Inadequate Faeces Disposal in Back-county Areas, Tasmania: Environmental Impacts and Potential Solutions

Adventure Racing Events in Australia: context, assessment and implications for protected area management

“…; Cole (2004); Pickering et al (2010b); Pickering and Mount (2010); Stevens et al(2011)Bridle and Kirkpatrick (2005); Turton (2005);Hill and Pickering (2006);Bridle et al (2007);Randall and Newsome (2008);Hill and Pickering (2009);Mende and Newsome (2006);Mount and Pickering (2009);Pickering and Growcock (2009);Pickering et al (2011) Boots, socks and other clothing items can spread large numbers of weed seeds from a wide variety of species. It is also likely that shoes spread fungal pathogens, including root rot fungus (Phytophthora cinnamomi) in Australia.…”

“…Recent examples from Australian protected areas on non-compliance included disturbing wildlife (Waayers et al 2006), deposition of human waste (Bridle et al 2007), littering (Littlefair & Buckley 2008;Growcock & Pickering 2011), creating short cuts and social trails (Turton 2005;Littlefair & Buckley 2008;Pickering et al 2010b), damaging vegetation and fire scars (Growcock & Pickering 2011). As adventure races are competitive, participants are likely to be focused on completing as soon as possible, rather than minimising their impacts, which they may not even be aware of.…”

“…The behaviour of users affects impacts, particularly where there is limited compliance with codes of conduct/minimum-impact codes (Turton 2005;Waayers et al 2006;Bridle et al 2007;Littlefair & Buckley 2008;Growcock & Pickering 2011). Recent examples from Australian protected areas on non-compliance included disturbing wildlife (Waayers et al 2006), deposition of human waste (Bridle et al 2007), littering (Littlefair & Buckley 2008;Growcock & Pickering 2011), creating short cuts and social trails (Turton 2005;Littlefair & Buckley 2008;Pickering et al 2010b), damaging vegetation and fire scars (Growcock & Pickering 2011).…”

“…Human waste has a range of long-lasting impacts, including damage to vegetation during burial of waste, the spread of pathogens, and reductions in the amenity of heavily used sites (Bridle et al 2007). With apparently low-impact activities such as small groups walking affecting the behaviour, reproduction and diversity of a wide range of species of birds (Stevens et al 2011), hundreds of people hiking at once is likely to have much greater and potentially longer lasting effects on local birds and other animals.…”