caring for our country

Achievements ReportNATIONAL RESERVE SYSTEM2008 –2013

National Reserve SystemIncreases to the National Reserve System are helping to conserve Australia’s distinctive landscapes, plants and animals and build a comprehensive, adequate and representative system of reserves across Australia.

Table of contents

Introduction

Outcome 1By 2013, Caring for our Country will expand the area that is protected within the National Reserve System to at least 125 million hectares (a 25 per cent increase), with priority to be given to increasing the area that is protected in under-represented bioregions.

Case study: Murray-Darling Basin, New South Wales

Case study: Natural Temperate Grasslands of the Victorian Volcanic Plain, Victoria

Case study: Gowan Brae, Tasmania

Case study: Fish River Indigenous ownership and management project, Northern Territory

Case study: Henbury Station, Northern Territory

Outcome 2By 2013, Caring for our Country will expand the contribution of Indigenous Protected Areas to the National Reserve System by between 8 and 16 million hectares (an increase of at least 40 per cent).

Case study: Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands, South Australia

Case study: Indigenous knowledge improving management of the Warddeken Indigenous Protected Area in Arnhem Land, Northern Territory

Case study: Boorabee and the Willows property, New South Wales

Outcome 3By 2013, Caring for our Country will increase from 70 per cent to 100 per cent the proportion of Australian government-funded protected areas under the National Reserve System that are effectively implementing plans of management.

Case study: Bally Mountain and Rosegum, Queensland

Securing a sustainable environment for the future – Phase II Caring for our Country 2013–2018

References

IntroductionThe National Reserve System is Australia’s network of formally recognised protected areas and is the cornerstone of national efforts to provide long-term protection of terrestrial biodiversity. It represents Australia’s commitment to protect the land and inland water systems vital to the survival of our unique native species, ecosystems and associated cultural values, for future generations. The National Reserve System includes protected areas across the country established, and effectively managed, by the Australian Government, state, territory and local governments, Indigenous communities, private landholders and non-government organisations. Strong partnerships and collaboration underpin the success of the network.

The creation of a comprehensive, adequate and representative National Reserve System also complements other measures to achieve conservation and the sustainable use of the landscape. The protected area network is a key element in meeting the Australian Government’s international commitment to the 1993 Convention on Biological Diversity. The convention specifies a global target of conserving 17 per cent of terrestrial land and inland waters by 2020 through ecologically representative and well-connected systems of protected areas. Australia currently has almost 10 000 terrestrial protected areas covering more than 117 million hectares, or 15.25 per cent of our land mass, and we are well on track to meet our international and national obligations.

The Australian and state and territory governments have committed to Australia’s Strategy for the National Reserve System 2009–2030 which establishes a national partnership approach and provides guidance on the development and management of the protected area network. The strategy complements other policy frameworks including: Australia’s Biodiversity Conservation Strategy 2010-2030, Australia’s Native Vegetation Framework and the National Wildlife Corridors Plan.

The overarching objective of the National Reserve System is to protect a comprehensive range of ecosystems and other important environmental values within each of Australia’s bioregions. Caring for our Country prioritised an increase in reservation in under-represented bioregions: those bioregions with less than 10 per cent of their extent protected in reserves.

The National Reserve System also plays an important role in protecting habitat for threatened species and ecosystems, as well as internationally significant World Heritage and Ramsar values. The reserve system creates large permanently protected areas within recognised biodiversity corridors, supporting species migration through the landscape and building flexibility for species to respond to future climate change.

Funding was provided under Caring for our Country to conservation partners to purchase land for establishing new reserves, support voluntary perpetual conservation covenants on private land and for the self-determined declaration and management of Indigenous Protected Areas by Indigenous people. Indigenous Protected Areas make a significant contribution to biodiversity conservation and comprise almost 25 per cent of the National Reserve System. In northern and remote Australia, funding assisted with protecting key natural assets, including land of particular cultural relevance to Indigenous Australians.

Some of the most exciting outcomes have come through opportunities to develop new Indigenous partnerships, to explore innovative ways for combining carbon sequestration and income generation with conservation, and to support high quality science which enhances our knowledge and understanding of Australia’s significant and unique biodiversity.

Several challenges were encountered in expanding the National Reserve System under Caring for our Country in under-represented bioregions. One challenge was the limited number of suitable properties available for purchase in under-represented bioregions which met funding criteria as well as being consistent with the conservation interests of partners.

Similarly, the ability to prioritise conservation in under-represented regions through Indigenous Protected Areas was constrained by the location of land currently held by Indigenous people who are interested in the voluntary declaration and long-term management of their land as an Indigenous Protected Area.

Some proponents also noted that fixed funding cycles limited their capacity to respond quickly to land purchase opportunities as they arose.

The Australian Government identified three key outcomes for the National Reserve System to be delivered under Caring for our Country by 2013. These were:

expand the area that is protected within the National Reserve System to at least 125 million hectares (a 25 per cent increase), with priority to be given to increasing the area that is protected in under-represented bioregions

expand the contribution of Indigenous Protected Areas to the National Reserve System by between 8 and 16 million hectares (an increase of at least 40 per cent)

increase from 70 per cent to 100 per cent the proportion of Australian Government-funded protected areas under

the National Reserve System that are effectively implementing plans of management.

Outcome 1By 2013, Caring for our Country will expand the area that is protected within the National Reserve System to at least 125 million hectares (a 25 per cent increase), with priority to be given to increasing the area that is protected in under-represented bioregions.

Australian Government investments in the National Reserve System through Caring for our Country resulted in a major increase in the protection of environmentally significant land in collaboration with state, territory and local governments, private land owners, non-government organisations and Indigenous communities.

Caring for our Country supported the acquisition of some of the largest properties ever purchased for the National Reserve System, including Henbury Station (527 293 hectares) in the Northern Territory and Witchelina (420 101 hectares) in South Australia. In addition, the declaration of the Southern Tanami, recognised the largest Indigenous Protected Area at 10.16 million hectares. The immense size of these newly protected areas not only contributes to the overall extent of the National Reserve System, but also helped to achieve better protection of under-represented bioregions and ensure sufficient areas within Australia are protected to deliver robust, landscape-level outcomes.

In 2008, Australia’s National Reserve System included approximately 98 487 117 hectares (CAPAD08). With funding from Caring for our Country, the network has expanded by almost 18 million hectares (including those in the process of being formally gazetted as protected areas): representing an increase of over 18 per cent in the Australian protected area estate during the five year timeframe of Caring for our Country.

