Four Wheel Drive Queensland

Conservation Access Recreation Environment - CARE :

Conservation is an important part of all recreation activities and through the clubs acceptance of the Code Of Ethics, 4WD enthusiasts are encouraged to take an active interest in conserving and protecting the environment.

CARE follows closely the activities of public land management authorities, distributes relevant information to member clubs and prepares submissions to help ensure the natural asset, which we enjoy, is properly managed.

Members of this subcommittee are involved in consultation with land managers through public meetings and informal dialogue. Land managers include the Queensland Parks & Wildlife Service, Forestry Plantations Queensland and local government. Through this personal communication, rapport has developed between the subcommittee and the land managers. Issues are discussed formally at meetings involving other stakeholders and informally by telephone or e-mail. Through these discussions, the subcommittee has become more informed of planning and management processes.

An idea which the subcommittee has put forward to land managers in the past, and wishes to push again is the Adopt-A-Forest program. This program involves a club taking some responsibility for the maintenance of tracks and facilities in a particular forest, thereby relieving land managers from these tasks to pursue other more specialist roles. The program has been stifled in the past by public liability issues, but 4WD QLD is hopeful that with each change in the Queensland Government portfolio and forest management structure, that these issues can be addressed.

Each 4WDQLD-affiliated club is encouraged to nominate an environmental officer, to be their club's representative on the CARE subcommittee. Environmental officers from South-East Queensland clubs are encouraged to attend subcommittee meetings conducted from time to time, while club representatives from regional areas are encouraged to liaise directly with the appropriate regional representative.

CARE has an information page on the 4WDQLD web site, which along with the 4WDQLD Internet Forum, provides relevant and timely information on the CARE issues. This can be especially useful for people when planning longer trips to regional areas of Queensland. The information flow is two-way, with club members encouraged to be the eyes and ears of the subcommittee, to report any changes in access or management processes, which can then be followed up by the subcommittee with the land managers. The effectiveness of the subcommittee is linked to the effectiveness of this communication.