 Article and photo contributors: Greg Keith, Miki Bradley, Jolene McLellan, Brett Hollindale, James Plant, Warren Venaglia, Shane O’Connor Article deadline for next edition in Spring 2013 is 1st September, 2013. Please send your story to rambler@ queenslandranger.org. Please keep photographs in their original format at their highest resolution. Queensland Ranger Association Executive Group Chair -Greg Keith Deputy Chair - Brooke Turner-Mann Treasurer - Delys Wilson Secretary - Miki Bradley March already……and nearly a year since the QRA last met at Carnarvon Gorge. Since we last met at Carnarvon the QRA has achieved the following: In November the QRA sponsored two members to attend the 7th World Rangers Congress in Tanzania. Jolene McLellan, based at Girraween, received a full financial sponsorship and Miki Bradley based at Tinaroo and Secretary of the QRA, received partial sponsorship. A full report from the Congress is in this edition of the Rambler. The Annual General Meeting of the National Ranger Association CARA – (Council of Australian Ranger Associations) was also held and Miki and Jolene represented the QRA. The QRA also sponsored the cost of the conference registration fees for a Ranger Rambler editor - Jolene McLellan local Kenyan Ranger who normally could not afford the registration www.queenslandranger.org Update your QRA details by sending an costs. email to [email protected] The Ranger Rambler is the publication of the Queensland Ranger Association, Incorporated. Opinions expressed in this magazine are those of the authors and are not necessarily those of the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of National Parks, Recreation, Sport and Racing, nor the Minister or Queensland Government. Printed on recycled paper. By all reports the Ranger, Michael Lenaimando, greatly enjoyed the Congress and the chance to develop networks with Jolene and Miki representating the Rangers in Queensland. Miki and Jolene were also able to take some donated items to Tanzania for Michael and other rangers to assist with the crucial conservation work they are doing there. Given that the QPWS did not send any delegates. The only representation of management of National Parks in Queensland was by our two QRA representatives. Without the QRA there would have been no Queensland presence at this important International conference. The QRA also voted to sponsor Sean Willmore, Founder of the Thin Green Line Foundation, $500 to attend the Tanzania Conference. The majority of the Australian Ranger Associations, facilitated by CARA, donated funds to enable Sean to travel to Africa without using TGLF funds. Sean also nominated himself as President of the International Ranger Foundation. The QRA endorsed this nomination and Sean was successfully elected as President of the IRF. In news closer to home, the QRA made formal representation to the Director General of the Department of Environment, Heritage and Protection (EHP) about the proposed badging for Wildlife Rangers. The proposed badge was a silhouette of the Glass House Mountains, it was felt by many Wildlife Staff that a wildlife symbol was more the objectives of the Staff Welfare Association. A new welfare fund specific to NPRSR has been formed with funds from the old DERM Welfare Funds. QRA members who wish to continue to support such a welfare fund should join the NPRSR Welfare fund. appropriate. Given that historically regulation of the wildlife under the Nature Conservation Act has been done by Rangers. The QRA advocated that ‘Herbie’ remain the badge for wildlife staff and that separate agency branding could be achieved by distinct badges on the shoulder and chest identifying the staff members as an EHP Wildlife Staff. A response from the DG was not encouraging and it seems that EHP will look for badging of wildlife Rangers with a different logo. This is significant because for the first time since the foundation of the National Park Service in Queensland the regulation and management of wildlife is not being undertaken by QPWS Rangers. The public brand of Herbie is no longer performing the frontline duties of wildlife management. The QRA also made a case to transfer a portion of funds from the DERM Staff Welfare into our Family Assistance Fund. The Family Assistance Fund, predated the Welfare Fund and had very similar objectives albeit the business rules of the Family Assistance Fund only allowed for the funds to be used for members families. A proportion of DERM Staff Welfare Fund contributors were also QRA members and that these members were happy to see their contributions redirected into the QRA Family Assistance Fund. Unfortunately the committee of the DERM Staff Welfare Fund did not approve a donation of funds to the QRA Family Assistance Fund. The reason is because constitution of the Staff Welfare Association requires that funds are distributed to organisation with like objectives and the QRA Family Assistance Fund was not a separate entity of the QRA and the objectives contained in the QRA constitution were deemed not consistent