Cattle in the Alpine National Park

[Earwig]

As people no doubt have heard, cattle grazing has been reintroduced in to the Alpine National Park for "scientific research". If anyone wants any info they should check out DSE's website. It includes a map of where the cattle are.
http://www.dse.vic.gov.au/DSE/nrenpr.nsf/LinkView/96607BDB8D7C34A9CA257817000F427425944F18CBF38C964A2567BD002971B9

[Cam Walker]

hello all
if the grazing issue concerns you it would be great if you would email the Environment Minister and Premier:

http://themountainjournal.wordpress.com ... ion-alert/
thanks!

[north-north-west]

As people no doubt have heard, cattle grazing has been reintroduced in to the Alpine National Park for "scientific research". If anyone wants any info they should check out DSE's website. It includes a map of where the cattle are.
http://www.dse.vic.gov.au/DSE/nrenpr.nsf/LinkView/96607BDB8D7C34A9CA257817000F427425944F18CBF38C964A2567BD002971B9

No, I hadn't. *&%$#! Hell, it's been well established for at least 6 decades that cattle grazing damages alpine vegetation severely and causes massive erosion,weed, pest and water pollution problems. What's the extra research for - to find out exactly how much damage each cow does?
What a *&%$#! ridiculous ****up.

[north-north-west]

I've just checked out the map. They're targeting the Clear/King Billy area and a great swathe of land out to and including Howitt and Speculation. Apart from other bits. It's utterly insane. All that 'Alpine grazing reduces blazing' bull was disproved decades back.

This. Means. War.

[Tony]

It is obviously a political decision pampering to a few people still stuck in a time warp.

I was up on the Main Range last weekend, there has not been grazing on the Main Range for over 50 years and they are still trying to repair the damage.

Tony

[Maelgwn]

If someone were to provide some references about previous research and/or a sample email I would also email the minister ...

[north-north-west]

I sent something that started like this:

Sir,

I have just heard of the reintroduction - supposedly for scientific research purposes - of cattle grazing to the Alpine National Park.

Ostensibly, this is as an investigation into the use of cattle grazing as a fire mitigation system, despite decades of research already having conclusively shown that cattle grazing has no effect on the severity or frequency of fires (principally because the main fuel is not amongst the types of vegetation they eat). It has also conclusively shown that cattle cause major erosion problems, reduction in biodiversity, pollution of water sources and the spreading of weeds and parasites. Their presence in a National Park is neither warranted nor excusable.

Dubber Parks should have some of the research mentioned on their site. I once accessed a pile of it through them, although that was a fair few years back.

[Earwig]

try http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2011/01/17/3114669.htm?site=goulburnmurray for an interview with Dick Williams, who did any earlier study after the 2003 fires.

[wobbly]

I was stunned when I heard this, science my *&%$#! At least they've also extended the duck hunting season to 12 weeks. Now if someone can just tell me how to distinguish a duck from a cow!

[Cam Walker]

hi all
great to see people are outraged - as has been noted in some posts, the science has been in for decades that 'grazing does NOT reduce blazing'. Please send an email to the Premier and Environment Minister.

There are also details for the alert if you don't have those addresses, please see below. Thanks!
http://www.melbourne.foe.org.au/?q=node/856

[fishsmith]

Net social benifit ha, Environmental costs high..All sounds like political pandering to me..From what i hear Parks employees are non to happy with complying with but have to go along with the hiearchy.

[swills]

It's disappointing to see cattle introduced back into the high country, with all this discussion about the environmental impacts no one has mentioned the damage the Brumbies do, crapping in creeks, trampling through springs, creating dust bowls to lie in, stallions leaving hugh piles of dung, eating the same plants as cattle do. Walk out to Mt Jim / Dinner Plain area of the Bogong High Plains or the AWT from Dead Horse Gap to the Pilot or anywhere in the Snowy Mts. When you come face to face with a horse who is not happy with your presence or can't find water in summer that hasn't been spoilt by horses, it's time to get rid of both of them.

