Saturday, Jan 10, 2004 at 22:18
Unfortunately state govt's give National Parks basically nothing as they do not see it as a priority. Executives siting in grand palaces (people who never see the National Parks, sit in the middle of
Sydney etc) make up policies such as 'USER PAYS'. Whereas Forestry get their income from the timber and can provide
free camping, National parks are gaining their running costs from the users, the public. I cannot believe the one on photography, a bit tight if you ask me as is those
parking ticket boxes every where in parks around NSW. I would love to compare the costs of maintaining these ticket boxes with all the vandalsim and the fees associated with staff putting user fee reminder tickets on your windows - and compare with either no fees or a donation system; there would be less vandalism, greater public relations, park staff could be put to weed eradication and other ecosystem beneficial tasks.
Well I guess if you take photos of
well known land marks in parks you will have to pay. That will be an interesting Court session that's for sure. If you have issues with National Parks write to the Local National Park Advisory Committee (made up of community members), issues will then be discussed with the Regional Manager of the area. Writing to Minister etc you will get a response - not from the Minister but from the staff back at the local level - you can try it but I would go via the advisory committees.
Public liability has also seen several visitor facilties closed as funds are not available to maintain these. It is a tight world we live in - maybe National Parks could look into corporate sponsorship of sites such as
Garden Island, walking tracks etc - with a small corporate logo provided on signs etc or even media coverage of sponsorship etc. National Parks do accept sponsorship but it is restrictive - you would not like the words NIKE across the
Sydney Harbour Heads for example.
How does the USA afford the running of there parks, is it all commercial or what. The 4WD & motor bike trails etc - how do they afford to maintain these - I suppose with a
population that large you can as there will be more taxes coming in.
Hopefully sense will prevail in the future - a balance for all in use of the parks, especially with more state forests going to national parks maybe there should be a classification which is basically the same as a
state forest which permits access by all, but simply excludes logging. I must admit though vehicles using the parks should be registered - my mate is paying injury costs to a bloke he hit on a motorcycle - and guess what my mate was in the right but he was uninsured, the other guy was insured (law backed the insured guy as he was illegally able to ride there).
I could keep going but I'll stop. Cheers, Beddo
Surf KZN185
<- Yengo NP, Central Coast NSW
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