with Ongoing throughout 2012 was the advocating with the new Executive about the importance of the Memorandum of Understanding between the QRA and QPWS. Especially relevant in terms of the inkind support arrangement to assist in allowing members to attend musters and other QRA events. After many follow up phone calls I was elated to be contacted by Ben Klaassen , the Acting Deputy Director General who informed that the QPWS had agreed to continue the MOU. This ensures that we can keep a proactive constructive relationship with the Executive management of QPWS and be able to more effectively advocate for members on the issues that impact Rangers in the Field. What a year it has been. Let alone the fires and floods that we have all faced. Looking forward to catching up with you all at Christmas Creek for our 2013 muster. See you there!! Greg Keith International Rangers Congress Waking the morning of Friday 2nd November, 2012 was full of somewhat panic (as I’m scared of flying), but more so the anticipation and excitement of our trip ahead. My partner and I were to meet Miki Bradley at Brisbane airport, and take the 20 hour journey to amazing AFRICA!!! Six months earlier at the 2012 QRA conference in Carnarvon Gorge, it was announced that Miki and I were to represent the QRA at the 2012 International Rangers Federation (IRF) World Rangers Congress (WRC) in Tanzania. You can imagine what an honor this was… After a lengthy plane trip and two stopovers, (we did have a lovely massage in Bangkok airport though), we arrived in Tanzania – home to the ‘Big Five’ and the even bigger Mt Kilimanjaro. conference at the beautiful Ngurdoto Mountain Lodge, just outside of Arusha in Tanzania. After getting over the initial guilt of the luxury we were provided (not to mention jetlag), we started to meet delegates of the WRC. Australia had a great representation of rangers from every state (except the ACT) and rangers from other countries including Canada & the US, Brazil, Romania, Scotland, Iceland, Sweden, Korea and many more. Africa had a great attendance with around 60 delegates from more than 10 different countries, some as far as Madagascar and Sierra Leone. As we headed towards our accommodation for the week, we started seeing our first glimpses of life in Africa. As we left the airport there were armed guards and police present everywhere we looked. While this was a little daunting, we soon learnt that it was because the President of Tanzania was being escorted to the airport!! After that, we saw poverty stricken communities with children as young as four years old lining the side of the roads guarding their family’s cows or goats, bark huts with dirt floors and no bathroom, and people carting murky brown water from a main water supply in buckets or containers on top of their heads. You couldn’t help but feel emotional. The conference was a huge success with over 260 delegates from 40 different countries attending the 5 day Held every 3 years, the WRC brings together rangers from all over the world to meet and discuss important conservation matters relating to rangers and their roles and responsibilities, as well as providing a forum for global networking. While there were social events such as a very entertaining cultural night (will show some video footage at the next QRA conference), nightly entertainment and field trips, (an indisputable highlight was the group who went to Ngorongoro Crater witnessing lions taking down a buffalo right in front of their eyes!), there was a serious side to the week. The program included a great variety of inspiring keynote speakers, field-based presentations and workshops tackling the congress theme “Working Towards Healthy Parks, Dealing With Hungry People” through making it happen; marketing & networking; challenges facing protected areas; capacity building; and ranger challenges & solutions. There are many hungry (and greedy) people worldwide. An approach of “business as usual” is not going to address the threats we are facing. If we want to improve the situation, or in fact simply maintain the position we are in today, we need to respond accordingly. It’s about aiming high, and giving it our best shot. We need to continue sharing our stories and methods, providing the opportunity to learn from each other in a tangible way and to draw the inspiration from others – which then motivates us to keep up our own efforts. From all that was shared through the congress (formally and informally), it seems apparent that around the world protected areas and rangers are coming under greater levels of threats than ever before. We are seeing attacks on wildlife; attacks on rangers; threats to the careers of rangers; and on protected areas by competing land uses etc. And why stop at the border? Let’s share our stories at a national level through the Council of Australian Rangers Association (CARA) and at an international level through the International Rangers Federation (IRF). By sharing our challenges and achievements, we may inspire others to try new things. On a personal note, I