Determined to ensure the community stays in touch with and helps shape their strategic plans, the Wet Tropics Management Authority (WETMA) held an public outreach forum in Port Douglas at the Community Hall last Saturday (May 11th).

An enthusiastic crowd of over 20 locals came along to voice their views, concerns and opinions about their little piece of the wet tropics.
CRC Division 10 Clr Julia Leu, who is a Director of WETMA, introduced the forum and the individuals who were to help guide the four hour session and ensure all attendees got to air their concerns and views and in turn ensure that those concerns would be noted and taken back to the WETMA board for consideration.

WETMA, Executuve Director, Andrew Maclean explained, "I am very keen to hold these kind of forums all around the region. These outreach forums identify problems from the people whose lives the issues actually affect"

"Rather than come to the community when there is a problem, I favour the approach to 'collect your wisdom', which very often can help us avoid the problem in the first place or at least tackle it before it becomes too big."

He concluded this first stage of the proceedings by saying that he was very keen to work with the tourist industry thus ensuring the wet tropics from which they made their living was always in their minds for conservation and protection.  It is vital to create ambassadors from the visitors who experience the wet tropics so that they return home with conservation and protection at the forefront of their minds.

The moderator for the day was Patricia O'Loghlen and she gently shepherded everyone through the various activities that comprised the day.  The first being a workshop where everyone was invited to write down their likes and fears for the Wet Tropics within our region and from their experience.  These comments were pinned to the wall for everyone to digest during the breaks and formed the basis of the discussions for the rest of the day.

The issues raised included weeds and pests, particulary wild pigs and dogs.  More education for the area, identification of possible new plants and weeds. Sustainability and how to achieve it.  There was a general concensus that there should be the facility for somewhere easily accessible to report any problems found and for the requirement within the structure of the new Douglas Shire council when formed to have an environmental officer who could respond quickly and ensure on-going controls of these identified problems.

Aboriginal representative Robyn Bella4care explained during her introduction that the aboriginal people consider land management to be a responsibility for them.  If they don't do it well enough they feel that they are disrespecting their ancestors.  Hence their enthusiasm to be at the centre of all matters relating the Wets Tropics.

This honesty is a cornerstone for the future and with five rangers being appointed within the next few weeks there is a real determinaton that with the help of WETMA the land management and fulfillment of the WETMA charter will continue to be acheived and the Wet tropics will be protected for future generations to come.

A splendid lunch was supplied by Mocka's Pies in Grant Street and a celebration cake was presented to the WETMA team to mark 25 years of World Heritage Wet Tropics.

Once the afternoon session was concluded, Andrew Maclean thanked everyone for taking the time to attend the forum and assured everyone that the valuable information gathered from the days discussions would be taken back to the WETMA board for consideration to form the ongoing process of protection and conservation.

Dates for any future meetings will be posted on The Newsport as received.