THOUSANDS of Tablelanders have whipped the state Government over plans to shut them out of state forests.
The proposal triggered a northern stampede of more than 4600 signatures on a petition demanding forest trails be kept open.
The petition, circulated by long time rider Den Jones, objects to a proposal to convert 91,000ha of Far North state forest intonational park.
“That’s only two months worth of petitioning, the numbers speak for themselves,” Mr Jones said.
Last week Dalrymple MP Shane Knuth presented the petition to State Parliament, demanding Minister for Climate Change and Sustainability Kate Jones keep the trails open to the public.
“Any decision by this government to close the trails will receive immense backlash and is a direct contradiction of its own policies encouraging healthier living, healthy leisure activities and safer riding trails.” Mr Knuth said. He said the environmental impact of horses was grossly exaggerated and attacked the government’s “hypocrisy” in ignoring massage damage from feral pigs.
Ms Jones said the government was reviewing state forests in parts of the wet tropics in a state wide review.
She added the arrangements put in place would ensure horse riding had a future in the region.
“Individually the officers I’ve spoken to have been very friendly and co-operative but are just humoring us, their minds are obviously made up,” she said.
Former Australian Dressage Olympian Christine Doan said the move would be disastrous for people of the bush.
“We need to find innovative solutions to keeping both people and the environment healthy.” she said.
Den Jones said he had tried to get a response from the government with no luck. “They can’t fob us all off, if everyone wrote to them the buggers would have to take notice,” he said. Mr Jones said he had organized a protest march through Atherton with 200 horses but council had refused his proposal.
“I don’t care what they say, horses are a legal form of transport on the roads, we’ll march one way or another,” he said. He said a working consultation group would meet again in October to consider the new information. The tablelander made several attempts to contact Kate Jones for comment, but did not receive a response before going to print.
Nikki Taylor- The Tablelander September 14 2010