was absolutely honoured to be standing in amongst the international mix of rangers in my QPWS uniform. I’m sure Miki will also agree it was a proud moment wearing our Herbie uniforms under the Queensland flag for the congress photo. Out of Africa... After the business end of the Africa trip was complete, it took a few local lagers too realise that we were now on holiday, and could go and enjoy the delights of this magic country that we have so longed to see. While my partner and I went on a different safari to Miki, we did meet up in the Serengeti later in the week to share a magic moment hot air ballooning over the Serengeti Plains. An absolute highlight for me was witnessing 5 rhinos together in the Nogorongoro Crater! Some people don’t even get to see one!! For the next five days we lived in an extremely tough Landcruiser experiencing the natural wonders of Arusha National Park, Ngorongoro Crater, Mount Meru, Tarangire, Lake Manyara and the ‘endless plains’ of the Serengeti. We saw it all… including leopards, lions, cheetahs, hyenas, hippos, rhinos, buffalo, wildebeest, monkeys, birdlife galore and of course, my favourite, elephants! In the lead up to the trip, I took the opportunity to raise money for some worthy causes helping African rangers, children and wildlife. The Thin Green Line Foundation received $2500 via the QRA, as did The Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage. Cheques also went to the Tanzania Children’s Home and The School of St Jude’s founded by fellow Australian Gemma Sisia. Before heading home, my partner and I had a two day stopover in Nairobi. While Miki travelled to Uganda to see the Gorilla’s, we took the opportunity to visit the Sheldrick’s elephant orphanage where we were to hand our last cheque over. I must admit, it started out as one of our worst days of the trip because of miscommunications, traffic jams and getting lost, but ended up being the best! At the orphanage we were treated like royalty by Dame Daphne Sheldrick herself (whom we gave the cheque to) and met the orphan elephants that we were helping. It truly was a beautiful moment, one which I will never forget… During the week of the conference Miki and I were lucky enough to visit the School of St Jude’s secondary campus and meet some of the beautiful students. It was thrilling to see what this amazing woman has done, helping educate some of the poorest, but brightest children in Africa. QRA sponsors Kenyan Ranger... Michael Lenaimando from Kenya is a Maasai man who balances traditional nomadic pastoralism while working in community conservation. During the 2012 International Ranger Association Congress, Jolene McLellan and I had the pleasure of meeting Michael. The Queensland Ranger Association sponsored Michael’s attendance at the congress. His attendance allowed him to gain useful knowledge and experience that he has since shared with his colleagues. He also received some much needed equipment donated by Rangers from all over the world. Michael has worked in community conservation for the past 10 years. He is currently a part of the South Rift Association of Land Owners SORALO. SORALO is a legitimate body representing the needs of all land owners in the region. It includes the joint management of the 15 group ranches which form the bridge between the famous Amboseli and Maasai Mara National Reserves. SORALO works across the South Rift Valley of Kenya and spans 850,000ha. The landscape comprises of mainly semi-arid and arid lands. The lands host one of the richest large mammal assemblages on earth. SORALO has a number of projects including: Cattleman project: This project aims to improve livestock productivity using better breeding and husbandry techniques. Game scouts program: This program trains community game scouts to better their knowledge and tracking abilities. The aim of the program is to produce competent and efficient game scouts. Rebuilding the pride project: This project aims to increase lion and other carnivore populations. Community research: a research program was set up to monitor the success of wildlife sanctuaries. Surveys were conducted on wildlife, livestock and human activities. Results of the surveys so far have shown a sharp increase in zebra, wildebeest and lion populations. For more information about these projects and to view some ecotourism destination across Kenya, visit the SORALO website: http://www.soralo.org The website is fantastic and contains many photos of Michael and his colleagues. There is also a link where you can make a donation to help support the SORALO projects. Miki Bradley Miki’s African experience... We got to learn about the challenges facing our African colleagues and share in parts of their culture. There were also other speakers from across the world sharing their knowledge and experiences. Tanzania is a truly remarkable country with over 40% of the land set aside for conservation. Tanzania is home to the Serengeti National Park which has the largest concentration of wildlife on the planet. Other protected areas include Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tanargire National Park, Lake Manyara National Park, Kilimanjaro National Park and Arusha National Park. Tanzania has seven World Heritage areas and has generated approximately 4,987.5 million USD in the past four years. Over 880,000 tourists visit the country annually and the numbers are growing rapidly. 