Additional land is expected to be added to the National Reserve System by 30 June 2013, with the potential declaration of eight new Indigenous Protected Areas comprising more than 12.8 million hectares. These projects would bring the total expansion of the National Reserve System through Caring for our Country to over 30 million hectares or around a 31 per cent increase by June 2013.

Northern and remote Australia contains some of the most important and intact high value landscapes in the country and was a national priority area in the first five years of Caring for our Country. In this time, the National Reserve System increased within northern and remote Australia by over 17.5 million hectares with the addition of 22 National Reserve System properties and declaration of 15 Indigenous Protected Areas in this region.

Caring for our Country funding assisted with: adding 17 900 997 hectares to the National Reserve System, a total increase of over 18 per cent of the protected

area estate within five years

working with government, non-government and Indigenous partners to purchase, establish and manage 74 new land acquisitions covering 2 291 726 hectares

supporting Indigenous communities to declare 28 Indigenous Protected Areas covering an immense area of over 15 609 271 hectares

Caring for our Country also provided funding to private land covenanting agencies to assist with identifying, assessing and protecting privately held land. While the completion of conservation agreements over private land can take a number of years, funding through Caring for our Country has directly supported the protection of thousands of hectares of private land across Australia.

One of the most successful private land projects was a collaboration between the Australian Government, the Tasmanian Government and the Tasmanian Land Conservancy, which protected over 4 000 hectares of private land across nine Tasmanian bioregions, making a significant addition to the National Reserve System. Caring for our Country provided $1.8 million to support the establishment and administration of a total of 85 conservation covenants on private land in Tasmania, conserving these areas of natural value in perpetuity. It is estimated that populations of over 50 threatened plants and habitat for 20 threatened fauna species were secured, making a significant contribution to the long-term protection of biodiversity across this state.

Murray-Darling Basin, New South WalesSince 2008, the Australian Government and the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage have worked in partnership to purchase nine properties for addition to the National Reserve System using $14 082 997 (GST exclusive) in funding from Caring for our Country.

These properties cover more than 130 000 hectares and help consolidate a network of reserves in important riparian,

wetland and floodplain areas along the Darling, Barwon and Lachlan rivers and their tributaries. Some of the properties were adjacent to existing reserves, improving their connectivity, viability and design, while others established four new reserve ‘nodes’ in very poorly reserved parts of the Murray-Darling Basin.

The nine properties added over 190 kilometres of river frontage to the National Reserve System, along with several wetlands of national importance which protect riparian and floodplain habitat for a range of nationally threatened flora and fauna species. Some of the threatened species protected in these reserves include the vulnerable Murray cod (Maccullochella peelii), superb parrot (Polytelis swainsonii), slender Darling-pea (Swainsona murrayana), and growling grass frog (Litoria raniformis), and the endangered winged pepper-cress (Lepidium monoplocoides), along with numerous migratory bird species.

The expansion of the National Reserve System under Caring for our Country was designed to prioritise the increase of the area protected in under-represented bioregions. The network successfully expanded in 49 of Australia’s 89 bioregions, with significant increases made in the following under-represented bioregions: Finke (NT/SA); Daly Basin (NT); Einasleigh Uplands (QLD); Flinders Lofty Block (SA); Burt Plain (NT); Central Arnhem (NT); Great Sandy Desert (WA/NT).

Of the 74 properties purchased with Caring for our Country funding, 55 properties or approximately 75 per cent of the funding allocation included land within under-represented bioregions. Similarly, 12 of the 28 new Indigenous Protected Areas also increased the protection of under-represented bioregions, with 46 per cent of the allocated funding being spent in areas that were poorly represented.

The protection of the Darling Riverine Plains (NSW); Gulf Plains (QLD); Mulga Lands (QLD/NSW); and Murchison (WA) bioregions was also improved. While these increases represent relatively small changes to the overall level of reservation of poorly conserved bioregions, the newly protected areas all contribute to robust ecosystems with an increased capacity to deal with challenges such as climate change.

Land purchases also occurred in well represented bioregions. These acquisitions protect important habitat and refuges for nationally threatened species or ecological communities listed under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act), as well as building conservation linkages across landscapes and improving the protection of land adjoining World Heritage areas or Ramsar wetlands. The acquisitions ensure that these internationally significant areas are well buffered and that potential threats are being managed at a broader landscape level.

Strengthening the National Reserve System also had positive influences on other Caring for our Country priority areas and broader Australian Government conservation commitments.

The expansion of the protected area network has improved connectivity in the landscape, expanded existing reserves and built linkages between reserves, created new conservation ‘nodes’ in areas with no pre-existing reserves, and provided new and permanent protected area ‘anchor points’ on which to build additional conservation activities.

A number of National Reserve System properties acquired under Caring for our Country adjoined existing protected areas or other lands that were purchased for inclusion in the National Reserve System. These strategic acquisitions contribute to habitat corridors across the landscape and improve ecological linkages which facilitate the natural movement of species and gene flow between populations, enhancing their resilience to a changing climate and system-wide threats to biodiversity.

In South Australia, Witchelina added over 420 000 hectares to the Trans-Australia Eco-link corridor and is also one of seven properties acquired under Caring for our Country which contribute to the South Australian NatureLinks corridors, providing important connectivity and resilience in the landscape.

The creation of new conservation nodes also improves connectivity by creating ‘stepping stones’ for species to move across the landscape. They provide new stable habitats which can be protected with other conservation activities such as local community revegetation work, weed management activities and feral species reduction.

Caring for our Country funding of $2 526 666 (GST exclusive) enabled the acquisition of three National Reserve System properties in Queensland which formed a new conservation node in the poorly protected Gulf Plains and Einasleigh Uplands bioregions. The properties of Rungulla, Gilbert River and Eight Mile are jointly managed by the Queensland Department of Environment and Heritage Protection and protect almost 132 000 hectares of diverse ecosystems as well as building an important habitat link as part of the state-wide Great Artesian Rim corridor along the Gregory Range.

Australia’s National Reserve System provides a safety net for Australia’s unique flora and fauna. The expansion of the network under Caring for our Country increased the protection of habitat for over 214 of Australia’s mammal species, 595 bird species and 638 reptiles and frog species. Properties with particularly high level of species richness include Retreat Valley (QLD) with 663 species recorded; Fish River (NT) with 1 089 species recorded; and Rosegum (QLD) which, despite being only 264 hectares in size, provides habitat for 1 060 species.

