| History and Achievements |
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AchievementsJohn Herbert Award. In 1995 the National Parks Association was awarded the John Herbert Award by the National Trust for Excellence in Heritage Conservation Works or Action. This award was for the "Boombana Lantana Project" which is an ongoing project in the Boombana Section of the D'Aguila National Park. The objective of this community-based work is to remove a prolific growth of Lantana and other weeds from previously logged parts of the former forest and to assist in regeneration of native vegetation to a near natural condition. The initial impetus was conceived by an Honorary Protector Les Weller in 1986, who first obtained approval and active support from the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service. This work progressed monthly with the aid of two more Honorary Protectors and volunteers from various sources. When Les Weller died in 1989, the National Parks Association adopted the project as part of marking the 60th anniversary of its foundation and continues the work to this day. Members are gratefully assisted by other volunteers and QPWS staff. The work has been of such success over this time, that it has become impossible to determine that areas are not original thick native forest. An ongoing photographic monitoring program illustrates the success of the regeneration work over these years. As this area has now moved into a monitoring phase for occasional remedial work, the project has moved to Jolly's Lookout area and is proceeding on the usual monthly basis. Volunteers are always welcome.
Queensland Island National Parks. During the late 1920's and early 1930's, the Association promoted to the then Government that the Islands off the Queensland coast should be preserved for posterity by declaring them to be National Park Status. Many years of effort with various departments, each of whom had some control in the matter, finally resulted in 1939 in the declaration of some 139 island National Parks. |
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