2012 International Ranger Congress Early in November 2012 Jolene McLellan and I were fortunate to attend the 7th World Ranger Congress in Arusha, Tanzania. The congress was an International Ranger Federation event that was hosted by the PAMS foundation and Escape Tanzania. The theme for the congress was ‘Working towards Healthy Parks, dealing with Hungry People’. Over five days Jolene and I were treated to a variety of keynote speakers, workshops, field trips and entertainment. Chris Artimiew, ex Queensland Ranger, attended the congress and gave a presentation. His presentation was similar to the one he gave at Carnarvon Gorge during the Queensland Ranger Association 2012 conference. He spoke about natural disasters and the importance of developing disaster management plans and training in incident management teams. Below I have summarised my favourite presentation. If you are interested I can forward you a copy of the conference agenda congress agenda. At the end there are abstracts for all of the congress presentations. All of the Power Point presentations will also available, as soon as I can work out how to upload them to the QRA website. John Piere Mirindi – The work of a Ranger and Conservation Challenges: “Case of a rangers working in a conflict region”. John Piere is a Ranger from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He gave a simple presentation about the attributes a Ranger requires in the Congo, how being a Ranger is challenging and recommendations on how to improve the situation of the Congo Rangers. Ranger attributes: • Dedication and incredible passion • Knowledge of goals and objectives • Ready to face any challenge • Does not leave his team – ready for death • Actions in fire fighting and anti-poaching operations • Educated. Knowledge of species and their role in the environment, and • Dedicated in ensuring the survival of biodiversity. • Why is being a Congo Ranger challenging: • Preventing people from killing wildlife • Protecting nature day and night. Limited leisure time • Limited family time • Less attention than other people/professions, e.g. businessmen • Facing poverty and dealing with hungry people • Dealing with corruption • Facing rebels and dealing with rebel leaders. John Piere then showed us a lot of photos. He said he has lost many colleagues to rebels and poachers. This was quite an emotional part of the presentation. He spoke of the United Nations role in assisting Rangers in conflict zones. The U.N is also used to evacuate shot and injured Rangers and transport them to medical treatment via helicopter. Recommendations: • Development of sustainable resource sharing • IRF to reinforce international lobbying • IUCN to reinforce law on the exportation of ivory etc (laws exist but illegal trade is still occurring) IRF implement training programs Raise conservation awareness Developing ecotourism More Ranger training to reduce the number of deaths • Support for widows. • • • • At the end of the presentation John Piere was asked some questions by other Rangers. Q. “What is a short way to deal with a rebel?” A. “Look for a way to talk to the rebel chiefs (through family). Ask them what they need in order for them to live and keep working. Rangers will not allow poaching by rebels. Rangers will shoot before they get shot.” Q. “You mentioned Rangers need more training. What training do they need?” A. “Anti-poaching training. Rangers are united and they are proud of international unity”. I enjoyed this presentation as it was spoken from the heart. John Piere is a truly passionate and dedicated Ranger that would give his life for conservation and his fellow Rangers. Miki’s African experience cont... Kenyan Ranger – Sponsored by the QRA As most of you are aware, the QRA sponsored Michael, a Kenyan Ranger to attend the congress. When I met Michael I was blown away by his passion and his commitment to his job. He leads community based programs and regularly participates in anti poaching patrols. Michael is a Massia family man that balances his work with a traditional life. I filmed a short 7 minute video of Michael explaining his role in the community and as a Ranger. I hope that the QRA can continue a relationship with Michael and his Rangers for many years to come. I will add this to the website along with the presentations. During the congress I had the pleasure of presenting a QRA summary at the Oceania meeting. I was also involved in a workshop designed to help developing/ struggling associations find their feet. Jolene also gave a short presentation when she was thanked by Sean Wilmore and the Thin Green Line Foundation for her fundraising efforts. Safari time... After the congress I set off on a five day