Wild horses roaming nearby alpine areas will begin to be removed and re-homed from the Kosciuszko National Park in the next four to six weeks ahead of the appointment of a community advisory panel to oversee the program.
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In a joint statement, NSW deputy Premier John Barilaro and Environment Minister Matt Kean said the advisory panel means the government "can get on with the job" of managing the brumbies using a "science-based approach" to "get the best result for our natural environment".
Tim Johnson, who was integral in having a national heritage listing placed over the Australian Alps, will chair the Kosciuszko Wild Horse Community Advisory Panel.
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Mr Johnson's appointment has been described by the Invasive Species Council as a "problem" due to his alignment with the pro-horse lobby, and the trapping program as "doomed to failure".
"The latest plan is too little, too late. Trapping and re-homing on its own will not stop the horse population from growing," council chief executive officer Andrew Cox said.
The ACT has a significant interest in the issue because the fragile peat bogs within the territory's surrounding alpine country are the source of Canberra's drinking water. The brumbies roam across the border, damaging the environment.
