125 scientists condemn basis for "alpine grazing trial"

A letter to Robert Clark (MP), Ted Baillieu (Premier), Ryan Smith (Minister for Environment and Climate Change), Peter Walsh (Minister for Agriculture and Food Security)


Robert, Ryan, Peter and Ted,

I note that 125 scientists have now stated that your the "trials of alpine grazing to test bushfire mitigation" lack scientific integrity.   This includes 11 professors and nine associate professors.

Link: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/top-scientists-urge-halt-to-alpine-grazing-trial-20110129-1a938.html

The also state, correctly, that government has potentially broken federal environment (EPBC) law.

As per my previous correspondence, this pre-emptive and ill-considered move is bad for everyone other than a few select families (about 12 I think).

It is also quite obvious to all that cattle don't eat eucalyptus trees or leaf litter, and any "trampling effect" is negligible.

Your government should act for the people, and base decisions on good practice and good process.  Re-introducing cattle to National Parks under a sham pretext fails on all these counts.

I urge you to reconsider this action immediately.

Regards, Peter

See also: Cattle grazing in Victoria's alpine areas is not acceptable, previous post

Cattle grazing in Victoria's alpine areas is not acceptable

A letter to Robert Clark MP, copied to Premier Ted Bailleu.

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Dear Robert

Congratulations on winning government.

I am however not pleased to be writing to you as my local member about the Baillieu government's ill-considered actions in allowing cattle to return to graze in Victoria's Alpine National Park.

Cattle have no place in sensitive alpine environments. They cause far too much damage trampling sensitive streams and bogs and their excrement pollutes the environment and water supplies. I have seen this destruction at first hand in the Victorian Alps.

I assisted a PhD student in 1984 whose thesis researched and measured the impacts of alpine grazing. Unsurprisingly, his published results stated that cattle grazing had major impacts on sensitive alpine ecosystems.

This action by the Baillieu government is not supported by a majority of Victorians. It benefits very few people. Our Alpine National Park should be protected from cattle grazing, as the adjacent Kosciusko National Park in NSW has been for decades.

This action will compromise Victoria's alpine environments and jeopardise their World Heritage listing.

I strongly urge you to reverse this decision and provide our Alpine National Park the protection from cattle grazing that science has confirmed in requires. Can you please table my concerns in both your party room and the Victorian parliament about this on my behalf?

Regards, Peter Campbell

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External links

• Alpine grazing resumes - Weekly Times Now 
• Grazing returns to high country - The Age