Why close Yengo NP to 4WDS?

Not quite what was said on the ABC. I still think that the full story needs to get out.

A GREEN chain now encircles Sydney with the declaration today that 120,000 hectares of bushland north of the city will be protected as wilderness.

As his government continues to implode around him, Premier Nathan Rees took to the Hunter Valley this morning to announce the addition of the bushland in Yengo National Park to the State's wilderness register.

The parcel of land which stretches from the Blue Mountains east to Windsor and up to Singleton.completes a ring of wilderness that now surround Sydney like a green arc.

“We have now created a network of wilderness areas around the state which protect more than two million hectares of unique bushland for future generations,” Mr Rees said.

“Around Sydney we have a green chain made up of Nattai, Kanangra-Boyd, Grose, Wollemi and Yengo wilderness areas.

“Wilderness declaration is the highest form of protection for natural landscapes and protects the most intact expanses of our remaining bushland.

“The latest declaration over the most pristine part of Yengo National Park will protect many threatened plant and animal species.

“Aboriginal, environment and recreational park users were all consulted during the comprehensive process to identify and declare the newly protected area."

• A total of 8.39% (6.7 million hectares) of NSW is now conserved within the parks system, made up of 793 national park and reserve areas

• Since 1995 the NSW Government has established more than 455 new reserves and expanded hundreds of others.

• NSW has 49 declared wilderness areas within national parks and reserves

• Total area of declared wilderness is 2,057,759 hectares, or just over 2% of NSW, up from 664,000 hectares in 1995

You hit the nail on the head.

As they say,

The only true wilderness is between a greenies ears.

Quite right Dodger, which side of this argument are you on? If we don't protect it, the only wilderness we have will be between everyone's ears - in their memories. Bit like that much underrated film "Soylent Green" where at a time in the not too distant future, as a special treat, old people get to look at films of what wilderness areas on the planet once were like. And they die crying.

The area was already locked off - no trails of any interest have existed in the declaraed wilderness area !
The Big Yango area with its great little loop trail remains, Womerah Range you can get a permit for & the Old settlers is open until you get to private property.
Do you know which tracks will be locked off that were not locked off a year ago or 10yrs ago ? The only trails that this wilderness may close are 2 trails off the Putty Rd ie Wallaby Swamp & another overgrown trail to the south called Howes Range trail (not Howes Valley Trail) which are overgrown anyway & go nowhere - no one ever uses them, except for illegal activities - stealing bushrock, dumping cars & rubbish etc. These 2 tracks will not be missed - & they will not be gated anyway, the bush will reclaim them as it has been doing over the years, if people use them they would be clear but people don't. they get opened up during wild fires to be used as control lines but thats it.

The wilderness area declared is not protecting anything that was not already protected under the current management of Yengo National Park. Fancy wording made it sound impressive.

Wasting your time with common sense posts. If people want to run round like chooks with their heads cut off,let them