The ‘Feral Horse Impacts: The Kosciuszko Science Conference’ is a science-based conference that provided an opportunity for scientists to speak up, to have a voice about this contentious issue: the feral horse in a protected area. It provided an opportunity to present scientific evidence of feral horses as a threat to natural heritage values and to respond to the ramifications of the Kosciuszko Wild Horse Heritage Act 2018 (NSW). It was an opportunity for researchers to account for the natural National Heritage values that are being impacted by feral horses, and for the wider community to have access to this information through the published peer-reviewed Conference Abstracts, and through longer peer-reviewed papers that will be published in the Journal of Ecological Management and Restoration.\
The conference was co-convened by the Australian Academy of Science, the Fenner School of the Environment and Society at the Australian National University, and Deakin University.
The NSW Wild Horse Heritage Act was assented to on 15 June 2018. It was an Act to recognize heritage values of sustainable wild horse populations within parts of Kosciuszko National Park and to protect that heritage. It was introduced by NSW Deputy Premier and NSW National Party Leader the Honourable John Barilaro MP. The legislation gave priority to feral horses over native species and the mountain catchments, over-rode the 2006 Kosciuszko National Park Plan of Management for areas identified as ‘horse areas’, and introduced management by a Community Advisory Panel that precluded the involvement of scientists or professional protected area managers. The Act undermines the integrity of the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Act and threatens the status of the Park as a National Heritage–listed place. The Act has been described as the single biggest act of environmental regression for Kosciuszko National Park in its 75-year history.
The Conference Abstracts book provides summaries of the research presented at the Kosciuszko Science Conference. The abstracts were provided by presenters and peer reviewed by a team of scientists with expertise in the field. The abstracts are provided to provide a public record of this important research.
Download conference abstracts (PDF, 9MB)
The Kosciuszko Science Accord provides a succinct statement from scientists and organisations concerning feral horses in Kosciuszko National Park and their impacts on natural National Heritage values. It identifies the regressive implications of the ‘Wild Horse Heritage Legislation’ for protected areas and National Heritage–listed places. The Accord was prepared as a statement for policy makers and politicians.
Download the Kosciuszko Science Accord
The ‘Feral Horse Impacts: The Kosciuszko Science Conference’ is a science-based conference that provided an opportunity for scientists to speak up, to have a voice about this contentious issue: the feral horse in a protected area. It provided an opportunity to present scientific evidence of feral horses as a threat to natural heritage values and to respond to the ramifications of the Kosciuszko Wild Horse Heritage Act 2018 (NSW). It was an opportunity for researchers to account for the natural National Heritage values that are being impacted by feral horses, and for the wider community to have access to this information through the published peer-reviewed Conference Abstracts, and through longer peer-reviewed papers that will be published in the Journal of Ecological Management and Restoration.\
The conference was co-convened by the Australian Academy of Science, the Fenner School of the Environment and Society at the Australian National University, and Deakin University.
The NSW Wild Horse Heritage Act was assented to on 15 June 2018. It was an Act to recognize heritage values of sustainable wild horse populations within parts of Kosciuszko National Park and to protect that heritage. It was introduced by NSW Deputy Premier and NSW National Party Leader the Honourable John Barilaro MP. The legislation gave priority to feral horses over native species and the mountain catchments, over-rode the 2006 Kosciuszko National Park Plan of Management for areas identified as ‘horse areas’, and introduced management by a Community Advisory Panel that precluded the involvement of scientists or professional protected area managers. The Act undermines the integrity of the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Act and threatens the status of the Park as a National Heritage–listed place. The Act has been described as the single biggest act of environmental regression for Kosciuszko National Park in its 75-year history.
The Conference Abstracts book provides summaries of the research presented at the Kosciuszko Science Conference. The abstracts were provided by presenters and peer reviewed by a team of scientists with expertise in the field. The abstracts are provided to provide a public record of this important research.
(PDF, 9MB)
The Kosciuszko Science Accord provides a succinct statement from scientists and organisations concerning feral horses in Kosciuszko National Park and their impacts on natural National Heritage values. It identifies the regressive implications of the ‘Wild Horse Heritage Legislation’ for protected areas and National Heritage–listed places. The Accord was prepared as a statement for policy makers and politicians.
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