Advocacy for the preservation of our parks, our bushland and our natural environment.
Our members have a strong determination to hand on our wonderful places intact and improved for the next generation.
Advocating for the environment is a big part of Mosman Parks & Bushland Association’s activities.
Robust environmental advocacy relies on robust engagement processes and opportunities for engagement. In recent years we have responded to several policies about engagement processes.
Key policies & engagement processes.
Crown Lands Community Engagement Strategy.
Mosman Council’s Community Participation Plan.
NSW Dept Planning & Environment Community Participation Plan.
Environmental Advocacy.
Protecting Biodiversity.
If we are to protect our parks and bushland, our flora and fauna, and end the extinction crisis, we MUST have strong laws and regulations.
What is so disheartening to organisations like ours is to see our local achievements unsupported at a macro level where the environment suffers from land clearing, forestry, and development as a result of inadequate laws and regulations.
Synthetic (plastic) turf.
Turfing Middle Head Oval with plastic grass! We know so much about the awful effects of plastics on the environment, we had to oppose that proposal. We joined forces with the Headland Preservation Group. Eventually we prevailed when two Mosman Councillors introduced a natural turf installation expert to Mosman Council. Our council is now taking excellent care of the natural turf on Middle Head Oval and sports players are happy too!
Unfortunately, many other Councils are still attempting to install synthetic grass. Community groups have formed a Natural Turf Alliance to mount a campaign.
Climate Change.
Zali Steggall’s Climate Change Bills were presented to parliament in November 2020 and were referred to a Parliamentary Inquiry in 2020 also. There has been widespread support for the bills from scientists, economists, business, farmers and doctors.
In 2021 Mosman Parks & Bushland wrote a detailed submission on Mosman Council’s draft Climate Strategy and Action Plan. We were thanked for our suggestions which resulted in some changes to the plan.
Scenic Protection.
The Scenic Protection Area protects our foreshores from inappropriate development; it protects the tree canopy and helps to preserve the dominance of landscaping over built form. The effect is to preserve the natural character of Mosman’s foreshores.
Maintaining the Scenic Protection Area benefits Sydney Harbour as a whole. Views from the land to the harbour are preserved and views to the shore from the harbour are enhanced.
Unmade Roads.
Unmade roads are parcels of land that are classified as public roads but not constructed. They are varied pieces of public land ranging from stairs, to open pathways, to bushland. Mosman has 84 of them and they form an important part of our open space and bushland with ecological, social and aesthetic value. Those with the best bushland form valuable biodiversity corridors for fauna and flora.
Sydney Harbour Federation Trust.
Mosman Parks & Bushland Association was actively involved in the campaign to save public land on Middle Head which led to the formation of the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust and the dedication of Headland Park and its unique combination of natural, Indigenous and military heritage. Since the formation of the Harbour Trust the Association continues to campaign to preserve and protect these iconic public lands for the enjoyment of all Australians.
The 10/50 Code.
The 10/50 Code for vegetation clearance. Intended to protect life and property from bushfire, it has been used in metropolitan areas and elsewhere to create views, to avoid nuisance and for development. 131 significant trees are known to have been lost in Mosman – none of them for fear of bushfire. Other suburbs report losses in the thousands.
The 10/50 Code was created to give land owners stronger protection against bush fires and was developed by the Government in response to community concerns after devastating bushfires in 2013. It allows the removal of trees and vegetation without permission from private property and is having a devastating effect on metropolitan areas and conservation areas across NSW.
LEFT: Mosman Parks & Bushland Association members at a STOP Code 10/50 protest held in November 2014.
Protecting public land – Harnett Park Mosman.
Mosman Parks & Bushland opposed a proposal for kayak storage to the 3rd Mosman Bay Sea Scouts Hall at Harnett Park that would have covered a large portion of this small green area of open space and significantly affect views to and from the Harbour.
The proposal was unsuccessful, however, there will always be pressures on public land. We believe that urban and foreshore open space and bushland should be maintained for the benefit of the wider public – present and future.
Protecting public land – Wyargine Reserve.
There will always be competition for the use of public land. We believe that urban and foreshore open space and bushland should be maintained for the benefit of the wider public – present and future – and we are prepared to campaign – as we did for Wyargine Reserve - for 20 years if we have to.
Council Amalgamations.
In 2015 and 2016 the NSW government decided to amalgamate local government councils in city and country areas into larger ones with the objective of saving money. Mosman Council was to be merged first with Manly and Warringah, and then with North Sydney and Willoughby.
Residents, including Mosman Parks & Bushland Association were strongly opposed to the idea of amalgamation.
Advocacy news.
![The use of synthetic [plastic] turf on sports playing fields.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f87e7e1c1e14760413d0e62/1620556497236-8Y6EOEO7Z399RWW7RYDB/plastic-grass.jpg)