TASMANIA'S nature tourism image could be at risk if the government fails to make changes to its draft World Heritage Area Management Plan, environment groups say. In Paris on Friday, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization recommended that Tasmania tighten its draft management plan to omit logging and mining from the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. It also suggested that further measures and funding be put in place to ensure greater protection of the state's 1.5 million hectare world heritage areas. The TWWHA Management Plan governs how Tasmania uses its wild areas. Last year, the state government announced its intentions to change the plan for the first time since 1999. The updated plan included looser restrictions on development, logging and mining. While the state and federal governments have backed their draft management plan, the Tasmanian Wilderness Society has called on national park status to be given to more wild areas, including the Great Western Tier and the Upper Florentine Valley. Campaign manager Vica Bayley believes booming tourism numbers could soon drop off if Tasmania fails to cement itself as an environmentally conscious state. "(Failing to further protect the TWWHA) will not only harm Australia's relationship with UNESCO, but it will also hurt Tasmania's tourism reputation," he said. Bob Brown Foundation campaign manager Jenny Weber agreed. "It is an international embarrassment that Australia and Tasmania is in the international spotlight for attacks on the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, when it could be a world leader for protecting a globally unique wilderness region," she said. Bass Liberal MHR Andrew Nikolic said the federal government would take UNESCO's recommendations on board. State Environment Minister Matthew Groom has also asked the committee's technical advisers to visit Tasmania. "The Tasmanian government has written to the World Heritage Committee to invite the committee's technical advisers from ICOMOS and IUCN to come to Tasmania to visit the property and see firsthand the efforts being made to responsibly manage the area and to provide input as we finalise the TWWHA management plan," he said. Tourism Industry Council Tasmania chief executive Luke Martin praised the state's current nature tourism regulations, but suggested further measures be put in place. "I'm not sure if UNESCO are aware of the existing process, but we believe Tasmania has one of the most robust frameworks for guiding tourism in protected areas anywhere in the world," he said.
Tasmanian Wildnerness Society campaign manager Vica Bayley wants to changes made to the TWWHA Management Plan.
TASMANIA'S nature tourism image could be at risk if the government fails to make changes to its draft World Heritage Area Management Plan, environment groups say.
In Paris on Friday, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization recommended that Tasmania tighten its draft management plan to omit logging and mining from the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area.
It also suggested that further measures and funding be put in place to ensure greater protection of the state's 1.5 million hectare world heritage areas.
The TWWHA Management Plan governs how Tasmania uses its wild areas.
Last year, the state government announced its intentions to change the plan for the first time since 1999.
The updated plan included looser restrictions on development, logging and mining.
While the state and federal governments have backed their draft management plan, the Tasmanian Wilderness Society has called on national park status to be given to more wild areas, including the Great Western Tier and the Upper Florentine Valley.
Campaign manager Vica Bayley believes booming tourism numbers could soon drop off if Tasmania fails to cement itself as an environmentally conscious state.
"(Failing to further protect the TWWHA) will not only harm Australia's relationship with UNESCO, but it will also hurt Tasmania's tourism reputation," he said.
Bob Brown Foundation campaign manager Jenny Weber agreed.
"It is an international embarrassment that Australia and Tasmania is in the international spotlight for attacks on the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, when it could be a world leader for protecting a globally unique wilderness region," she said.
Bass Liberal MHR Andrew Nikolic said the federal government would take UNESCO's recommendations on board.
State Environment Minister Matthew Groom has also asked the committee's technical advisers to visit Tasmania.
"The Tasmanian government has written to the World Heritage Committee to invite the committee's technical advisers from ICOMOS and IUCN to come to Tasmania to visit the property and see firsthand the efforts being made to responsibly manage the area and to provide input as we finalise the TWWHA management plan," he said.
Tourism Industry Council Tasmania chief executive Luke Martin praised the state's current nature tourism regulations, but suggested further measures be put in place.
"I'm not sure if UNESCO are aware of the existing process, but we believe Tasmania has one of the most robust frameworks for guiding tourism in protected areas anywhere in the world," he said.
