Bushwalk Karen whinges about ‘unnecessary’ marking tape on trails before REMOVING half a kilo of it – before others point out it’s a lifesaving marker put in place for firies
- Bushwalker complained about red and white tape along New South Wales track
- She bundled half-a-kilogram of tape into garbage bag thinking it was rubbish
- Bushwalker posted a photo of her haul to Facebook before launching into tirade
- Social media users were quick to point out the tape was there for a good reason
A bushwalker who removed half a kilo of marking tape from a walking track because she thought it was rubbish has been told it was used by firefighters to mark hazard reduction burning zones.
The woman had been giving a tour guide along the Castle Walking Track at Yadboro, on the New South Wales south-coast.
She noticed the red and white coloured plastic tape tied around several trees and, thinking it was rubbish, bundled half-a-kilogram of the tape into a garbage bag.
She then posted a photo of her haul on Facebook before launching into a heated tirade.
A bushwalker who removed half a kilogram of marking tape from a walking track because she thought it was rubbish has been told it was used by firefighters to mark hazard reduction burning zones (pictured, the bushwalker took to Facebook before launching into a heated tirade)
‘Removed half a kilo of excessive useless marking tape from castle walking track today,’ she wrote.
‘Not only are you being a jerk marking a public structured track every metre and littering, but one of our crew got injured removing it all.
‘That’s a full roll of plastic wasted for a track where it was never ever even remotely needed. Double knotted and all.’
The bushwalker then went on to provide a list of scenarios that might require the use of marking tape before signing off: ‘If in doubt use your common sense.’
Social media users were quick to take to the post and correct the woman, explaining the tape was tied around the trees for a very good reason.
‘The tape you spent hours removing was probably marking out the area for a hazard reduction burn,’ one person said.
‘Please, anyone else, the red and white tape is not a mistake or someone marking a trail. It’s either RFS or NSW Parks marking an area for work.
‘Don’t ever remove it, hence why the tape she removed was double-knotted!! So it didn’t fall off!!’
Social media users were quick to take to the post and correct the woman, explaining the tape was tied around the trees for a very good reason
Another social media user even sent ‘thoughts and prayers’ to the crew member who was injured trying to remove the tape.
Hazard reduction burning, or controlled burning, is when a fire is intentionally lit by fire authorities for several reasons.
It can help them prepare for the oncoming fire season or rehabilitate vegetation in the area.
The Rural Fire Service and New South Wales Parks and Wildlife Service use red and white tape to mark hazardous trees and areas.
‘Individual trees may be marked with paint or plastic ‘caution’ tape to quickly identify them as hazardous to other staff,’ NPWS states.
‘Marking may be useful when undertaking short-term work at a site. It is important to mark out the potential fall zone of a hazardous tree or limb at a work site.’
Advertisement