safari across Tanzania. Jolene and her partner Matt went on the same tour but we were on separate itineraries. I visited the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and Tarangire N.P. David Sheldrick’s Elephant Orphanage and make a donation. I flew to Rwanda to visit Mountain Gorillas. I was lucky enough to see all of the big five plus the fringes of the great migration. The highlight of the Tanzania trip was watching two lionesses with two cubs feeding on a wildebeast right beside the road. We got within a couple of metres and watched for over an hour. After the Tanzania tour, Jolene and Matt went to Kenya to visit The This tour was 3 days with one and a half days just in transit. My original flight got cancelled and the airline didn’t notify anyone. There were six of us stranded and the entire airline decided not to show up so we couldn’t simply transfer onto another flight. We found another airline and managed to get seats. We were at an international airport that would not accept Visa and didn’t have an ATM.... we scaped enough cash together and ran to the plane just before takeoff. We then arrived in Nairobi. We had to get another flight. After 4 hours of waiting to be served we were told to wait and at the last minute were called to receive a boarding pass. Just as our bags were taken the man asked to see our visa for Rwanda. I didn’t have one. I had cash to get one when I arrived but had not pre arranged one. I was told I could not go. I begged the man and he finally let me go. He said they would not let me in but I was willing to give it a shot as I had nowhere else to go and only one day to use my Gorilla permit. After an anxious flight we landed in Kigali, Rwanda. I walked up to the immigration counter and they told me I couldn’t come in. 3 of us were left standing there for about half an hour before anyone would speak to us. After another 15 minutes or so of begging and being yelled at we were finally allowed to go through. We checked into our hotel at 1.00am and got told the car was leaving at 3.00am to make the journey up to Volcanoes National Park. What a day! When we arrived at Volcanoes N.P we were briefed and assigned a guide. I was prepared for an all day trek but the family we were given to visit was very close. We only had to walk for about 45 minutes. We visited a group of 27 Gorillas. This was the absolute highlight of the trip! We stayed for an hour but it seemed like just a few minutes. They are so beautiful and the babies were so playful. I have included some photos. If anyone is going to Africa this is a must do! I would like to thank the Queensland Ranger Association and each of the members for this life changing opportunity. Being an active member is so rewarding and I encourage others to take on an executive role. I have met so many amazing people. Working as a Ranger and being a part of this enormous international family has given me drive and passion to continue my career and my commitment to helping other Rangers. I look forward to seeing you all at the next QRA AGM. I will have a presentation and plenty of stories ready to share. This trip would not have been possible without the financial support from the QRA. I would also like to pass on a heart felt thankyou from Jolene who done an amazing job with fundraising on the lead up to the congress. If anyone has any questions please send me an email or give me a call. I will let you all know once I have uploaded the videos and presentations onto the website. Miki Bradley Ozzy, Ozzy, Oswald!!! Mon Repos Conservation Park and the extreme weather event associated with ex cyclone Oswald. Ex Cyclone Oswald only existed as a storm for 12 hours but lived on for more than a week, travelling 3,000 km and creating havoc down the east coast of Australia. The Burnett area and city of Bundaberg was one of the worst areas affected with the extensive flooding of the Burnett River. The low pressure system hovered over the area for several days unloading 484 mm of rain, most of it in 2 days. The flood waters peaked at 9.53 metres at 7pm on 30 January and 7,500 people were left unable to return to their homes. Associated with this event were 6 tornadoes that crossed the coast line, leaving paths of destruction behind them. Virtually everyone and everything in the area was affected to some degree by these events. Mon Repos supports the largest concentration of nesting marine turtles on the eastern Australian mainland and has the most significant loggerhead turtle nesting population in the South Pacific Ocean region. In 1981 the Queensland Government declared Mon Repos a protected area and in 1985 the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service began to manage turtle watching groups due to the increasing number of visitors. The Visitor Information Centre was opened in 1994 to compliment the tours and serve as an education facility. Mon Repos Conservation Park now attracts up to 29,000 visitors during the turtle breeding season which not only assists the local economy but promotes marine and coastal conservation initiatives. The Mon Repos Conservation Park was affected in two ways by ex- cyclone Oswald. Initially with the low came strong winds which coincided with high The Woongarra coastal area is adjacent to Bundaberg. tides causing severe erosion of the coastal dunes. 