Wongaloo is a $1 675 760 (GST exclusive) acquisition in Queensland and is an important breeding site for brolga (Grus rubicunda) and magpie geese (Anseranas semipalmata), as well as being the location of the largest concentration of brolga recorded in Australia (approximately 12 000 birds). This acquisition, along with others, also improves the protection of habitat used by migratory species, including those of international significance. The wetlands on Wongaloo provide a significant refuge for the migratory Latham’s snipe (Gallinago hardwickii), which utilises this valuable foraging ground on its annual migration from Japan and far-eastern Russia.

National Reserve System properties acquired under Caring for our Country also contain a number of endemic species, known to occur only on these specific parcels of land. Endemic species include 20 invertebrate species, 11 vascular plants, one fish and one reptile species. Darkwood in New South Wales is especially significant as it provides habitat for six endemic invertebrates.

Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) populations in Queensland, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory are nationally listed as vulnerable. Of the properties acquired under Caring for our Country, 21 contain known koala habitat. One of the largest was Wairuna, purchased in June 2010 with over $5.2 million (GST exclusive) in Caring for our Country funding in partnership with the Queensland Department of Environment and Heritage Protection. Wairuna protects almost 19 000 hectares of prime koala habitat. Since 2008, Caring for our Country also provided over $7.1 million to local councils in South-East Queensland, much of which has assisted with the protection of koala habitat.

The importance of formally protected areas for the long-term survival of threatened species was confirmed by a study undertaken by World Wildlife Fund and researchers from the University of Queensland. The study indicates that formally protected areas contribute to the stabilisation or recovery of threatened species, while outside these areas most threatened species continue to decline as their habitats decline in both area and condition.

Many properties purchased under the National Reserve System include known habitat for nationally threatened species, with potential habitat for 110 threatened species likely to exist on the properties. Threatened species known to occur in the new reserves included the critically endangered southern bent-wing bat (Miniopterus schreibersii bassanii); the endangered northern quoll (Dasyurus hallucatus), Tasmanian Devil (Sarcophilus harrisii) and Gouldian finch (Erythrura gouldiae); and the vulnerable grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) and malleefowl (Leipoa ocellata). The protection and ongoing management of their habitats is contributing to the recovery of these threatened species and the long-term survival of the essential ecological systems which support them.

Nationally threatened ecological communities also received greater protection as a result of Caring for our Country funding. National Reserve System properties are known to support a number of threatened ecological communities, including the critically endangered Natural Temperate Grassland of the Victorian Volcanic Plain (VIC); and the endangered Alpine Sphagnum Bogs and Associated Fens (VIC, NSW and TAS), Brigalow (Acacia harpophylla dominant and co-dominant) (QLD and NSW) and Weeping Myall Woodlands (QLD, NSW and VIC).

The acquisition and ongoing conservation of Munwonga (NSW) improved protection of three nationally threatened ecological communities:

the endangered Weeping Myall Woodlands;

the endangered Coolibah-Black Box Woodlands of the Darling Riverine Plains and the Brigalow Belt South Bioregions; and

the critically endangered Natural grasslands on basalt and fine-textured alluvial plains of northern New South Wales and southern Queensland.

Just over half of all properties purchased with support from Caring for our Country are expected to contain at least one nationally threatened ecological community. The reservation and ongoing management of these communities will help ensure their long-term survival.

Caring for our Country funding improved the conservation of internationally significant World Heritage areas and Ramsar wetlands through protection of additional areas, improved reserve boundaries and creation of opportunities for more effective management. The South Australian Government received $290 667 (GST exclusive) in funding support to purchase an addition to the World Heritage listed Naracoorte Caves National Park. This magnificent addition, known as ‘the Sand Cave’ for its massive underground sand cones, forms part of a complex of limestone caves renowned for their extensive fossil record. The purchase of the Sand Cave also improves the protection of habitat for the critically endangered southern bent-wing bat (Miniopterus schreibersii bassanii). Caves such as the Sand Cave are critical to the survival of the bat as they provide shelter, protection and a place for overwintering.

Other purchased properties which have improved the protection of World Heritage include:

$5 200 260 (GST exclusive) for Wairuna (QLD), which contains almost 1,500 hectares of the

Wet Tropics of Queensland $2 319 296 (GST exclusive) for Gowan Brae (TAS), which adjoins the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage area

and contains a small area of the site within its boundary

$1 064 209 (GST exclusive) for Skullbone Plains (TAS) which adjoins the Tasmanian Wilderness

$900 000 (GST exclusive) for Darkwood (NSW) which shares a boundary with the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia.

Three National Reserve System properties funded through Caring for our Country either contain Ramsar wetlands or adjoin them. Wongaloo in far north Queensland contains part of the Bowling Green Bay Ramsar site and improves protection of habitat for a large numbers of migratory birds.

A strong partnership approach continues to underpin the growth of the National Reserve System, with Caring for our Country funding supporting a wide range of organisations to establish new protected areas. 101 projects with over 25 different partner organisations have been funded over the past 5 years with the aim of purchasing or protecting private land.

As part of this collaborative approach, the Australian Government provides up to two-thirds of land purchase and establishment costs, with partners providing the remaining funds and bearing the responsibility for in-perpetuity management. As a result, the program has so far leveraged over $50 million from partners, not including the long-term cost of management.

Caring for our Country funds offered an exciting opportunity to explore new land partnership models with Indigenous communities, including at Fish River in the Northern Territory and Gowan Brae in Tasmania. These projects support Indigenous people to formalise their ownership and re-establish ties with culturally significant land. These projects harness funding from governments and not-for-profit organisations to purchase land for conservation with the express intention of returning the title of the land to Traditional Owners, along with the long-term responsibility for conservation management of the properties. The partners involved in these projects continue to work together to establish appropriate conservation management frameworks as well as exploring new income-generating mechanisms.

Conservation partners in the National Reserve System were eager to explore opportunities for combining carbon sequestration under the Australian Government’s Carbon Farming Initiative with income generation and conservation. The Fish River project and the Henbury Station project, both in the Northern Territory, are examples of innovative ways of thinking: combining carbon income opportunities with conservation and the expansion of the National Reserve System.

Natural Temperate Grasslands of the Victorian Volcanic Plain, VictoriaNatural Temperate Grasslands across Australia have been greatly reduced through agricultural clearing, grazing and urban expansion. Caring for our Country funding of $2 020 565 (GST exclusive) supported a series of partnerships with state government and non-government organisations to purchase five properties in the Northern Plains Grasslands and Riverina areas of Victoria.

The five properties purchased protect nationally threatened species, conserve threatened ecological communities, including Natural Temperate Grasslands, and have increased the level of reservation in this under-represented bioregion by over 4000 hectares.

