Three forest blocks along Leeuwin-Naturaliste Ridge to become national parks

4/5/99
Three State forest blocks along the Leeuwin-Naturaliste Ridge are to become national parks under the Regional Forest Agreement.
Yelverton, south west of Busselton, Margaret River and Forest Grove, both in the Margaret River area, will become three of 12 new national parks to be created under the agreement signed today by Prime Minister John Howard and WA Premier Richard Court.
The total area of the three new national parks is approximately 7000 hectares.
The agreement also provides for $2 million to bring forward sealing of Mowen Road between Nannup and Margaret River as part of an $17.5 million program for tourism that includes upgrading tourist access roads and the development of tourism infrastructure in the forest areas.
WA Environment Minister Cheryl Edwardes said the creation of the parks reflected both Governments' desire to ensure there was a Comprehensive, Adequate and Representative (CAR) conservation reserve system in the South-West native forests.
It also represented the balanced approach the RFA had achieved between conservation and the people of local towns and communities who depended on forest-based industries for their livelihoods.
New national parks also will be created along the Blackwood River Valley between Margaret River and Nannup, capturing areas of high biodiversity and habitat for threatened species. The total geographic range of the rare orange-bellied frog has been incorporated into the formal reserve system.
Parts of Chapman, Schroeder, Adelaide, Laymen, Ballan, Blackwood and Darradup blocks will be included in the conservation system. This area will total 15,600ha.
Mrs Edwardes said 12,500ha would be added to the Milyeannup reserve from the Moonah, Canebreak, Gayndah, Beaufortia and Telerah forest blocks south of Brockman Highway to create a new national park extending over 18,000ha.

A part of Hilliger block also had been set aside for conservation. This would provide a wildlife corridor between the D'Entrecasteaux National Park and new national parks to the north.
The new national parks, together with existing reserves, would form a contiguous reserve of 43,000ha in the lower Blackwood plateau.
"During the RFA process, the State Government has been very mindful of community concerns to conserve areas of high conservation value," Mrs Edwardes said.
"We have listened to the views of local conservation groups, tourism, timber, and other industry representatives and local government.
"The additional 150,885ha that have been reserved means there are now 1.047 million ha included in a Comprehensive, Adequate and Representative (CAR) conservation reserve system in the South-West forest region.
"The total area of old growth forest in formal reserves is now 232,800ha or 67 per cent of the old growth forest in the RFA region. As well there are an additional 12,700 ha of old growth in the informal reserve system along rivers, streams and roads."
Mrs Edwardes said the $41.5 million timber industry development package announced as part of the RFA would provide an impetus for local timber companies and craftspeople to enter a new era in terms of value-adding and downstream processing.
"The Busselton-Margaret River region has a reputation for native timber products, particularly for woodcrafts and fine furniture," she said.
"The RFA opens the way for the local industry to build on this reputation and create additional employment opportunities, especially for younger people embarking on a career.
"It also will enable the fine woodcrafts industry to become more integrated into the development of the local tourism industry."
Media contact: Nicole Trigwell 9421 7777