91% The section of coast known as Mon Repos (French for of the turtle clutches were still incubating in the sand when the erosion occurred. This meant that 59% of My Rest) derives its name from the residence built in the total numbers of clutches laid were lost during this this location by grazier Augustus Barton in 1884. Dr Col Limpus pioneered the Queensland Turtle Research event. Program here in 1968. Prior to the worst of the erosion events teams of QPWS and Turtle Research staff and volunteers were busy relocating clutches as they were being exposed to reduce the losses. This was the most severe loss of eggs along the Woongarra Coast since the impact of cyclone David in January 1976. The second issue for the park was as a result of the massive flow of water down the Burnett River carrying vast quantities of debris which eventually washed up on the surrounding shorelines. This debris not only included large logs and assorted rubbish but also boats. Quad bikes and trailers were invaluable but real progress was only possible through the arrival of a good size tractor with a bucket combined with trucks to ferry the debris and wreckage away. It has taken around 3 weeks to complete the clean up however it will take many months before the dune system is back to normal. In regards to the endangered loggerheads, this is just a little blip in an annual event that has been occurring for around 6,000 years in this area. Hopefully with the excellent work being done here and elsewhere it will continue for much longer to come. It was estimated that 100 boats of various sizes had broken their moorings in the river, with many washing up on the coastline. Mon Repos beach was covered with debris and this not only prevented nesting turtles from approaching the dunes to lay eggs but also became obstacles for emerging hatchlings trying to get to the ocean. It was going to be a massive task to clear the beach at Mon Repos to ensure the turtles were hindered as little as possible and make the beach safe to recommence the nightly turtle tours. In addition to these issues Mon Repos is the primary attraction for visitors to the Bundaberg region from all over the world and it was considered important despite the setback to get the operation up and running as soon as possible to assist with the recovery of the local economy. Due to accessibility onto the beach progress was hampered by tides and soft sand. Also due to the small size of much of the debris and rubbish, a lot of the work required was hands on. A large part of the labour involved chainsawing branches and logs into manageable sizes. Specials thanks to: QPWS Information Centre volunteers QPWS Rangers – Brian Tighe & Matt Palmer QPWS Rangers – Bundy and Mon Repos crews Queensland Turtle Conservation Project team Queensland Sugar Limited work crew Mon Repos local residents Shane O’Connor QRA 2013 Muster Christmas Creek, Lamington National Park 16 -18th April, 2013 Monday 15th April 3pm onwards Arrive at Christmas Creek Recreation Centre from 3.00pm Tuesday 16th April 9am Registration and Morning Tea Greg Keith Chair of QRA RM or Area Manager and Wil Buch RIC 10am Welcome 10.15am Regional and Local Management Overview 10.45am Update on new National Park Directions 11.15am Representative from the Overview of ideas for new Ranger QPWS Executive Progression Scheme. Lunch 12.00 13.00 14.00 14.40 15.15 15.30 16.15 17.00 18.30 Representative from the QPWS Executive International Rangers Congress Tanzania Jolene McLellan and Miki Bradley Platinum Sponsor Presentation TBA Summary of QRA World Ranger Day Activities for 2012 Scott Bolden Miki Bradley Greg Keith Warren Vengalia Afternoon Tea Best Job in the World Tourism Promotion – Qld Ranger Tourism and Visitor Update Network and Socialise Dinner Anne Greentree Simon Hughes Our changing environment... 19.30 Wed 17th April 8.00 onwards 9.00 10.00 10.20 10.45 11.45 13.30 18.30 19.30 Thursday 18th April 8.00 onwards 9.00 10.00 10.15 11.00 11.20 12.00 13.00 Evening Entertainment Breakfast QPWS Historical Perspective Peter Ogilvy Gold Sponsor Presentation TBA Morning Tea QRA AGM – 1 hr Lunch and Sponsor Trade Show Depart for Field Trips Dinner Free Evening Breakfast Contract Feral Animal control on Queensland National Parks Morning Tea Bell Miner Die Back in SE Queensland Damien Ferguson – Sporting Shooters Association David Kingston AWU Update Muster Wrap Up Lunch Depart Greg Keith QRA Chair Dick Clarkson... It has been estimated QPWS lost 1000 years of corporate knowledge from last year’s forced redundancies. One of the biggest contributors to this total is Richard Clarkson. In his forty-seven years of service, Richard made an enormous contribution to Queensland’s protected areas and was involved in just about everything to do with managing them. On November 