The reserve network consists of a mixture of public and private reserves, and is being managed at a landscape-scale with land managers working cooperatively to ensure management approaches are integrated across property boundaries and land tenures.

Gowan Brae, TasmaniaGowan Brae is a spectacular 6 881 hectare property with intact alpine bogs, highland grasslands and pristine rivers in the heart of Tasmania’s central highlands. Caring for our Country invested $2 319 296 (GST exclusive) to support the acquisition of this property. The Tasmanian Land Conservancy worked closely with the Indigenous Land Corporation, Aboriginal Land Council of Tasmania, and the Australian Government. This partnership enabled the long-term conservation of the property as well as offering a significant opportunity for Tasmanian Indigenous communities to re-establish active ties to culturally significant land.

The unique partnership approach increased the protection of important and iconic species as well as helping to engage Indigenous people in land management, re-connecting them with country. The Aboriginal Land Council of Tasmania described the new partnership model as representing “a model of reconciliation and ongoing partnerships never before witnessed in this state”.

Gowan Brae is a significant refuge for threatened species and ecological communities and forms a crucial link with the adjoining Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, the nearby Tasmanian Midlandscapes corridor and other conservation reserves.

The property protects the nationally endangered Alpine Sphagnum Bogs and Associated Fens ecological community and supports six nationally threatened species, including a healthy population of the endangered Tasmanian Devil (Sarcophilus harrisii) and wedge-tailed eagle (Aquila audax fleayi), both of which are endemic to Tasmania. This large network of protected areas will help species adapt and become more resilient to climate change and other threats.

Fish River Indigenous ownership and management project, Northern TerritoryA groundbreaking model for expansion of the National Reserve System, Fish River is a $13 million former pastoral property purchased through a partnership approach between the Indigenous Land Corporation and conservation groups, the Nature Conservancy, Greening Australia and Pew Environment Group. Caring for our Country provided $11 million (GST exclusive) for the property. The express intent of the partnership is to return the property to Traditional Owners to manage for conservation in perpetuity.

Fish River Station is making an important contribution to Closing the Gap on Indigenous disadvantage by supporting Indigenous access and ongoing connection to their land, and creating new employment and business opportunities.

At over 178 116 hectares, Fish River is located 150 kilometres south of Darwin and includes a 120 kilometre frontage along the Daly River, one of the largest rivers in northern Australia. The addition of the property to the National Reserve System will increase protection for the under-represented Daly Basin bioregion from 2.5 to 9.32 per cent. Like Henbury Station, the property forms part of the Territory Eco-Link wildlife corridor which runs through the Northern Territory and links directly into South Australia’s corridor network.

Five nationally threatened species are known to occur on the property, including the endangered northern quoll (Dasyurus hallucatus) and Gouldian finch (Erythrura gouldiae), and the vulnerable masked owl (Tyto novaehollandiae kimberli). It also supports a huge diversity of fish such as the vulnerable freshwater sawfish (Pristis microdon) and critically endangered spear-toothed shark (Glyphis glyphis), and is home to fourteen migratory species protected under international conventions.

The Indigenous Land Corporation is working with local Indigenous communities to understand all the values present on the property and to establish a long-term conservation framework. Since the acquisition of Fish River, fire management practices have combined traditional knowledge with satellite tracking and mapping technology, enabling a significant decrease in the number and ferocity of wildfires on the property. As part of this process, Fish River was recently approved as the site of Australia’s first Indigenous savannah burning project under the Australian Government’s Carbon Farming Initiative. These exemplary burning practices are an example of how improved burning regimes are being used to not only enhance land condition, but also support the ongoing management of conservation areas. Income generated from trading carbon credits will support the Indigenous community to deliver ongoing conservation management.

Henbury Station, Northern Territory Henbury Station is a spectacular property in Australia’s arid Red Centre. The $13 million former pastoral property was purchased by R.M. Williams Agricultural Holdings with funding support from Caring for our Country. Henbury is the largest property ever purchased for the National Reserve System with Australian Government assistance, covering well over 500 000 hectares or 5 000 square kilometres.

Henbury is located within the Territory Eco-Link wildlife corridor and increased the protection of the Finke bioregion in Australia’s protected area estate by over 5 per cent. Two of central Australia’s largest rivers, the Palmer and Finke, meander through the property and provide critical refuges for wildlife and plants in this arid environment. The ancient Finke River, reputedly the world’s oldest river, runs for 100 kilometres across the property and is home to three fish species that are found nowhere else in the world, including the tiny Finke goby (Chlamydogobius japalpa).

The endangered southern marsupial mole (Notoryctes typhlops) and vulnerable black-footed rock-wallaby (Petrogale lateralis MacDonnell Ranges race) are some of the threatened animals found on the property. Red gum, desert oak and mulga woodlands, shrublands and hummock grasslands provide habitat for other threatened species such as the vulnerable Latz’s wattle (Acacia latzii) and thick-billed grasswren (Amytornis modestus).

In addition to providing long-term protection of Australia’s biodiversity, the Henbury Conservation Project is also breaking new ground in the emerging carbon economy. R.M. Williams Agricultural Holdings is working to establish a model for carbon farming and long-term biodiversity conservation in Central Australia’s rangelands. With the removal of grazing pressures, the

company is actively managing the former pastoral property to control fire, water, weeds and feral animals to support the regeneration of native vegetation. The project is providing direct employment opportunities for local people, including local Indigenous people, and income from the carbon credits will help fund Henbury’s long-term conservation.

In addition to partnerships, a critical component underpinning the success of the National Reserve System has been a robust scientific framework. The importance of supporting scientific exploration to ensure a good understanding of the Australia’s biodiversity and the values protected in our newest reserves is reflected in the outstanding success of the Bush Blitz program.

Bush Blitz is a four year multi-million dollar partnership between the Australian Government, BHP Billiton and Earthwatch Institute Australia. Caring for Our Country invested $3 750 000 (GST exclusive) in the program. Bush Blitz takes a national approach to species discovery and biodiversity information gathering. It is discovering and documenting plants and animals in selected National Reserve System properties across the continent, helping to complete Australia’s national biodiversity picture. It is estimated that over 75 per cent of Australia’s biodiversity is still largely unknown.

By June 2013, Bush Blitz will have successfully undertaken biodiversity discovery expeditions on approximately 70 National Reserve System properties. Scientists have already reported more than 500 species that are new to science from these expeditions. The species newly discovered to date include 174 true bugs, 65 spiders, 85 moths and five vascular plants. Of these new species, more than 100 have been formally named and described in the scientific literature.

