Global Treasure
Tuesday, August 14th, 2007
In a new book published by the Australian National University (ANU), the authors describe Australia’s North as a global treasure.
Although the authors concentrate on the Savannah region of Northern Australia, the following quotes from their book about recreational activities in and amongst nature (unlike the over-used remainder of Australia) are very applicable to the neighbouring Ningaloo coastline:
“Northern Australia stands out as one of the few very large natural areas remaining on Earth: alongside such global treasures as the Amazon rainforests, the boreal conifer forests of Alaska, and the polar wilderness of Antarctica.”
“Unlike much of southern and eastern Australia, nature remains in abundance in the North.”
“Across the North, recreational activities such as fishing, four-wheel driving and visiting beautiful country depend on the opportunities provided by a largely intact and natural landscape. Being in and among nature remains a normal part of life for people in the North, in contrast to the situation for those living in the now highly transformed, cleared and urbanised areas of southern Australia.”
“Over the course of our history, Australians have grappled with working sustainably on our continent. In many regions we have demonstrably failed. Our generation, and future generations, are now recognising the consequences of unsustainability, and the price of attempting to restore over-used environments.”
http://epress.anu.edu.au/nature_na_citation.html
The Nature of Northern Australia - Its natural values, ecological processes and future prospects
John Woinarski, Brendan Mackey, Henry Nix and Barry Traill
ANU Press ISBN 9781921313301 ISBN 9781921313318 (Online)
The press release accompanying the book, refers to the new Carbon Economy mentioned throughout the book and encourages the involvement of all the land managers.
“The Nature of Northern Australia calls for investments in the management of the North; using the emerging carbon economy associated with extensive natural vegetation to provide investment and employment; and recognising management skills of all land managers, including Indigenous Australians.”
Exactly! We couldn’t agree more - the SOUL Ningaloo website echoes many of the conclusions of the above research by the ANU.
