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LINDA OVEREND, PARKS AND RESERVES MANAGER, PARKS AND WILDLIFE SERVICE TASMANIA
THE GREEN ARMY’S WORK HAS OPENED UP THE PARK SO MORE PEOPLE CAN ENJOY IT“ “
CASE STUDY:
CONNECTING WITH BUSHLAND IN TASMANIA’S DIAL RANGE
CASE STUDY:
CONNECTING WITH BUSHLAND IN TASMANIA’S DIAL RANGEThis project is the second Green Army sustainable recreation development project in north-west Tasmania’s Dial Range hosted by the state Parks and Wildlife Service. It covers a variety of park management activities, focusing on signage and track work. The team has made significant improvements in amenity, helping Parks and Wildlife meet its responsibility to maintain the value of reserves to the community. The project will also deliver long-term environmental benefits by better confining recreational uses of Dial Range to tracks and designated areas.
HOSTTasmanian Government Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment
LOCATIONDial Range near Penguin, Tasmania
ACTIVITIES 9 Track improvement, including stonework
9 Creating drainage 9 Installing directional and enforcement signs
9 Clearing weeds 9 Removing rubbish 9 Planting trees in coastal reserves
FLEXIBLE WORKING GROUP The Dial Range is a multiple-use area with high recreation, tourism, landscape and biodiversity values. It has an extensive network of walking tracks leading into the Cradle Mountain region and, importantly, contains the largest remnant areas of dry and wet sclerophyll forest on the central north coast. Sustainably managing the different uses and values of the area is a delicate process in which ongoing tasks such as track maintenance play an important part. Linda Overend, Parks and Reserves Manager at Project Host organisation Parks and Wildlife Service Tasmania, recalls that expectations for the first Green Army project were cautious. As those expectations were exceeded, it became apparent that the Green Army could confidently be used in a more flexible way as a mobile work group. The current team has taken on that role. ‘John [Roberts, supervisor] can identify a need and be responsive within the Dial’, she says.
IMPROVED ACCESS FOR COMMUNITY Environmental outcomes for the Parks and Wildlife Service have been significant on several levels.
Stakeholders including local government, mountain biking groups and bushwalking clubs have noticed the difference the Green Army teams have made. ‘All those user groups are really grateful that we’re out here doing more things than we’d usually have the capacity to do’, says Linda. ‘Definitely from my perspective it has very broad benefits through all our stakeholders and their mutual objectives.’
Individual users are equally appreciative. It’s an example of how Parks and Wildlife fulfils its remit to maintain the value of reserves to the community by undertaking activities to improve amenity.
At the same time the project is delivering long-term environmental benefits by better confining recreational uses of the range to tracks and designated areas.
For Parks and Wildlife, the success of Green Army projects is about more than paths built, trees planted or areas weeded. ‘You’re able to reach out to young people and get them to form connections with natural areas’, says Linda. ‘A lot of these kids haven’t really spent time in natural areas in this sort of way. It gives them an opportunity to form connections, and then they’ll come out with their families and walk the tracks. I like that element – it’s about community forming connections with bushland.’
ABOUT THE PARKS AND WILDLIFE SERVICE TASMANIAThe Parks and Wildlife Service Tasmania manages the state’s reserve system to conserve natural and cultural heritage while enabling sustainable use of reserves by the community. The service operates within Tasmania’s Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment.
A SUPERVISOR WHO’S A ‘GOOD-FIT’ For Project Host Linda Overend, having John Roberts supervising the Green Army teams has been reassuring.
‘At the start we were a little bit apprehensive, just because it was a new project. But having the right team leader is critical, and the team leader we chose was an ex Parks employee, so he knew our internal processes. It’s worked out really well, so we’ve gone on and gotten successive groups. He is a bit of an asset.’
John’s comment on what his team has achieved says a lot about the high standards he’s passing on to them: ‘It’s quality work. It’s there for life.’
EMPLOYMENT OUTCOMES FOR PARTICIPANTS The influence of supervisor John Roberts’ work ethic and respect for the environment seems clear from the team members’ enthusiastic, competent and attentive approach to the work at hand.
Everyone in his last team found a job after their six months with the Green Army and the current participants look set to do the same.
One of them, Ian, has had various jobs since leaving school six years ago but has now found his niche. He’s been offered a position as a Green Army team supervisor and intends to continue working in conservation and land management after that. What does he find so rewarding? ‘Seeing the difference we made. Going into a place that needs work and then when you’ve finished it looks 10 times better.’
LONG TERM FOCUS The Parks and Wildlife Service has additional Green Army projects approved to start in the area.
GreenArmyGov DeptEnvironment
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Sunlight filtering through the forest canopy highlights the rich green of tree ferns and the sparkle of a rocky stream on the lower slopes of north-western Tasmania’s Dial Range. The work ethic of the five Green Army participants here today is obvious as they set about covering a new wooden walkway with wire to improve wet-weather footing. A couple of visitors stop by and thank the team for making the trail a pleasure to walk on. It’s an engaging group whose team supervisor, former Parks and Wildlife officer John Roberts, loves his work and inspires his team.
A DAY
IN THE FIELD