Data on non-vascular plants and invertebrates has been identified as critically deficient. These groups are also some of the most biologically important as they are the building blocks of a healthy ecosystem. Bush Blitz focuses on these underrepresented groups and, in doing so, is providing important biodiversity information to support land restoration, conservation planning, environmental health monitoring, biosecurity and weed and pest management initiatives. This will help inform a coordinated national approach to the protection and management of biodiversity.

Overall, the delivery of an expanded reserve system through Caring for our Country has been cost-effective, efficient and has invested in projects which contain very high biodiversity and cultural values, occur in priority bioregions and offer good value for money.

A range of lessons have been learned over the past five years which will have implications for the future expansion of Australia’s National Reserve System. While there has been a significant expansion in the protected area network over the first five years of Caring for our Country, there were several factors that influenced the success of the program, including:

constraints on the availability of suitable land in some under-represented bioregions where land is highly fragmented, in poor condition, not on the market or not available for purchase for conservation. Applications received for these areas often do not adequately meet the National Reserve System assessment criteria and do not offer good value for money

limited availability of high conservation value properties within the timeframe of an annual funding cycle for a competitive grants rounds process

long lead times between the application and approval phase of a land acquisition which can result in missed opportunities as premium properties are quickly sold to other buyers or are otherwise withdrawn from the market

proponents withdrawing applications because they cannot consolidate the upfront one third funding required to support the purchase within the available timeframe.

Ongoing management of protected areas represents the highest overall cost for National Reserve System partners. The increasing costs of management are likely to constrain the ability of both government and non-government partners to expand the network and is a disincentive for smaller private sector proponents who lack a significant philanthropic backer. Some partners have been exploring innovative approaches to generate income, such as carbon sequestration and sale of carbon credits, biodiversity offsets and eco-tourism activities, to overcome these constraints.

Outcome 2 By 2013, Caring for our Country will expand the contribution of Indigenous Protected Areas to the National Reserve System by between 8 and 16 million hectares (an increase of at least 40 per cent).

The Indigenous Protected Areas program began in 1997 with funding from the former Natural Heritage Trust. The aim was to support Indigenous landowners to develop and declare their lands as part of Australia’s National Reserve System. Funding was expanded under Caring for our Country with a $50 million commitment over five years to assist Indigenous Australians with voluntarily dedicating and managing their land for conservation. Indigenous Protected Areas are one of Australia’s most successful integrated conservation initiatives and have environmental, social and economic benefits. They protect culture and country while providing a pathway to meaningful jobs and positive health, education and social

outcomes. Therefore, the initiative has also contributed to the Australian Government’s Closing the Gap agenda. Many properties developed research and management partnerships with government and non-government agencies, helping to strengthen overall environmental stewardship.

Indigenous land management and traditional ecological knowledge are intrinsically connected and when appropriately implemented, can lead to exceptional conservation outcomes. At 31 March 2013, the declaration of 28 new Indigenous Protected Areas added over 15.6 million hectares to the National Reserve System, meeting the ambitious target of between 8 and 16 million hectares and almost doubling the pre-existing area under conservation management. There are currently 53 Indigenous Protected Areas covering more than 36 million hectares across Australia and consultation on other land is underway. It is anticipated that up to eight additional properties may be declared before 30 June 2013. The declared areas comprise nearly a third of the National Reserve System, help link conservation areas together, and will play an important role in the National Wildlife Corridors Plan. Indigenous Protected Areas are a community led, flexible and culturally appropriate framework for engaging with Indigenous communities.

An evaluation of the Indigenous Protected Areas program in 2006 found that it had been very successful at harnessing the aspirations, knowledge and skills of Indigenous landowners in delivering conservation management. The initiative has built upon and supported local Indigenous governance of land and led to a sense of empowerment.

Indigenous Protected Areas have been an effective mechanism to substantially increase the area of land that is managed under conservation principles, and added an additional 3.6 million hectares to under-represented bioregions in the National Reserve System. For example, the declaration of the Southern Tanami Indigenous Protected Area in 2012 changed the status of the Great Sandy Desert bioregion from under-represented (8.34 per cent) to well-represented (14.81 per cent) in the protected area network. The size and location of many Indigenous Protected Areas has enhanced habitat connectivity for wildlife in a number of corridors identified by the National Wildlife Corridors Plan, resulting in increased ecosystem resilience to threats and pressures. New protected areas declared under Caring for our Country comprise 13.7 per cent of the Northern Territory portion of the Trans-Australia Eco-link, an internationally significant wildlife corridor which stretches more than 3 500 kilometres from Arnhem Land to the Great Australian Bight.

The management of Indigenous Protected Areas helps protect habitat for approximately 100 nationally threatened species, including the only known habitat for five nationally threatened species, one of which is critically endangered.

In 2012, Traditional Owners dedicated 10.16 million hectares of their lands in Warlpiri country to the Southern Tanami Indigenous Protected Area in the Northern Territory. The Southern Tanami contains several threatened fauna species such as the vulnerable greater bilby (Macrotis lagotis or walpajirri) and vulnerable great desert skink (Liopholis kintorei or warrana). Caring for our Country provided around $1.4 million for consultation and management activities. Other support is provided by the Central Land Council, the international environmental organisation of the Nature Conservancy, the Indigenous Land Corporation, the Northern Territory Natural Resource Management Board, and the Australian Government’s Aboriginals Benefit Account. The Southern Tanami is the largest protected area in the network, greater than the size of Tasmania, and is rich in cultural and natural values, contributing to connectivity in the Trans-Australia Eco-Link corridor.

A major responsibility of the Walpiri rangers is using traditional patch burning to rejuvenate land, provide wildlife habitat and reduce destructive wildfires. Contemporary science is also used to help reduce wildfires by employing helicopters and satellite imagery to target remote areas and for monitoring purposes.

The rangers also participate in wildlife surveys, monitoring of bilbies, weed and feral animal control, and maintaining the quality of wetlands.

Indigenous Protected Areas are governed by management plans which are developed by Traditional Owners in collaboration with partners and stakeholders. Caring for our Country funded a guidance document which was published in 2011 to assist property managers with developing adaptive management tools, practical on-ground works, and monitoring and evaluation frameworks: Our country our way: guidelines for Australian Indigenous Protected Area management plans. This material assisted with building the capacity of Indigenous land managers to report on progress of projects funded by Caring for our Country and to develop broader natural resource management skills. Under Caring for our Country, consultation with Traditional Owners and establishment of operational plans increased dramatically. The time lag between initiating a consultation project and achieving an Indigenous Protected Area declaration typically takes one to five years, and therefore, the program is expected to further add to the National Reserve System by the end of the first phase of Caring for our Country. Consultation is the key to the success of the initiative by empowering local Indigenous communities to participate in decision-making and identify aspirations for their land.

Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands, South Australia

In the remote north-west corner of South Australia’s arid Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands are five Indigenous Protected Areas which create a vast wildlife corridor of 4.3 million hectares: Walalkara, Watarru, Kalka-Pipalyatjara, Antara-Sandy Bore and Apara-Makiri-Punti. The corridor includes the Tomkinson, Mann, Everard and Musgrave ranges and part of the Great Victorian Desert. Indigenous people who live within these regions are Pitjantjatjara, Yankunytjatjara and Ngaanyatjarra speakers who collectively call themselves ‘Anangu’. Caring for our Country provided around $2.5 million to support consultation and management activities on APY Lands.

Anangu rangers are supported by Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Inc to manage natural resources in the Indigenous Protected Areas. Anangu rangers are funded by the Working on Country component of Caring for our Country. One component of their work is the warru recovery program for the nationally vulnerable black-footed rock wallaby (Petrogale lateralis MacDonnell Ranges race), which involves reintroduction of captive bred warru, monitoring their survival rates, patch burning to provide suitable habitat, and controlling feral predators. Monitoring has demonstrated that populations have stabilised and some colonies of the species are recovering. The conservation efforts will have lasting benefits for biodiversity as well as social welfare and economic opportunities. The warru recovery team were recognised for their achievements witha national NAIDOC award in 2011.

A range of positive socio-economic and cultural benefits are experienced by Indigenous communities involved in Indigenous Protected Areas, contributing to Closing the Gap policy objectives. The integration of Indigenous Protected Areas and Working on Country programs under Caring for our Country created employment in remote areas where few other opportunities exist. Project reporting from 2008—2013 indicates that around 70 per cent of communities had economic and development benefits from participation in the program. Beyond the direct economic benefits following declaration and management of an Indigenous Protected Area, there are considerable social and cultural outcomes arising from conservation activities. These benefits include strengthening of communities, families and inter-generational cohesion and improved transmission of traditional culture to younger generations. Communities also reported an increased sense of empowerment as landholders, increased pride and happiness, and greater appreciation for Indigenous traditions and cultures by the wider community.

“We also want to develop cultural activity areas where we’ve got a heap of lomandra grass growing: we can collect it and do some basket weaving. In another area we might have bush foods to eat and in another area some scar trees with links to the past. So we’re using the landscape to bring that cultural aspect back to life.

Three Indigenous rangers are currently doing land management work and we recently acquired Caring for our Country funding for an additional five positions. We’ve already got young people putting up their hands to work in these positions”— Karen Potter, manager of Boorabee and the Willows Indigenous Protected Area

Furthermore, almost 90 per cent of Indigenous Protected Areas reported an improvement in the health and wellbeing of their communities as a result of environmental management activities

Indigenous community involvement in natural resource management has real and tangible outcomes for health, having both private and public benefits. Projected cost savings for primary healthcare is $268 000 annually, based on a study population of 298 Indigenous participants for hypertension, diabetes and renal disease (AIATSIS 2011). Other research has also identified a reduction in the rates of drug and alcohol abuse, particularly during the week when people are working, and reduced crime rates. School participation in Indigenous Protected Areas activities has had positive flow-on effects for school engagement and educational outcomes, increasing the relevance of education for schoolchildren. In addition to environmental benefits, the active engagement and personal investment of Traditional Owners in Indigenous Protected Areas has assisted with conserving and renewing cultural practices and landscapes.

Indigenous knowledge improving management of the Warddeken Indigenous Protected Area in Arnhem Land, Northern TerritoryThe integration of Indigenous knowledge into management operations in the Warddeken Indigenous Protected Area has delivered benefits for the environment and local community. In conjunction with around $1.7 million from Caring for our Country, Bush Heritage Australia and WWF supported Warddeken Land Management to develop a five-year management plan.

Warddeken adjoins Kakadu National Park and contains endemic plants and several threatened species such as the endangered northern quoll (Dasyurus hallucatus) and vulnerable Arnhem rock-rat (Zyzomys maini). Important rock art

heritage dates back thousands of years. Regular bush camps and cross-country walks are held ‘on country’ and incorporate fauna surveys, with Traditional Owners and rangers working closely with scientists to monitor fauna to guide future management. Cultural activities link young Indigenous youth with older generations to learn about their country through song and dance, mapping of cultural sites undertaken by Indigenous rangers and cultural site protection activities.

Warddeken Land Management collaborated with industry and scientists to develop an innovative carbon abatement scheme to position itself for entering future carbon markets. Land managers successfully combine traditional ecological knowledge with western science to protect the natural and cultural values of the property.

Boorabee and the Willows property, New South WalesOn the Boorabee and the Willows property, the declaration of the Indigenous Protected Area created new business and employment prospects at the same time as managing land sustainably and reviving traditional ecological knowledge and culture.

Rangers have received training in conservation and are working with Elders to restore traditional fire management and to map cultural heritage sites and dreaming stories. Ngoorabul Elders’ transmit cultural knowledge to Indigenous children in the region and connect them with their country. For example, koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) are totemic species for the Ngoorabul people. Koala surveys led to community sportlight tours, mentoring and culture camps in collaboration with Glen Innes High School. Children are learning about culture through the environment, including through dreaming creation stories and bush food and medicine.

Conservation activities include traditional fire management to protect threatened species and ecological communities in the long-term, including the critically endangered white box-yellow box-Blakely’s red gum grassy woodland and derived native grassland. Indigenous families are able to fish and collect traditional foods such as witchetty grubs, cod and mookrum berries. The Nagoorabul Knowledge Centre is nearing completion and was developed with input from Elders to focus on cultural education for community members and visitors.

Many Indigenous Protected Areas are being monitored to determine the effectiveness of management actions. In many properties, rangers use a geo-spatial electronic device to enter information on a program called ‘CyberTracker’. The program can link biophysical data input with voice recordings and photos, with location coordinates also being recorded. Rangers can then download the data from their synchronised devices to a computer database where it is used to generate reports as spreadsheets, graphs or overlays on maps. As remote telecommunications improve, there are plans to make the application available on smartphones, tablets and laptops.