1 last year, QPWS celebrated Richards career with an afternoon tea that was attended by many from head office and local regional staff as well as former employees such as Peter Ogilvie, Alan Don, Wendy Drake, Ross Buchanan, Terry Harper and several others who were recently retired or dismissed in the mass redundancies. The celebration was also attended by representatives from the Queensland Beekeepers Association and Bernie Trembath of Rural Fires. Well wishes were sent in from Peter Stanton, Des Boyland, Peter Hazelgrove and Syd Curtis, among others. Richard Clarkson (centre left) with Peter Ogilvie and some of the attendees at his retirement celebration in November. Image courtesy of Ross Buchanan. For those who do not know Richard, below is a summary of his career: Richard started as a forestry department cadet in 1965. Afterwards he worked as second assistant to the District Forrester in the national parks branch of forestry at Yarraman and was the only officer responsible for national park administration in the district. In 1971 Richard obtained a Bachelor of Science in Forestry from the AustralianNationalUniversity and in 1972 he took a job in head office assisting Peter Stanton with new national park identification and acquisitions. At the time he was one of seven staff in head office and had to do a bit of everything. Since then Richard remained in head office and continued to do a bit of everything… In 1975 he was one of about 90 staff who came over to the then new QueenslandNational Parks and Wildlife Service. When he retired, Richard was the last public servant from that time still working in head office. In the latter half of 1978, Richard was sponsored to look at the park management systems used in the United States and United Kingdom. In 1980 he was awarded a Master’s Degree in Regional Planning for his thesis titled ‘Conservation and recreation activities in the countryside – the development of a model to guide in the spatial allocation of these activities predominantly within the rural sector of our community’. After about a decade of new area acquisitions (where he developed a soft spot for the CentralQueenslandHighlands and many areas in North Queensland), Richard progressed onto management planning. He managed whole-of-QNPWS finances and capital works program as Chief Management Officer, and relieved a number of times as Regional Manager throughout the state. About this time Richard defined the concept of a management unit as part of making better use of the resources in the service and within the program management system being developed. In the 1990’s he coordinated fire and pest management across the service, including cross-government liaison. Richard was involved in development of the Nature Conservation Act and in particular the range of tenures that aligned with the IUCN classification of protected areas. From the late 1990’s through to the early 2000’s Richard promoted the idea of electronic systems to support the processes of park and forest management. And in recent times he has worked on policy and coordination of sustainable resource use on the estate. He also supervised the spatial services crew across the state. While he had the opportunity to rise higher in the ranks, Richard wasn’t interested as, in his own words, ‘at those levels there is too much admin and not enough doing the job’. And after being offered a redundancy, Richard was quoted as saying he can’t leave yet because there is still so much to do. In fact, when made ‘redundant’, Richard signed up as a volunteer and has been working at 400 George two to three days a week putting his knowledge of all things protected area to use with the policy and legislation team. We even had to reschedule his ‘retirement’ celebration to fit in with the apiarist meeting he had the day after he retired! Brett Hollindale In the news... Council considers dam in Bladensburg National Park The Winton Shire Council wants the State Government to consider allocating a section of Bladensburg National Park for a dam. The council wants to revive a ten year old proposal to build a 53,000megalitre water storage in an area of the park that was formerly a cattle property. Winton Mayor Butch Lenton says the dam was first proposed on the site more than 10 years ago but is no longer private property. “That’s the first hurdle we’ve come across and we’ll get right into it and see if we can get that hurdle over straight away.” Hunting delayed in NSW parks The New South Wales Government’s plan to allow amateur hunters into national parks has been put on hold due to concerns about the body that would run the program. The Game Council’s acting head, Greg McFarland, was suspended after it was revealed he was being investigated for alleged animal cruelty and illegal hunting over the killing of a feral goat. Questions have also been raised about the Game Council; Premier Barry O’Farrell said an internal investigation has found possible breaches of its policies and procedures, raising questions about the way the council is run. As a result