澳洲本島最高及最壯觀的山脈景象，阿爾卑斯山脈（The Australian Alps），於11月7日授以澳洲國家最高的資產榮譽，列入國家遺產名單。
澳洲環境、遺產及藝術部部長賈瑞特（Peter Garrett）表示，澳大利亞阿爾卑斯山脈國家公園是至今最龐大也是最複雜的國家遺產評估項目，涵括總面積160萬公頃的國家公園，覆蓋澳大利亞首都區，新南威爾斯省及維多利亞省的11個國家公園和自然保護區。
賈瑞特表示，列入國家遺產名單認可了具有標誌性景象及卓越的自然、原生和歷史價值特質，包含了維多利亞的高地原（High Country），新南威爾斯的的雪山（Snowy Mountains），以及澳大利亞首都區的林達貝拉山脈（Brindabella Range）等。
在一份聲明中，賈瑞特指出：「澳大利亞高山的高海拔頂峰，有些超過2000公尺，高原以及冰川湖，高山以及亞高山的生態環境，在我們大多平坦，乾燥和熾熱的大陸是相當罕見的。」
阿爾卑斯山脈是桉樹以和山袋貂等特殊高山物種的家園，同時也是在夏季時各式各樣稱奇野花綻放的地方。
許多環保人士對此名單感到欣慰。國際人道協會（Human Society International ）負責人甘迺迪（Michael Kennedy）表示，「這名單是世界遺產地區現有名單之外的一個非常重要的名單，也希望將會成為大型地區遺產名單的首創。」
阿爾卑斯山脈最大的環境威脅來自氣候暖化。
澳洲保育基金會（The Australian Conservation Foundation）發表了一份報告，11月2日把阿爾卑斯山脈列為澳大利亞最特別及最具指標性景觀十最之一，但若是沒經由政府更好的領導，及達成於2020年降低3分之1溫室氣體排放的承諾，恐怕將會消失。
The Australian Alps, encompassing Australia's highest mainland peaks and most spectacular mountain scenery, have been awarded the country's highest heritage honor with their inclusion Friday in the National Heritage List.
Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts Peter Garrett said the Australian Alps National Parks is the largest and most complex National Heritage assessment to date. They stretch across 1.6 million hectares of national parks and reserves including 11 national parks and nature reserves in the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales and Victoria.
"Known as the High Country in Victoria, Snowy Mountains in New South Wales and the Brindabella Range in the Australian Capital Territory, the listing of the Australian Alps National Parks recognizes the outstanding natural, indigenous and historic values of this iconic landscape," Garrett said.
"The high altitude peaks, some rising above 2,000 metres, and plateaus, glacial lakes and alpine and sub-alpine ecosystems of the Australian Alps are rare in our mostly flat, dry and warm continent," he said.
"The Alps are home to the snow gum and unique alpine species like the mountain pygmy possum, as well as in the summer months providing spectacular arrays of alpine wildflowers," the minister said.
Many environmentalists are pleased with the listing. Humane Society International Director Michael Kennedy said, "This is one of the most significant heritage listings outside of existing world heritage areas and will hopefully be the first of a number of large area heritage listings."
The greatest environmental threat to the Alps is the warming climate.
The Australian Conservation Foundation issued a report on November 2 listing the Alps as one of Australia's 10 most special, iconic places that could be lost without greater leadership from the government and a commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least a third by 2020.
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In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.