The CyberTracker technology is building community capacity to undertake monitoring, yet there needs to be greater focus on providing support to develop robust monitoring indicators and frameworks.

The rangers who work at the Dhimurru Indigenous Protected Area in the Gulf of Carpentaria use CyberTracker software to simply and quickly collect information on the plants, animals and cultural values of their country. Rangers monitor and protect wildlife such as marine turtles, grow native plants for regeneration, record and remove ghost nets washed up on beaches and work with quarantine staff to inspect ships. The North Australian Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance (NAILSMA) provides training in CyberTracker technology for northern Indigenous ranger groups through their I-Tracker network. In Dhimurru, the software was tailored to use Yolngu names for specific tasks such as recording cultural sites. Information collected helps the rangers to report on activities they undertake for the Caring for our Country program, including Working on Country and ghost nets. Dhimurru has developed collaborative partnerships with the Parks and Wildlife Service of the Northern Territory and other environmental and research agencies. Rangers are also developing a cultural mapping and information management system which takes into account the storage and use of culturally sensitive data. The collection of meaningful data by Dhimurru rangers and neighbouring Indigenous ranger groups is becoming a valuable tool for researchers and other sea and land management agencies across northern Australia. Dhimurru Indigenous Protected Area received around $1.7 million from Caring for our Country.

Indigenous Protected Areas are internationally recognised as highly successful models for Indigenous communities to be actively involved in conserving land as a formal component of a national protected area system. Indigenous Protected Areas fulfil a requirement under the international Convention on Biological Diversity’s Program of Works for Protected Areas.

The Indigenous Protected Areas initiative was guided and informed by an effective Indigenous advisory mechanism and flexible partnership approach. Indigenous groups were supported to articulate and pursue their land management objectives through an accountable payment for environmental services model. Communities were generally willing to engage and committed to working on their country.

Property managers meet at least once every year to share knowledge and to strategically consider the program. A review in 2006 found that the program was very cost-effective in contributing to the conservation aims of the National Reserve

System. Indigenous Protected Areas represent an effective way of managing large areas of land in remote and inaccessible regions, using local people and local knowledge. Further investments in the initiative could employ a co-investment partnership model with the philanthropic and private sectors.

Outcome 3By 2013, Caring for our Country will increase from 70 per cent to 100 per cent the proportion of Australian government-funded protected areas under the National Reserve System that are effectively implementing plans of management.

Funding for the establishment of new protected areas through the National Reserve System program is provided on the basis that the natural and cultural values on the land will be protected and managed for conservation in perpetuity. The development of appropriate and effective management frameworks for each property, including the development of a Plan of Management, is fundamental to this process. The National Reserve System and Indigenous Protected Areas programs both fund and address management planning differently.

The Indigenous Protected Areas element of the Caring for our Country provides funding support (usually two or three years) to assist Indigenous parties to consult with Traditional Owners about declaring their land as a Indigenous Protected Area, identify management issues, and negotiate a decision-making framework to enable management arrangements. A draft Plan of Management is produced through this process.

If Indigenous communities decide to declare an Indigenous Protected Area as a result of a consultation process, a Plan of Management is required before the declaration is accepted and the area is added to the National Reserve System. Therefore, all Indigenous Protected Areas have Plans of Management in place at the time of declaration.

All properties acquired for the National Reserve System with Caring for our Country funding require a formal management framework to be established. Proponents are required to develop Interim Management Guidelines within three months from the time of property purchase, and a Plan of Management within two years of purchase. For some non-government organisations, the Australian Government has provided funding to assist with the development of a Plan of Management and other management tools but in most cases, the development of these documents is the responsibility of the new land owner. In some cases, existing management plans and operational guidelines for an adjoining protected area may provide an appropriate level of guidance for management of the property until it is formally incorporated into the existing reserve.

The development of Interim Management Guidelines for a property commences soon after purchase. The Guidelines define the property values, identify major threats, and set out the immediate conservation management strategy to be applied to ensure the protection of the values.

Plans of Management must be developed within two years of land purchase and provide a broad, overarching and long-term management framework which clearly defines the conservation values of the property, the major threatening processes, identifies the underlying relevant management policies and frameworks, and contains detailed management actions. The development of these documents often involves a community consultation process in which members of the community, neighbours and other interested parties can also contribute to the management approach.

The two year timeframe for development of a formal Management Plan recognises the complexity of these documents and the range of issues that need to be considered in finalising a long-term management framework. Interim Management Guidelines are therefore a critical component to ensure protection of property values while a more comprehensive document is developed. Given the time needed to develop a Plan of Management, properties acquired in the last two years of Caring for our Country will not have completed this part of the conservation planning process.

At March 2013, 65 or 89 per cent of the 74 properties purchased under Caring for our Country have Interim Management Guidelines in place, with one project not yet due to deliver Interim Management Guidelines. Plans of Management were due for 52 land acquisition projects. Of these, 18 or 35 per cent have final Plans in place, with all other projects progressing towards finalising Plans of Management.

Developing management plans can be complex

Establishing a new protected area and associated management frameworks can be complicated by the size, biogeography and remoteness of properties. Many National Reserve System properties purchased under Caring for our Country are large properties located within remote and rugged locations which can be logistically difficult to access and undertake on-ground works. These locations also tend to be subject to more extreme seasonal weather patterns and combined with natural disasters, such as major floods and cyclones, can result in major delays to the development of management frameworks.

The need to resolve tenure and property rights issues, complex administrative processes and natural disasters also impact

on developing management plans. For some National Reserve System properties, complex property rights can cause significant delays to the formal protection of the land and completion of Plans of Management. This includes the resolution of issues such as grazing leases and mining tenements, access rights, water rights and Native Title interests.

The creation of a new protected area can also involve a series of on-ground works to transition the land from pre-existing land use towards conservation for biodiversity purposes. Preparation may entail de-stocking of farm animals, building access roads, erecting fencing and ensuring there is adequate water infrastructure. These processes can take time to complete and can have an impact on the overall timing of the development of management frameworks.

The nature, scope and legal status of management plans for protected areas also vary across jurisdictions with some requiring formal parliamentary endorsement or public consultation phases which can be complex and time-consuming. Most state and territory agencies are also regulated by a series of statutory and administrative requirements that must be met in addition to those required under Caring for our Country funding arrangements. This may include threat abatement plans, cultural heritage management, operational plans and regional plans.