the Premier has commissioned a review into the governance of the Game Council. Hunting was meant to start in NSW parks on March first, however this has been pushed back several months until the review is com pleted. Meanwhile, a leaked risk assessment shows New South Wales park rang ers will have to wear high-visibility clothing to ensure they do not accidentally get shot when hunting does commence. NSW opposition environment spokesman Luke Foley says the document shows a potentially dangerous situation for national park staff. “That’s not a responsible course of action,” he said. In a bid to protect ranger safety, the Public Service Association is telling its members to avoid areas of national parks where hunting is permitted. US national parks brace for funding cuts ‘Sequestration’ could mean shorter seasons and fewer campgrounds and other visitor facilities. The looming sequester are automatic spending cuts that will take effect if Congress can’t agree on a plan to address the national debt. If this happens, it is estimated the US National Park Service would be cut by more than $110 million, affecting every park in the system. The Coalition of National Park Service Retirees has posted a detailed list of how sequestration-related cuts are expected to be implemented. The list includes reduced operating budgets, delayed reopening of parks after winter snows, reduced office hours in visitor centres, closing of campgrounds and reduced hiring of seasonal rangers. Businesses that rely on national parks and their settings have voiced concern overthe effects of budget sequestration on their operations and local area economies. The National Parks Conservation Association says the upcoming cut to the Park Service budget will not only be devastating to the parks themselves, but to the many businesses and communities that rely on them to drive sales, and to families that rely on national parks as affordable and inspiring destinations. “These indiscriminate cuts to our 398 national parks will harm tourism-dependent businesses and communities. Millions of Americans who visit parks rely on these businesses for lodging, tour guides and meals. If national parks are closed or inaccessible due to reduced hours, it hurts businesses and visitors,” said NPCA President Tom Kiernan. The US Department of the Interior has released a report that found in 2011 park visitors spent $12.95 billion in regions within 100km of a park.Nationwide, US national parks contribute more than $30 billion in economic activity and support more than a quarter million jobs. The report can be found at http:// www.nature.nps.gov/socialscience/ docs/NPSSystemEstimates2011.pdf. Russian national park to bridge US-Russia divide Russia has declared a national park in its remote Far Eastern Chukotka region, paving the way for a joint US-Russian nature reserve spanning the Bering Strait, an idea first proposed by Mikhail Gorbachev. The BeringiaNational Park will directly touch the US border, although it does not include some of Rus sia’s marine waters in the strait or the small Ratmanovisland, which is a base for a Russian border control station. On the US side, the Bering Land Bridge national reserve in Alaska has existed since the 1970s. The bilateral project has taken this long because Chukotka needed to upgrade an existing nature reserve to national park status. Linking the two parks will facilitate conservation, preserve ties between indigenous peoples and allow tighter cooperation on environmental monitoring, according to a US-Russia agreement signed in September. The 86-kilometre-wide strait separates Russia and Alaska but an earlier land bridge is believed to have once served as one of the earliest migration routes between the two continents. WWF turning to drones to help rangers The World Wildlife Fund is turning to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to give rangers an advantage against armed poachers. In a joint program with conservationdrones.org, the WWF has provided the government of Nepal with two hand-launchable UAVs that will be used by rangers to monitor wildlife and combat poaching. The UAV’s will give rangers an eye in the sky to provide a safe view of illegal activities on the ground. It is also hoped the presence of a UAV will deter poachers and illegal loggers since they now know that the parks are being monitored both on the ground and from above. The UAV’s can fly a pre-programmed route of just under 30 kilometres at an elevation of 200 metres for up to 50 minutes. Each UAV films the ground with a still or video camera and can be recharged in half an hour. The WWF intends to expand on this UAV program by developing a system that can simultaneously track the locations of rangers, animals, and poachers. Data gathered from the new system would be analysed at a control centre, allowing rangers to be deployed to intercept poachers before they reach their targets. The WWF intends to deploy the new system in four more countries and is in talks with UAV and sensor manufacturers to help develop it. Brett Hollindale