Save Our Brumbies

Contact : Tim Jeffery Phone : (02) 69442480 Email : countryheartstrings@gmail.com

Save Our Brumbies

BRIEFING PAPER
RE: KOSCIUSZKO NATIONAL PARK ("KNP") WILD HORSE (BRUMBY) DRAFT MANAGEMENT PLAN

BACKGROUND
National Parks and Wildlife Service ("NPWS") in 2002 introduced a Wild Horse Mgt. Plan to remove brumbies from the sensitive alpine area (above 1800 metres i.e. above the tree line) that represented basically the Main Range management Unit surrounding Mt. Kosciuszko. At that time there was much concern within the local community and horse riders throughout the state that this was a "nasty" precedent being established. To appease the public concern NPWS gave assurances that there would be no future expansion of the removal area.

          Also in 2002 NPWS commenced the review of the KNP Plan of Management 1982 and associated amendments (1988, 1994, 1999). As a result in May 2004 the Draft Plan of Management for KNP was placed on public exhibition for 90 days and comment was invited from the public and community interest groups

          SMBUG was formed in January 2004 (with an initial membership of 43 and now exceeds 1100) because of community concern that the impending Draft Plan of Management was going to expand the brumby culling programme and impose additional access restrictions on horse riders and other recreationalists who use KNP.

        On both counts our fears were proven correct. In relation to the brumbies they were to be excluded from not only the Main Range but also Yarrangobilly Mgt. Unit, Cooleman Plain Mgt Unit, Snowy Mountains Hwy, areas where horses have not been recorded, areas adjoining other Australian Alps national parks and feeder areas for all these parts of KNP. This in effect gives NPWS "open slather".

          In August 2004 (within the 90 day exhibition period) SMBUG submitted a detailed 44-page response to the Draft Plan. In relation to the brumbies we recommended that NPWS- " immediately cease the exclusion/reduction of brumbies from any area within KNP and NPWS make available-

1. accurate brumby numbers

2. information and independent scientific evidence as to the pros and cons of the brumby population

3. and ensure adequate public debate and consensus of future action plans"

          In addition, and together with our formal response, SMBUG hand delivered 8,853 individually signed and addressed form letters and was responsible for a further 1500 mailed submissions from members and other individuals. Of the total responses that numbered 11,487, we can say 10,400 (90%)were anti brumby culling and additional access restrictions for recreationalists, approximately 400 (3%) were from the Polish Community and anti name change of Mt. Kosciusko. The extreme "green groups" like the Colong Foundation managed less than 400.

          Unfortunately, our efforts and those of the Australian Horse Alliance and other recreational horse groups (representing over 500,000 members and supporters) then and in the interim were to no avail.

          On 14 June 2006, the KNP Plan of Management was approved by the Minister for the Environment, Bob Debus and this has   subsequently led to NPWS establishing a Community Steering Group ("CSG"), of which I am a member, to contribute to the preparation of a KNP Horse Management Plan.

          The CSG first met in September 2006 with four subsequent meetings.

          NPWS are now in the closing stages of completing a final draft of the KNP Horse Management Plan that they will release for public viewing in July/August 2007.

CURRENT ISSUES

· Based on previous experience with the publicly released Draft Plan of Management for KNP the invited public submissions achieved no favourable results for the majority respondent groups.

· The CSG is "loaded" with 3 to 4 NPWS personnel, 2 members of the radical green National Parks Association, 2 NPWS supporters and one RSPCA representative who appears to be neutral. There are only 2 of us who are pro brumby.

· NPWS have a pre-set agenda to remove brumbies from all national parks in NSW as evidenced by the three most recent Horse Management Plans namely- Guy Fawkes NP, Oxley Wild Rivers NP and Blue Mountains (Warragamba Special Area) NP, which all state zero horse populations within 5 years.

· NPWS have driven the formulation of this Plan with indecent haste and a "heavy" bias against the brumby. They have not considered the "iconic status" of the Snowy Mountains Brumby and its unique position in our Australian heritage and culture.

· Please read the attached SMBUG responses to Draft Versions 4 and 6 of the Plan for more detail.

          THE BRUMBY HAS BEEN IN THE SNOWY MOUNTAINS FOR 177 YEARS.

          IN OUR VIEW THE AUSTRALIAN PEOPLE HAVE NOT GIVEN A CLEAR MANDATE, TO THE NSW GOVERNMENT OR THE NPWS, TO ERADICATE THE SNOWY MOUNTAINS BRUMBY.

Protecting our Mountain Heritage
Clive Edwards (President)
Email: ctemedwards@bigpond.com
Harden NSW 2587

Did you know that...............By the 1830s, permanent settlements had been established in the foothills of the Snowy Mountains
(now KNP) and each year livestock were moved to the mountain pastures for summer grazing. At the same time horses
were brought into the area for the stockmen. By the late 1830s escaped domestic horses were first reported in the area
and became known as wild horses or "brumbies".

Contact : Tim Jeffery Phone : (02) 69442480 Email : countryheartstrings@gmail.com

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