Letter to Chris Gulaptis, State Member for Clarence
I am writing this letter to express my extreme disappointment in the present State Government's philosophy and actions in regard to our National Parks, Nature Reserves and State Conservation Areas.
Having been heavily involved in the battle to save the rainforests in the late 70s early 80s; being highly conscious of Australia's deplorable rate of extinctions of our fellow creatures; having been involved in the education of our children for 41 years and having taken groups of young people into our National Parks on Duke of Edinburgh Scheme bushwalks and being conscious of what a National Park really is ............. I am appalled that these protected areas are being opened up for recreational shooting and that logging is being considered.
I have been informed that the Forest Products Association is asking for over a million hectares of north-east NSW's National Parks, Nature Reserves and State Conservation Areas to be made available for logging. It seems that they have identified over 100,000 hectares of specific reserves that they want revoked.
Our protected areas are a priceless asset for our fellow creatures. They are a gift to the future, a stepping stone to preserving all life on our planet.
For a government to consider allowing shooting and logging in these areas is an indication of its short-term, anthropocentric values which will ensure destruction of the invaluable concept of protection of natural ecosystems.
Our children's values will be influenced by the messages that these actions will generate, messages that will cry out loudly - "These areas are not really protected", or "We don't need to protect them".
What is your position on these issues?
If you oppose logging in National Parks are you prepared to publicly say so?
What do you think John Muir, the father of America's national parks, would think of these proposals?
- Stan Mussared