[north-north-west]

Yes, I agree about the brumbies, but they're on a par with deer, or even higher up - and 'heritage' always comes into play when people mention getting rid of them. It wouldn't be cheap or easy, either.
Ugly worm-riddled critters down here in Victoria, too. Never seen a decent looking brumby south of the Tin Mines, except that mob that hang around near Jim.

[optdyl]

Just saw this:
http://www.theage.com.au/environment/conservation/rare-find-could-halt-highcountry-cattle-grazing-20110204-1agxz.html

[davids]

The short video is quite good.
THis is clearly a political decision and I would think that the libs are glad they had this policy, as the Nats with Cattleman's Association support ousted Ingram in East Gippsland providing that extra seat.
The irony of course is that with the wet spring and now good summer rain, those 4 lucky farming families have probably got heaps of feed on their non-National Park turn out blocks, and commercial agistment and hay will be cheap this year.
But, this now must be stopped.
Apart from writing or joining FOE, what's next Cam? I'm a conservative 50 year old country professional not experienced in direct action!
David

[north-north-west]

Just saw this:
http://www.theage.com.au/environment/conservation/rare-find-could-halt-highcountry-cattle-grazing-20110204-1agxz.html

Thanks for the link. It's not like it says anything new, but it's a neat summation of the situation. I think it might be a good idea to get onto the Federal Minister as well as the locals. More likely to get a result, that way.

[Earwig]

There are some links to other artices via Facebook.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=43813492542

[andrewbish]

Thanks for raising this - I have hooked up with FOE and sent emails to the relevant MPs

[luke_vic]

more info on this thread:
http://forums.ski.com.au/forums/ubbthre ... ost1225508

[SteveJ]

The beef industry is generally unsustainable; you should all stop eating beef as a show of collective distain??

Steve

[Cam Walker]

hi all
for any Melbourne folks, there is a public forum coming up soon (April 6)
http://www.melbourne.foe.org.au/?q=node/885
regards, cam

[photohiker]

Good News I hope!

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011 ... ion=justin

Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke has given the Victorian Government until April 8 to get cattle out of the Alpine National Park.

The Ted Baillieu-led government reintroduced cattle grazing into the park in January to test if grazing cuts down the bushfire risk.

But Mr Burke has lashed out at the State Government and says the matter should first have been referred for Federal Government approval.

He says if the State Government does not take the cattle out in time and refer the plan for his approval, the Federal Government will act anyway.

"Every Australian company knows they're not above national law. Victoria decided maybe they were, well they're now in for a shock. They're not above the law and by April 8 the cattle will be out and the matter will be referred," he said.

He described the Victorian Government's responses to his department's requests for information about the trial as "a joke".

[andrewbish]

My wife and I will be attending the public forum in Box Hill on 6 April. Hope to see you there.

[andrewbish]

Full house tonight at the Box Hill Town Hall for the public meeting against cattle grazing in the alpine country

[Bill P]

C'mon Andrew. Tell us more.

How do six of the wealthiest and best connected graziers in the country get to trash a public parK?

Bill P

[tastrax]

http://www.smh.com.au/national/minister ... 1d4mo.html

[north-north-west]

As long as the Labour Government is in Canberra, we're OK. It will be interesting to see what happens when there's a change, however.

[Earwig]

An update for y'all . There are new federal laws as of today effectively stopping the cattle grazing.

[north-north-west]

Grouse.
I might take a flamethrower to that sodding 'ALPINE GRAZING REDUCES BLAZING' sign in Merrijig next time i go through. It really gets up my nose.

[andrewbish]

Grouse.
I might take a flamethrower to that sodding 'ALPINE GRAZING REDUCES BLAZING' sign in Merrijig next time i go through. It really gets up my nose.

Yes, pls, NNW Ill bring the marshmellows. (such a catchy phrase..and such a misrepresentation of the facts)