Last year I took a client to Sarah Henderson's property, Bulloo River
Station, near the NT/WA border. This place is a working cattle station,
and to see the damage done by those animals to waterside vegetation was
saddening. Now the client paid dearly for our overnight stay, and the
couple of hours we spent birding by helicopter (great fun!) and I tried
to impress on Sarah that she ought to try attracting birdwatchers.
She really had no idea of the birds on the place, nor that some
birdwatchers would be willing to pay for such an experience (if not
birding by helicopter then doing the same by car or horseback). But she
was concerned at the damage cattle were doing to vegetation around the
waterholes.
Many people (and organisations including government) will not or cannot
manage land unless they gain some visible economic benefit from doing so.
The same applies to Aboriginal people still on their land. For instance
my olders sisters are fighting to keep miners out of Kudjekbinj. But it
appears they have been steamrolled by younger relatives whose desire for
the money they believe mining will bring, is greater than their wish to
keep the country intact. Esther and Miriam are experienced enough to
realise the ramifications may outweigh the benefits especially in the
long term, but all others see are the lack of health and education
facilities, good roads,vehicles, water and housing for a burgeoning
population.
Denise
Denise Goodfellow (Lawungkurr Maralngurra)
Specialist Guide
Ph/fax 08 89818492
PO Box 39373
WINNELLIE NT 0821, AUSTRALIA
www.earthfoot.org
Parap Bookshop
2ndhand and new books
08 89813922
Birding-Aus is on the Web at
www.shc.melb.catholic.edu.au/home/birding/index.html
To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message
"unsubscribe birding-aus" (no quotes, no Subject line)
to
|
