New National Park areas in Far North Queensland welcomed.
Nature lovers are today welcoming the upgrading of 12 areas of State forest to National Park, most of which are in Far North Queensland.
The announcement came with a commitment from Environment and National Parks Minister Dr Steven Miles to upgrade overall Queensland protected area coverage from 8% to 17%, including “re-committing to transferring forests of high conservation value to protected areas such as national parks”.
Josh Coates CAFNEC Director said:
“New areas under National Park protection is definitely good news. These additions are in some cases quite small areas but are none the less significant. This is a clear signal that we are dealing with a Government that, just like our broader community, places real value on National Park tenure. National Park status represents a higher level of protection than other tenures such as State forest.
It is great to hear our Environment Minister really backing the message that our National Parks provide invaluable economic, social, cultural and health benefits for Queensland and Australia.
With the large spike in land clearing that has occurred in Queensland as a result of changes to the land clearing laws under the former Newman Government it is refreshing to hear some good news. We look forward to quick action from the Government on implementing the election promise to reinstate land clearing laws.”
National Park Upgrades announced:
- Bulburin East Forest Reserve, 1,695 ha in size, located near Bundaberg and now part of Bulburin National Park
- Cardwell Forest Reserve, 45 ha in size, located near Cardwell and now part of Girringun National Park
- Danbulla Forest Reserve, 17 ha in size, located near Cairns and now part of Danbulla National Park
- Part of Danbulla South Forest Reserve, 614 ha in size, located near Atherton and now part of Danbulla National Park
- Part of Danbulla South Forest Reserve 2, 468 ha in size, located near Atherton and now part of Danbulla National Park
- Part of Danbulla West Forest Reserve, 2,136 ha in size, located near Atherton and now part of Danbulla National Park
- Part of Dryander Forest Reserve, 1,355 ha in size, located near Proserpine and now part of Dryander National Park
- Part of Kelvin Forest Reserve, 2,413 ha in size, located near Mackay and now part of Kelvin National Park
- Part of Kuranda Forest Reserve, 1 ha in size, located near Cairns and now part of Kuranda National Park
- Part of Kuranda West Forest Reserve, 306 ha in size, located near Cairns and now part of Kuranda National Park
- Palmerston Forest Reserve, 0.4 ha in size, located near Atherton and now part of Wooroonooran National Park
- Trinity Forest Reserve, 2,243 ha in size, located near Cairns and now part of the Grey Peaks National Park.
Media contact: Josh Coates, Director, (07) 4032 1586, 0438 805 284, director@nullcafnec.org.au
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Josh Coates |Director | Cairns and Far North Environment Centre
P: (07) 4032 1586 | F: (07) 4053 3779 |
Cominos House, 27-29 Greenslopes Street, Cairns North P.O. Box 323N, Cairns North 4870
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Posted in
- Campaigns: Land Clearing-Law Reform
- Topics: World Heritage
