Are we loving the Wilderness to death? 5-7:30pm, Friday April 7, 2000 University Club, University of Tasmania, Hobart Science in the Pub visits Hobart to take a look at whether we are loving our Wilderness to death. Should we restrict activities in the World Heritage areas? Who should be making the decisions? What evidence is there to suggest that bush walking causes permanent damage to Wilderness areas? Join Professor Jamie Kirkpatrick, Geography and Environmental Studies at the University of Tasmania and Dr David Leaman, a consultant geophysicist and geologist to discuss these issues and more, over a few beers at the University Club. Our scintillating Science in the Pub compere, Dr Paul Willis, ABC Quantum reporter, will lead the discussion, aided and abetted by Bernie Hobbs from ABC Science On-line and Triple J. Jamie Kirkpatrick is Professor of Geography and Environmental Studies at the University of Tasmania where he has a great time teaching undergraduates vegetation management, and working with research students and research assistants on problems related to the con-servation, planning and management of natural vegetation. He also spends a lot of time sitting on national, state and university committees, among which the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Advisory Council counts as the most argumentative, enjoyable and productive. David Leaman is a consultant geologist and geophysicist and sometime lecturer in environmental and engineering geology who has always enjoyed showing anyone who will listen (students have to) how geological knowledge may protect aspects of their local environment and also save them money. Engineers, planners and not a few geologists think him an heretical stirrer. Most recently he has waggled his pen into more popular writing whilst keeping his academic pen sharp. Always a Tasmanian devil, he likes echidnas and follows wombats. This reflects his have-boots-will-walk philosophy but he does admit that involvement in walker politics has given him a new life cycle involving time-wasting committees and sub-missions, repeated re-invention of bad ideas, and poor government. Fresh air and good music are effective neutralisers. & and true to the tradition of Science in the Pub, Jamie and David have presented their abstracts in verse! From Jamie Cut, mine or dam the cry went out The wilderness we'll heavily clout Bushwalkers, rafters rose in ire 'Of wilderness we never tire If none's left We'll be bereft' Scientists said 'we will attest Of wilderness this is the best The plants, the caves and platypi Have values great you can't deny' Deny they tried but did not win Exploitation, original sin The high camp theatre of the fight Was on the telly every night The viewers stirred with every word To World Heritage to play booked ecotours to pay To tramp and stamp And sometimes camp To climb and raft and kayak too The wilderness was packed right through Great white gashes soon appeared where peat was tramped away The tourist boats swashed Gordon banks where they had come to play Wilderness lodges was the cry from pollies and the business world A fern frond in the wilderness less than tentatively unfurled Scientists said the banks are going The alpine veg is fast ungrowing Slow the boats, remove the feet Respect the decaying ancient peat Precautionary principle put aside Pollies, capos do deride Those who want to sustain A wilderness in terminal pain   & and from David  Recipe for an ingenious paradox: Take a piece of little-used land Admire, rage, claim and shadow box Until the moneyed feds act grand, Then declare it all wilderness heritage Now funds flow and panels sit We must present to all this beauteous land Yet are commanded to protect as we see fit. Nay, preserve it, say a wilful band And all this to have a heritage. They say the plants are dying, Especially those at mountain top, And must be guarded from prying Or hiker s tramping til they drop. So ban em all to keep our heritage? Is Phytophthora a lot of rot? And do we really know? The environment is all we ve got, But do we act to slow? Perhaps we are ignorant about our heritage? Are humans above nature or at fault? They say many exploiting people assorted Did and do make terrible assault, Yet twas these very ones reported That made possible claim to our heritage. Are those who use the track To blame for waist high mud? Or should the finger point back To prattling, wasteful managers who scud From maintaining our world class heritage? What know we of the rocks, The shapes, the trees and past? Not much, I ll rot my socks. How many truly care to the last In order that all may enjoy our heritage? Love it too much, they ask? Who are they, who make the call? Is it such an onerous task? Pollies, Parks people, consultants, all A whole heart, please, toward our heritage. 'Science in the Pub' (TM) is an initiative of the Australian Science Communicators (NSW) and supported by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. It is normally staged from 7.00-9.00 pm on the last Wednesday of even months (Feb - Oct) at the Harlequin Inn (formerly known as the Duke of Edinburgh Hotel), 152 Harris Street, Pyrmont, 2009 in Sydney (Telephone (02) 9660 8146. UBD Map ref pg235 P10.). Dinner is available from the Gong Thai restaurant attached to the pub. Parking is difficult - best at the Casino ($10, 6pm to midnight). Admission costs $5 worth of raffle tickets, your chance to win one of our many excellent prizes! We can organise Science in YOUR Pub anywhere in Australia, or the world! For further information on 'Science in the Pub' please contact Robyn Stutchbury on mailto:rstutch@bigpond.net.auof Peripatus Productions Pty Limited, 1 Carisbrook Street, Lane Cove 2066, Tel: 02 9427 6747, Fax: 02 9418 9605. For more information visit our website at: http://www.scienceinthepub.com/ Future Science in the Pub sessions (see the website for full details): Wednesday April 26th with Clio Cresswell from the School of Mathematics of the University of New South Wales. The topic is "What's the use of Maths?" and we will discuss whether mathematics is the Queen of the Sciences, or simply a tool of the trade.
Science in the Pub™, © 2000. Stutchbury, R, Burton, M.