GETTING lost in nature has been a popular trend for all ages seeking respite and exercise amid the pandemic. Only, Parks Victoria rangers are warning not to actually get lost. Or wander off the approved beaten track - even if wanting to hug a tree, which has become a national parks recommendation for mental health in Israel this week.
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An Edith Cowan University pandemic-era study has found 'copycat mentality' is giving people a false sense of security and proving a key driver for people to leave trails in Australian national parks. Most were experienced park-goers.
WATCH a clip from Parks Victoria's Bigger Than You campaign below
This comes as an estimated one million people have visited the Macedon Ranges Regional Park during the pandemic.
Parks Victoria ranger Siobhan Rogan said there was so much at stake when people ventured off trails, not just preventing people from getting lost.
In the wider Ballarat region, mine-capping and tree risk work are big safety factors, but Ms Rogan said it was also about protecting biodiversity in native flora and fauna, Indigenous and colonialist heritage values.
While sometimes unsanctioned use, particularly by trail bikes and 4WDs, could leave paths wide open for foxes and cats to destroy areas.
"All the hard work's been done by us already, including a guide to the best points for views," Ms Rogan said.
"...Sometimes the nicest looking areas could also have underlying hazards. We want people to feel like they're still exploring and we like people to be intrepid, so we try to create a variety of experiences - some not so rugged, some undulating the whole way."
The report, based in New South Wales' Blue Mountains, found people who considered themselves eco-friendly were not deterred from wandering off-track if they saw others do so.
Ms Rogan said even carrying the wrong pathogens on your shoes into the wrong area could kill-off an area.
Path-making is a process Parks Victoria is working through in Ballarat's newest regional park Woowookarung.
The area has long been used informally by all sorts of recreational groups and Parks Victoria is working to find the right balance.
Woowookarung will feature the state's first dementia-friendly trail, with wide paths and designated rest areas for a sensory experience. This will feed into a 10,000 step trail taking in key look-out points in the park.
Ms Rogan said sometimes specific pursuits, like trail biking, might mean looking slightly further afield for the right place to go riding in the bush but there were trails specifically designed for this.
The best way to make sure you do not unconsciously follow others off a trail, or potentially off a cliff, is to look for signage.
Ms Rogan said Parks Victoria aims to clearly mark trails. She said seeing a forged trail beyond a barrier or veering away from signs was a clear indication not to go down the wrong track.
If in doubt, people can contact Parks Victoria for advice on 13 19 63.
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