Treesearch

Antarctica is certainly what most people would consider being the world's last great wilderness; largely untouched and undeveloped by humans. Yet it is not inviolate - there are scientific bases, tourist operations, expeditions, airstrips and even roads. Although these impacts are by and large limited in extent, their very presence in an otherwise "blank" landscape can have effects on the wilderness that far outweigh their relatively small physical footprint. The vastness of Antarctica and the relatively small size and sparseness of human infrastructure presents its own set of special...

This paper summarizes preliminary results of a research study that investigated university students' perceptions of Antarctic wilderness and reports on discussions of these results at a workshop held at the 10th World Wilderness Congress. The purpose of the research study was to determine whether nationality and cultural differences were associated with beliefs about Antarctica, relationships between humans and the Antarctic environment, and support for resource development and tourism activities - a small but important step in deciding how to best meet the requirements of the Protocol on...

The study aims to investigate the premise that the implementation of a buffer zone around a national park provides opportunities for local communities to become active in the management of such areas. The study focuses on the Etosha National Park in Namibia, where the implementation of a buffer zone has been proposed, since the park fence is a potential barrier for ecosystem and social-ecological integrity. The research explores the extent to which the park fence influences the livelihoods of landowners and resource users in selected areas, by assessing local perspectives on the artificial...

The Bundian Way is a shared history pathway that connects the highest part of the Australian continent and the south-eastern coast via an ancient Aboriginal route that brought together the people of the greater region. The Eden Local Aboriginal Land Council has long worked towards its use for educational/ tourism purposes and recognition for heritage protection. In 2010 the Land Council began a survey of the route which resulted in New South Wales State Heritage listing on 18th January 2013. While the Bundian Way is defined as a physical route, its stories link a variety of Aboriginal...

This paper describes the Australian State of Tasmania's management effectiveness Monitoring and Reporting System for national parks and reserves. This jurisdictional performance measurement system is designed to provide all interested parties with reliable factual information and measured evidence about reserve management achievements, progress and challenges. Key features of the system are that it is outcomes-focused, evidence-based, operationally practical, and transparent to the public. The system fosters an organizational culture of measuring and demonstrating the results achieved from...

Conservation, reserve management within an interstate context is not unique in or to Australia. Nevertheless, the policy and procedures derived from various, state legislation often creates ambiguity for interstate, land management agencies. This compels such agencies to adopt specific approaches and strategies to landscape management. This paper provides a context for wilderness management in south-east Australia and outlines how the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service and Parks Victoria have assembled the Genoa River Interstate Liaison Committee, a committee of people focusing on a...

By 1995 wilderness quality maps developed under the Australian Government's National Wilderness Inventory (NWI) program had been published for most of Australia, but few traces of the NWI now remain and the word "wilderness" has become almost unmentionable in government and professional land management circles. Yet its popular appeal is demonstrated by its continuing frequent use in tourism industry advertising for natural areas. This study explores this remarkable rise and fall. It establishes that there appears to have been a decision by Australian Government in the late 1990s to avoid...

As a result of its elevated level of consciousness, the human species has been engaged in the quest for an ultimate meaning of life and what lies beyond life and death for millennia. Many of these spiritual or religious perspectives have been closely linked to each society's relationship with wild nature. This paper explores the topic of wilderness spirituality from the perspectives of: 1) direct experience, i.e., spiritual experiences and emotions that arise while one is in wilderness, utilizing some of the results from a Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area spiritual values study,...

During the period of the Cold War between 1945 and 1989, a "Green Belt" of valuable pristine landscapes developed along the border line between Eastern and Western Europe, the intensively fortified and guarded so called Iron Curtain. Due to the remoteness of the border areas, a high number of national parks and other large conservation areas can be found there. They are connected by small conservation areas and linear structures along the borders which are to a high percentage natural, semi-natural and/or extensively used areas. The Green Belt is a cross section of all European biogeographi...

Sumava National Park, in the Czech Republic, is, along with the adjacent Bayerischer Wald NP in Germany, one of the largest wilderness areas in Western and Central Europe. Mountain spruce forests here have been heavily influenced by natural disturbances. Following years of debate about conservation management in the national park, logging operations on the Czech side were stopped by massive public protests, including a logging blockade, in 2011. Meanwhile, the Ministry of the Environment Minister and the National Park Director proposed changes that would legalize logging in areas which...