The death of National Parks

"The greatest joy in nature is the absence of man," said Bliss Carman.

Australians are justly proud of their National Parks.

Citizens of NSW are particularly proud since the Royal National Park was the second such park in the world, only just pipped to the post by Yellowstone National Park in the USA in 1872.

Our national parks attract many overseas visitors who yearn for an outback experience and who love to see real native animals in their natural habitat instead of their usual undignified position behind bars.

Our parks are also a means of escape for the many people caught up in the whirl and noise of modern living.

They provide a natural experience for families with young children, as well as excitement and endurance for young people interested to find out what they can about the real Australia.

This is now at an end since Barry O'Farrell, forgetting his pre-election promises not to allow hunting in national parks or to be "used" by the small parties, is now permitting shooting in 751 parks and conservation reserves.

Shooters may now shoot non-indigenous birds and animals but if by chance they do kill or maim a native animal, such as a koala or a wallaby, they will not be prosecuted.

I believe that this Act spells the death of national parks as shooting and national parks are mutually exclusive.

Native wildlife tends to be quiet and elusive.

It will not tolerate the noise of the gunfire or the disturbance of hunters tearing around all over the place.

Hunters will certainly not keep to the paths as visitors are requested to do.

Who wants a quiet bushwalk to be interrupted by the intermittent sound of gunfire?

Who would be foolhardy enough to take their family into such a place when there is the chance of an accident, as happened in New Zealand when a mother, cleaning her teeth at a camp site, was shot by mistake for a deer.

National parks are underfunded now so how would they be able to supply personnel to oversee hunters?

I am sure that many gun holders are responsible people but we all know that not all of them are.

How can politicians maintain that they are appalled by the increase in suburban shootings and yet permit shooting in parks used by members of the community?

Some people are very gung ho and accidents will inevitably occur.

Some pest animals, particularly pregnant females, will be allowed to escape for obvious reasons.

National Parks must remain quiet refuges, where native flora and fauna can flourish in their natural setting.

Is it too much to ask for a very small area of this state to be kept "natural" for the other real Australian species, endemic to this land?

It is obvious that the wonders of our incredible bio-diversity are little understood by those in power.

Waving the flag and singing the National Anthem are not only what make us Australian, it is surely our appreciation of this unique land.

So do take care when visiting our local parks including Riley's Island and Cockle Bay.

Do write to Mr O'Farrell and-or Environment Minister Ms Robyn Parker to express your dismay and horror at the very idea of allowing shooting in National Parks.

"When a man wantonly destroys a work of man we call him a vandal; when a man destroys one of the works of God, we call him a sportsman," said Joseph Wood Krutch.

Email, 19 Jul 2012

Margaret Lund, Woy Woy Bay