In response to this and my earlier email Chris, Kevin and Megan, Kevin, Johan and Xtine, Glen, Phil, Elan, Angharad and Pam have sent us copies of their letters to the consultation process. This effort, which will be the first in a avalanche of comments, shows how strongly we value Mt Rogers and the strength of the community you have built up over 20-30 years.
I do not know what has caused Mt Rogers to be targeted for change and whether there have been dog problems we have not heard about. There was the problem of people unhappy with un-collected dog-poo on the main walking path.
I would suggest that TAMS create signs for off-leash reserves' entry-points explaining the reserves' status to those who are new to these areas or unsettled bydogs' behaviour.
Dear Mt Rogers Carers.
The response to the SERIOUS DOG WALKING SITUATION on Mt Rogers has been magnificent in
that many people have discussed the issue whilst “on the hill” and also sent
emails or letters to the consultative process. What is below is Mary’s response and her reactions to
going to the “nearest” consultation point at John Knight Park, Lake Ginninderra.
Hi Rosemary and others
Several of us went to the public meeting
about dogs on Mt Rogers this morning (28.06.14.) which was run by Ross McKay
Ross said that all large green areas in
the ACT are being proposed for re-zoning to dogs on lead areas. Ross thought
TAMS are doing this on the grounds of nature conservation but he seemed a bit
uncertain on this point. Not only Mt Rogers itself, but all the paths leading
up to it from Tillyard Drive and from Kingsford Smith Drive are included in the
proposed rezoning.
Regarding how we can all have the most
influence to prevent the rezoning Ross was clear that it is the NUMBER of
people who protest about or support the proposal who will influence the
decision. So what we need are a lot of people writing in to say they oppose the
rezoning and each person giving as many reasons as possible why they oppose it.
If large numbers of people oppose it, and few support it, we will have a good
chance of stopping the rezoning. So if there are three people in a household,
it will be a far more effective protest if all three send in separate protests
than just one person. I think protests from children will be great too!
You can have your say by:
2. Emailing Shane Rattenbury
[RATTENBURY@act.gov.au] and/or Mary Porter [porter@parliament.act.gov.au]
3. Emailing Ross Mckay
[ross.mckay@beaconhill.net.au] or phoning him on T: 02 61403261 M:
0409469645. Ross’ company, Beaconhill Consulting, is
managing the consultation on new dog zones for the ACT Government.
5.
Writing to TAMS Community Engagement G.P.O.Box 158
Canberra A.C.T. 2601
Some reasons for opposing the
proposal include:
1. No justification for the change. No
changes to residential pattern, no cycle tracks or schools nearby. No
playgrounds close to the walking tracks.
2. Hundreds of people currently walk their
dogs off lead on Mt Rogers. Far fewer people walk their dogs on lead.
3. Health benefits for people walking dogs
a. Mt Rogers is one of the largest areas
for off lead walking and people drive from all over Canberra to walk their dogs
there. The steep tracks make walking there very healthy
b. Walking dogs on lead can damage people’s spines and can cause and
exacerbate injuries to shoulders and elbows and carpel tunnel syndrome.
c. People with arthritis find it very
difficult to walk any distance with a dog on a lead as do those with larger
dogs which are exited by the walk prospect though otherwise manageable and
compliant.
4. Safety/protection benefits for people
walking with a dog.
5. Animal welfare benefits for dogs walking
off lead.
6. Far fewer people will walk their dogs on
Mt Rogers if they have to keep them on lead. On frosty mornings, people want to
keep their hands in their pockets, not holding a lead!
7. Some dogs are more aggressive when kept
on lead
8. People cannot play games with their dogs
if they are on a lead.
9. The rezoning will have negative
conservation effects
a. Mt Rogers is not part of Canberra Nature
Park., where dogs are to be on-leash. Mt Rogers is not gazetted as a nature
reserve. Until landcarers and amateur naturalists alerted the authorities to areas
of conservation value in the reserve TAMS was not aware of "nature"
in the reserve which was managed as a base for essential infrastructure and
asset protection. Walking dogs off-lead there is most unlikely to be
detrimental to nature conservation.
b. Superb parrots are common on Mt Rogers for part of the year, but they,
and other native birds , even when they forage on the ground, are not likely to
be harmed by off-lead dogs. Speckled Warblers, Quail have survived for 40
years with dogs accessing the reserve off-leash. Resident breeding foxes and
feral and domestic cats do pose a threat to the parrots and other native birds.
If dogs are no longer allowed off lead we can expect numbers of foxes and cats
to greatly increase and pose a greater threat to native birds and reptiles
c. Reptiles have occasionally been taken by dogs but
lizards and skinks are under greater threat from exploitative people and nearby
roads
d. Remnant patches of native grassland are
also unlikely to be affected by off-lead dogs. There are currently small
numbers of eastern grey kangaroos on Mt Rogers in balance with the environment.
