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| Heritage People In the second of our regular series of staff profiles, Heritage NSW introduces Reece McDougall, who joined the Heritage Office as Assistant Director last month. |
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How did your experience in forestry prepare you for your current role in heritage management?
I was fascinated by the conservation content in my undergraduate forestry course. While the mission of the Forestry Commission was to provide timber for the State's needs, in the time I was there a new breed of managers interested in the broader issue of the multiple use of forest resources was beginning to emerge. But of course they were not influential enough at that time to prevent the transfer of forestry areas to the National Parks and Wildlife Service in the wake of the rainforest and old growth forest debate.
Did you play a part in this debate?
Yes I did, but not from within the Forestry Commission! I joined the National Trust as a research officer responsible for developing its natural resource policies at the time of the Terania Creek Enquiry. I think it is important to remember that the National Trust's membership, incorporating a mix of voters across the political spectrum, was critical in bringing about the government's change of attitude towards the conservation of rainforest and old growth forests. Of course the "green" activists also played an important role, but the government really began to listen to the arguments when the Trust joined the campaign.
Has your Water Board experience broadened your attitudes?
What I think it has shown me is that the combination of a dedicated and savvy chief executive and a well trained work force can make a huge difference in heritage performance. No organisation gets it right all the time, but the example set by the CEO at that time, Bob Wilson, and other senior managers, by displaying a keen and genuine interest in the Board's heritage estate, established a benchmark that has been maintained by the Corporation ever since.
What do you think you can do for the State's heritage in your new job with the Heritage Office?
Well, I agree with Rosalind Strong that education is the key element to achieving heritage awareness and conservation in the long term. It is much better to have enthusiastic owners who do the right thing because they get satisfaction from it rather than pursuing people through the courts. We also need to achieve a simpler system.
The basic principles of heritage management are not always understood by owners and the community as a whole. We need to make them easier for people to understand and apply them in an intelligent and flexible way. A common misunderstanding is the organisation and roles of the Heritage Office and the National Trust. How many times have you read that the Trust has just placed a conservation order on a property, for example!
So what do you think are the appropriate roles for these organisations?
The Trust's key lobbying role can bring to the attention of the Government and the community the value of heritage items under their control. The Heritage Office and the Heritage Council, as respectively the administrator and advisor to the Minister on the Heritage Act, provide the legislative and political force.
While there are times when there may be some disagreement on issues, given the nature of the two organisations, I believe there are many potential opportunities where joint and strong support can be generated on matters of common concern.
What are your own personal goals in your involvement with heritage?
It gives me genuine satisfaction to do something positive for the community. I believe the conservation of the State's heritage is an important and worthwhile objective. Even today I can show my daughter examples of places that I have played some part in retaining for her generation and her own children to appreciate and enjoy.
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