SSAA NSW

Sporting Shooters Association of Australia (NSW) Inc. 6 Supplementary Pest Control (SPC) Program 12 months on… It's been just over a year since SSAA NSW partnered with NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service (NPWS) to provide accredited volunteer hunters to participate in the initial three year trial of the Supplementary Pest Control Program. Looking back at the past 12 months, it's fantastic to see the success of the Program to date and realise just how far we've come in such a short period, in challenging circumstances. SSAA NSW originally entered into this partnership for a number of different reasons, including: • the opportunity for SSAA NSW and our members to play a signifi cant role in conservation, • to provide another opportunity for our members, • the chance to promote the value of volunteer hunters and the role they play in both the management of feral animals and protection of the environment, • to increase community perception and acceptance of hunters, • to establish and maintain another positive working relationship with the Government and one of its agencies, and • to follow on from the successful partnerships currently occurring between SSAA and NPWS in other states, such as Victoria, South Australia and Queensland. Ground shooting as part of the SPC Program is one of a number of integrated approaches that NPWS take in the management of pest animals. The role of SSAA NSW is to provide qualifi ed volunteer hunters to participate in those ground shooting operations. We do this in two ways; by providing the training and accreditation to enable members to meet the qualifi cation requirements to be eligible to participate in SPC operations; and by then providing those qualifi ed volunteers as requested by NPWS for specifi c operations. 2014 has seen 11 successful operations remove over 1550 feral animals from the 12 trial Parks and Reserves. To date we have almost 50 members who have completed the training and accreditation to become a Qualifi ed SPC Volunteer (QSPCV) with many participating in operations; some multiple times with all indicating that they are extremely likely to volunteer for future SPC operations. Feedback from volunteers in 2014 "one of the most rewarding experiences I ever had that involved hunting" "I found the NPWS personnel to be exceptional people to work with" "volunteers were welcomed as part of the team from the start" "there have been some costs involved for me… I still feel that it was a worthwhile investment" "it's clear they want this program to work" "I also felt they genuinely appreciated the QSPCV's involvement and efforts" "I think we proved that SSAA members are responsible people and ethical hunters"

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