The Precautionary Principle and grazing, burning and medium sized mammals in northern New South Wales

Summary

Grazing and burning of forest leases in Northern New South Wales have long been established practices and are vital parts of the fire protection strategy for these forests. Recent legislative requirements with respect to the conservation of endangered fauna are changing established practices. These changes result from the use of the Precautionary Principle, following concern expressed by conservationists and conservation authorities that burning and grazing is a threat to medium sized mammals or those species in the Critical Weight Range (CWR) (see later).

A review of the effects of grazing and burning on CWR species in northern New South Wales forest areas indicates that some of the species concerned may be adapted to, or at least able to cope with a regime of fairly frequent fire. The impact of grazing is less clear but it may not always be deleterious to all of the species concerned. The CWR species have existed in the presence of fire and grazing for a very long time and it is not at all clear what would happen if burning and grazing were suddenly to cease.

It is suggested that a blanket change, such as the immediate cessation of all burning and grazing, which is being introduced as a result of the new legislation, would be unwise. Instead, it is recommended that current practices be maintained with some modifications while more definitive information is obtained on the effect of burning and grazing on the CWR fauna before major changes are considered.

Application of the Precautionary Priciple to invoke immediate and precipitous changes to current practices, is considered to be an incorrect interpretation of the Precautionary Principle, which in this case would be more correctly used to caution against any immediate change to the status quo until more information can be collected.