Kangaroos have co-evolved with pack hunting dingoes, and are unlikely to be be
at any significant risk from individual pet dogs. There are also small numbers
of rabbits on Mt Rogers. The presence of off-lead dogs running around disturbs
rabbits and kangaroos enough to keep them from breeding and therefore keeps
their numbers down. If dogs are no longer allowed off lead we can expect
numbers of rabbits and roos to build up to artificially high numbers, due to
all the artificial available water points in gardens that back onto the Mt
Rogers, and all the watered lawns. Unless these roos get culled they would
probably get to numbers high enough to pose a risk to people’s safety and to
damage remnant native grassland communities on Mt Rogers and also damage
people’s gardens. High numbers of rabbits would also damage the native
vegetation.
Mary has already written at
length to Mary Porter MLA.
In addition to Mary's comments
augmented above, other members of our community have contributed the following
by sending me what they have written in to the consultation:
Chris....A Fraser dog walker, 7
kms, twice daily, for 28 years has never come across any dog fights. There are
the odd instances of kangaroos being chased by dogs.
Bernadette....was
among those who went to the information session run by a firm of consultants
for the Minister for TAMS/ACT Government. The consultant offered to send her
hard copies of the response form for those without email.
Phil....will
pass on the information about the situation to others he meets.
Megan and Kevin.... ask
"Why is this major change not mentioned in the published list of changes?
Kevin .....asks "What is
behind this move?" Do I [RB] know of a dog attacking humans?" Their
dog keeps vermin at bay.
Pam ....suggests contacting
Alastair Coe MLA and Andrew Leigh MP.
Both have shown some interest in Mt Rogers in the past as has Chris Bourke MLA.
Elan....comments as an instructor
with the Belconnen Dog Obedience Club aware of responsible dog owners who use
the reserve. Responsible dog owners usually put their dogs on leads when in the
vicinity of wildlife. Having dogs on leads "won't add to add to your
aim of "Health Parks and Healthy People". Many people will
probably forgo the daily walk if they have to keep a frustrated dog on the end
of the lead".
Johan and
Xtine.... were able to quickly resolve a short-term problem with neighbours'
dogs and "have no complaints" about the well-managed dogs walking in
the reserve.
Caroline and Robert.....echoed
others' comments " many in the Fraser/Spence area moved to the area for
the dog exercise area on Mt Rogers. Caroline has been walking dogs of Mt Rogers
for 22 years "Dog walking regulars know each other well and monitor the
activities of 'new' dogs so that any uncontrolled behaviour is nipped in the
bud". But in my experience that has only happened once or twice in that
time. Dogs require freedom to run and jump and race or they turn neurotic and
potentially can then form unacceptable behaviours. Canberra needs to retain
convenient off leash areas." "Dogs dissuade foxes, rabbits and cats
which is an important part of feral animal control on the Mountain"
Angharad...."[I have] never
witnessed a serious incident with an out of control dog and other humans or
dogs (or wildlife of any sort ) in the more than 20 years of walking each day
on the mountain."
Dog owners
recognise newcomers and will control their dogs with a leash, keeping them
under control. The cost of driving to an alternative area would be prohibitive
in both petrol and emissions.
As a
volunteer landcarer and "when walking dogs at all hours and in all
weathers I have never seen a ranger observing behaviour of dogs or humans on
the mountain..."
Glen..."Can you tell me what
the problem you are trying to solve is?" "In 2 1/2 years over
1000 times and 3000 kms I am not aware of any problems caused by dogs off
leads." "There are many elderly people with only a dog as
companion."
In addition
points such as these could be made:
1.
Many of the Mt
Rogers Landcare Group’s newsletters stress that having dogs under control is
safest for their safety from snakes & for wildlife and other people’s sakes.
2.
The distance to
Fenced Dog exercising places is prohibitive for most people. The ACT Government
will need to provide many more of these if off-leash areas like Mt Rogers are
not available. Mt Rogers provides an accessible, reserve for 100’s of people
and at very low cost to the Government.
3.
How is the
off-leash area going to be “policed” when TAMS rangers are over-worked already
& unable to be “everywhere at once” amongst the ACT’s extensive reserve and
urban open space land system?
4.
TAMS is unable to
help Mt Rogers with rabbit, fox and cat control because it is too close to
residences/suburbia.
5.
Well-behaved dogs
such as those on Mt Rogers draw people together into a vibrant community with
common interests. It is counter to “community engagement” to make unnecessary
restrictions regarding people’s use of their public land.
6.
Signage at the
main entry points would inform newcomers & those unused to dogs’ normal
behavior that Mt Rogers is an off-leash area.
Rosemary 6258 4724 29.06.14.
