NSW Government science adviser quites over plans to protect feral horses.
9 replies, posted
A scientific adviser to the NSW Government has quit over its decision to protect feral horses in the Kosciuszko National Park, saying the move shows a "wilful disregard" for science that "diminishes our collective future".
Professor David Watson, an ecologist at Charles Sturt University, had been a member of the NSW Government's Threatened Species Scientific Committee since January 2015 and advised the Government on managing threatened plants and animals in the state.
On Wednesday, the Government passed the Kosciuszko Wild Horse Heritage Bill 2018, which gave protected status to feral horses, colloquially referred to as "brumbies", despite the committee advising against doing so.
Minister for the Environment Gabrielle Upton said the bill "struck the right balance between protecting the environment and the heritage value of the brumbies that have been in the area for nearly 200 years".
Professor Watson told the ABC he could not stand by the decision.
"To see the responsible minister endorse the bill — for crying out loud, are you even trying to pretend that you consider the advice that we give you?" he said.
"I can no longer in good conscience give my time to a system that is clearly broken."
In his formal resignation letter, posted to Twitter, Professor Watson said the evidence of the damage the horses cause in the National Park is "clear and unambiguous", saying "feral horse populations have a litany of negative effects on native plants, animals and ecological communities".
NSW brumby protection plan sees scientific adviser quit
Idiots. Our native wildlife are far more important than some damn feral horses. Far too many stupid people have a moronic fantasy around horses.
despite usually culling introduced species, these ones are protected because banjo patterson wrote a poem about them
HERITAGE
god damn i can't believe the government wants to spend money protecting these fucking things
like for real if the government paid for transport and a heater i'd be fucking icing these hoes every weekend i dont give a fuck
Only these moronic fuckers could simultaneously ignore existing heritage legislation (pretty easy when you're in the pocket of property developers) and the recommendations of ecologists. Had they gone through the Heritage Act I can assure you that a 90% reduction in the brumby population would absolutely not have a negative impact on their heritage values, seeing as it'd still be found in the 600+ population that would be left.
The one time these cunts care about heritage is when its an introduced species wreaking havoc on native species. The rest of the time they're doing their best to defund heritage institutions into uselessness so can't possibly protect our nation's heritage against the endless wave of dumbass property developers.
Environmental protection is way more important than protecting an introduced species that is destroying it, what the hell is NSW thinking
unless I'm misreading this, are they protecting an invasive species?
Yes.
coooooooooool
As someone who helped raise horses:
what?
Also relevant:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1KvcxKSkf0g
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