Stradbroke Island - Possible 4WD Restrictions

U of Q researchers have surmised that the thousands of 4WDs on Straddie have reduced ghost crab numbers on some beaches.

Quote:

Courier Mail today
"Mr Moss said ghost crabs were scavengers that cleaned up beaches and in turn were eaten by birds and fish. A marked decrease in numbers could be an indication of an environmental imbalance and it was reasonable to assume similar impacts at places such as Fraser Island.

The researchers found cumulative impacts of 20 to 50 vehicle passes a night was enough to markedly reduce numbers.

Stradbroke Island Management Organisation president Jennie Truman said that in 2002, the Redland Shire Council had recorded 2287 4WDs on the small Flinders Beach in one day. Traffic had increased since then.

She said islanders had been trying to get the council to restrict 4WDs for about six years.
[snip]"

No doubt restrictions will come but this is as good a time as any for magazines like 4WD Monthly to start promoting 'tread lightly' in the hope that we and our children will still be allowed to go offroad somewhere in the future.

Maybe if we stop snatching all of those SUVs and hire 4WDs (and they had to pay for tows) that would cut down on some offroad traffic.