National Parks Association of Queensland Inc.

Recently, the International Ranger Federation released their inaugural State of the Ranger report. Designed to present a snapshot of the issues rangers face, it collates data and perspectives from rangers and their employees to "drive change in the global corridors of influence". Rohit Singh, Vice President of the @InternationalRangerFederation, says an estimated 1.5 million new rangers will be required to meet the goal of protecting 30% of our planet's land area by 2030, and NPAQ is looking forward to working with QPWS on Junior Ranger and Cadet Ranger programs that will further help establish a pathway for ranger recruitment in Queensland to meet demand. Read the full report at https://buff.ly/41VPssz #Rangers #Parkies #WeSupportYou #ThinGreenLine #IRF #QPWS

Meanwhile, down south ... all is not well in Victoria's forests and national parks as the Allan government reneges on the promise to create new national parks, the Chief Executive of Parks Victoria walks, and Parks Victoria itself faces review. “As wildlife and habitats continue their rapid decline, our elected leaders are stuck in slow motion,” said Matt Ruchel, executive director of the Victorian National Parks Association. “After years of unnecessary delays, this government is once again twiddling their thumbs, defying both environmental experts and the wishes of the Victorian community.” Read more in The Age at https://buff.ly/41wy7G2 #NationalParks #ProtectedAreas #30x30 #ProtectOurForests 📷 Ed Dunens CC by 2.0 WikimediaCommons

How much do national parks contribute towards improving the health of our nation? This report from The Conversation, published on 27 November, suggests that every visit to a national park could shave $100 off the health budget! "In total, Australia spent around $241.3 billion on health goods and services in 2021–22. That’s about $9,365 per person, on average. Health costs such as hospital spending continue to grow. Commonwealth public hospital spending alone is expected to grow by $2 billion a year. "At the same time, spending on protecting nature makes up less than 0.1% of the Commonwealth budget and falls short of what Australians want. Almost all Australians (97%) want more action to prevent extinctions and more public investment to protect the environment and natural places (72%). "[This] research suggests making nature more accessible by restoring urban biodiversity and increasing access to our protected areas can be a win for people, governments and the budget." Read more at https://buff.ly/4gbtsxE #PassionateaboutParks #GetOutside #BreathofFreshair #Healthsavings #Budget 📷 Syda Productions/CanvaNFP

A recently released study published in Ocean & Coastal Management found that the majority of Australians wanted a significant expansion to Australia's marine park areas (MPAs). Along with the statistics shown in the below infographic, the key findings of 'Casting a wider net: A national survey of Australian attitudes to marine protected areas' include: 🐠 only 10% of Australians are aware that Australian marine park areas are not subject to uniform protections. 🐠 Australians value marine parks more for intrinsic, rather than economic or recreational reasons. 🐠 Australians would like to see marine life as the focus when designing future MPAs. 🐠 Australians consider microplastics and climate change to be the greatest threats facing marine environments. Read more at https://buff.ly/497y9pS #marineparks #protectedareas #surveydata #Australianwaters 📷: Canva NFP

All across Australia, national parks and other protected areas play a vital role in preserving our natural and culture heritage. National parks help: 🌱 tackle climate change by storing carbon and providing safe havens for native flora and fauna. 🌱 protect biodiversity and ensure a diversity of thriving ecosystems 🌱 support healthy environments for all, ensuring clean air and water, enough pollinators, and reducing the risks of environmental damage 🌱 preserve cultural connections and support First Nations peoples' connection to Country 🌱 boost health and well-being, both physically and mentally 🌱 drive the economy, generating green jobs and tourism revenue worth hundreds of millions of dollars annually. National parks and protected areas – they're worth it! NPAQ continues to advocate for a steady increase in Queensland's Protected Area Estate. To find out how you can help us do that, visit https://buff.ly/3jyoUpM #ProtectedAreas #WorthIt #30x30 #NaturalWealth 📷: Nadia'sPhot/Getty/CanvaNFP

