Reclaim Kosci
The Reclaim Kosci team is hosted by our organisation and supported by a huge number of passionate, committed volunteers. We help drive and support their key activities.
The campaign has drawn a huge amount of support over a very short period of time.
There is now a massive groundswell of people who want the NSW Government to act and stop the increasing impacts of feral horses on one of Australia’s most loved national parks
A key element of the campaign has been about talking with people from all walks of life about the damage feral horses are inflicting on Kosciuszko National Park. All those conversations and meetings have paid off. On Thursday, 24 November 2021, then NSW environment minister Matt Kean adopted a feral horse plan for Kosciuszko National Park.
The final plan promises a significant reduction in feral horses, but leaves one third of the park overrun by this damaging feral animal. The plan will reduce the horse population by 80% – from around 14,000 to 3000, over just five years. Compared to the slow removal rates over the past 20 years, this, if achieved, would be a significant improvement for horse control in the Kosciuszko.
However, the plan is still a long way from what’s needed to solve Kosciuszko’s horse crisis. In drawing up the plan Minister Kean was hamstrung by the Wild Horse Heritage Act, a draconian piece of legislation that requires the protection of feral horses in Kosciuszko National Park.
The retention of feral horses in one third of Kosciuszko is deeply problematic. It locks in damage to the Byadbo and Pilot wilderness areas in the south and protects an ongoing horse population within and adjacent to the Jagungal Wilderness Area.
Wetlands such as the vast Currango peat wetlands in the north and critical habitat of threatened species such as the northern corroboree frog, stocky galaxias and the lovable broad-toothed mouse will all suffer as the damaging impacts of hard-hooves is locked in for the plan’s duration.
Although this plan has been finalised, we are not taking our eyes off this issue until feral horses are removed to the point that Kosciuszko’s wildlife and alpine wilderness is protected and recovering from the impacts of feral horses.