In our latest issue of Protected magazine, Simon Cavendish explores the barriers presented by Poland's green border at Bialowieza National Park (see p.6), the setting for the soon-to-be-released, award-winning Polish film directed by Agnieszka Holland. Green Border will screen at St James Palace Cinemas on Thursday 28 November, so be sure to book and read the article 'A Barrier Becomes a Wall' on p.6 of the latest issue of NPAQ's Protected magazine beforehand. The magazine is available as a flipbook at https://buff.ly/3Z0LY4R Book to see the film at Palace Cinemas https://buff.ly/3Omh4z1 📷 A young wolf in Bialowieza NP: Gryf/Getty Images/Canva NFP. #GreenBorder #Barriers #Protected #Movies #Films #PleaseShare

Help NPAQ sow the seeds of change and ensure Queensland's national parks expand and thrive! The Silly Season is here again (nearly a month to go – how did that happen?). To celebrate, we've launched our annual appeal to help NPAQ continue to advocate for our protected areas into 2025 and beyond. We know that small actions can have big outcomes ... that’s why we've been sowing the seeds of ideas that will help our national parks thrive – now and in the future. To help decision-makers solve the many problems blighting national parks, NPAQ has collaborated with state-based national park and ranger associations, ecotourism and conservation alliances, and esteemed academics to undertake research and generate persuasive reports. From minimising the impact of mountain biking to calculating the ecosystem services national parks provide (and how they benefit our health and our economy), to unpacking the responsibilities of national park users and the contributions they make to management, our research aims to set the pace for policymaking. We know solid, evidence-based reports influence decisions, but we urgently need your help so we can continue to publish and promote our findings, as well as equip our advocates with the skills to persuasively share these ideas with powerbrokers in person. Please help our solutions-focused approach flourish. To support Queensland's national parks, please donate on our website at buff.ly/3NoVaJ6 or visit our Chuffed campaign page at https://buff.ly/4fTRQDy #PleaseShare #ThankYou #QueenslandGives #Philanthrophy #ProtectedAreas

NPAQ believes that national parks, World Heritage Areas and other protected areas present the greatest bulwark against biodiversity loss in Queensland, but we also recognise the ongoing role played by private protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs) in protecting much more of Queensland's landmass. On a smaller scale again, our cities and suburbs also need to foster a connection with the surrounding protected areas, both emotionally and spatially. Biodiversity Sensitive Urban Design (BSUD) can help create a network of appropriately linked natural areas across the state. Check out this excellent Nature Insights seminar series – featuring Professor Sarah Bekessy, Dr Jacinta Humphrey, and Dr Casey Visintin – which explains how the property and development sector can integrate BSUD in our urban planning. https://buff.ly/4i1JxYw #biodiversityattheheart #protectedareas #greencities

The National Parks Association of Queensland is currently seeking suitably qualified applicants for two new 12-month contract roles within our organisation: Manager (Parks Connect Program) and Social Media and Engagement Officer (Parks Connect Program). Both roles will work closely with NPAQ's existing staff alongside staff from the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS). Both also offer a flexible choice of workplace by negotiation. Please see https://buff.ly/3Ww2jhT to download the position descriptions and apply. #PositionsVacant #EnvironmentalJobs #NationalParks #PleaseShare

🌱 A report by the International Pollutants Elimination Network (IPEN) for the fifth session of the UN's Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution – to be held in Busan, Republic of Korea, from 24 November – highlights the need for a global treaty to combat plastic pollution. Microplastics are accumulating worldwide, contributing to environmental health and biodiversity risks from toxic chemicals that disrupt food chains – including in many of our national parks, particularly those along the coast. Tackling plastic pollution worldwide requires a collaborative effort. A global treaty would encourage: 
♻️ regulation of plastics across their life cycle, not just as waste, with a closed-loop economy for plastic production 🚫 phasing out harmful additives 🍃 more research into biodegradable plastics and other sustainable alternatives 🐋 strategies for mitigating deep-sea plastic pollution
 🌍 strong, enforceable global commitments and inclusive collaboration. Read more at https://buff.ly/4hV2lZi #PlasticPollution #Sustainability #QLDEnvironment #GlobalAction