Resource constraints for planning processes and the implementation of on-ground activities have been identified as a concern for most protected area managers. However, a recent review of the majority of properties purchased with funding support under Caring for our Country indicate that most conservation priorities are still being managed effectively while Plan of Managements are developed. This management is guided by Interim Management Guidelines, existing regional planning frameworks and a range of pre-existing operational plans such as species recovery plans, weed management strategies, feral species management and regional fire management plans. In addition, the vast majority of new National Reserve System properties owners have indicated that on-ground management actions have led to a decline in major threats to key biodiversity and cultural values. In particular, significant gains were made in maintaining or improving ecosystem health and native species populations.

While good progress has been made in managing National Reserve System properties, unavoidable delays and complexities in the development and implementation of Plans of Management meant that the full outcome could not be achieved within the first five years of Caring for our Country. However, funding has supported tangible and important gains in the protection of key biodiversity values and a rapid expansion in the number of protected areas under Caring for our Country.

Bally Mountain and Rosegum, QueenslandBally Mountain and Rosegum are two properties purchased by the Gold Coast City Council in 2010 with over $2.8 million in Caring for our Country funding for inclusion in Australia’s National Reserve System. The properties are recognised as part of the Bally Mountain Conservation Area, a cluster of six properties including four other Council owned properties, which together protect approximately 730 hectares. The area contains outstanding biodiversity and natural beauty, and is home to several hundred plant and animal species, including species such as the vulnerable koala (Phascolarctos cinereus), endangered glossy black-cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus lathami) and the endangered smooth Davidson’s plum (Davidsonia jerseyana).

Bally Mountain and Rosegum have been formally declared as koala refuges under the Queensland Nature Conservation Act 1992. These two National Reserve System properties have a higher degree of legal protection than some of the other properties in the Bally Mountain Conservation Area, consistent with National Reserve System standards. On-ground management also differs between the properties, with activities permitted on the properties defined in accordance with the relevant nternational Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) categories.

The Bally Mountain Conservation Reserves Management Plan determines how each of the six properties within the cluster is to be managed together for conservation. It is intended that this Plan will guide management over a 10 year period, at which point the plan will be reviewed and amended as required. The Plan was developed in consultation with the Australian Government and other key stakeholders to ensure it addressed management of flora, fauna, bushfire, recreation and cultural heritage, as well as providing specific information on mining threats and potential commercial activities.

To develop the Plan of Management, a draft was prepared, reviewed in conjunction with the Australian Government and then placed on public display for comment. Council also utilised a two phase public consultation process that included two separate mail-outs to residents, radio and newspaper articles, an online ‘Have Your Say’ page and emails to various stakeholders. The feedback received during the public consultation process was overwhelmingly supportive of the preservation and long-term conservation of these properties.

Throughout this process, the Council consulted directly with a large number of parties including: the South East Queensland Council’s National Reserve System Partnership, the National Reserve System Reserves Advisory Committee, the Australian Government, the Divisional and other Gold Coast City Councillors, several sections within Gold Coast City Council, various community groups, and the residents of the Gold Coast.

The draft plan was amended where appropriate to become the final Plan of Management. Both versions of the Plan were taken to Gold Coast City Council meetings to allow the Councillors to have input into the process and to formally adopt the plan. The resulting Bally Mountain Conservation Reserves Management Plan is an example of a high quality, thorough and cost-effective planning process which incorporated the views and input of all key stakeholders. The final Plan meets all of the Australian Government requirements by clearly identifying the values of the protected area, assessing the condition and integrity of the values, and providing a comprehensive management approach to conserve the ongoing integrity of the protected area.

The Council has been positive about the benefits of the project, especially in regards to the process of establishing nature refuge status for Bally Mountain and Rosegum, as the skills and knowledge from this project can now be applied to other projects and shared with other councils. This has been a positive process for all parties involved and has ensured the reserves will continue to be managed to maximise ecological values and connectivity, and protect the cluster’s important cultural and biodiversity values.

Securing a sustainable environment for the future — Phase II Caring for our Country 2013—2018

The achievements of the National Reserve System program in the first phase of Caring for our Country are significant. Over the last five years, 17 900 997 hectares across 49 bioregions were added to the National Reserve System, equating to an over 18 per cent increase in protected areas.

There were 101 projects with over 25 partners successfully undertaken, building on a strong foundation of collaborative partnerships between the Australian Government, state, territory and local governments, non-government organisations, private land-owners and Indigenous people.

The National Reserve System supported many positive outcomes which will continue into the future, including increasing the protection of habitat for threatened species and ecological communities, strengthening the protection and management of internationally significant World Heritage and Ramsar sites, improving fire management practices, reducing feral animal populations and weed infestations, and helping to improve resilience to broad scale threats such as climate change.

The strategic expansion of the National Reserve System also provided significant social, economic, cultural and scientific benefits and services to the Australian community.

One of the outstanding benefits was the creation of new opportunities for Indigenous people to reconnect with their traditional lands and take up new employment managing these lands.

The Australian Government remains committed to the network of parks, reserves and protected areas which comprise the National Reserve System. The Sustainable Environment stream of the second phase of Caring for our Country will be guided by strategic objectives, including protection of Australia’s conservation estate. Further information is available at: www.nrm.gov.au/about/caring/prospectus.html.

Future investments in the National Reserve System will complement other policy platforms to maintain healthy and productive environments. In particular, the Biodiversity Conservation Strategy 2010–2030 and National Wildlife Corridors Plan are significant landscape-scale approaches to connect land and strengthen the resilience of Australia’s biodiversity.

Overview of the Caring for our Country Sustainable Environment stream

Strategic objectives Investment themes

Maintenance of ecosystem services, including ecological and cultural values, now and into the future

Protecting the Great Barrier Reef

Conserving and protecting species and ecosystems (matters of national environmental significance)

Restoring and maintaining urban waterways and coastal environments

Building natural resource management community skills, knowledge and engagement

Protection of our conservation estate

Building the National Reserve System

Protecting Ramsar sites and values

Protecting World Heritage sites’ outstanding universal value and integrity

Building natural resource management community skills, knowledge and engagement

Enhanced capacity of Indigenous Building Indigenous peoples’ capacity for natural resource management

communities to conserve and protect natural resources Building natural resource management community skills, knowledge and

engagement

The progress in achieving a comprehensive terrestrial network of protected areas in the first phase of Caring for our Country means that priorities for investment can now shift to marine ecosystems which also contain a vast array of biodiversity. Continued support for the National Reserve System will place greater emphasis on supporting the implementation and management of marine reserves in Commonwealth waters, and the implementation of bioregional plans to improve the resilience of marine ecosystems. Caring for our Country will also continue its support for Indigenous communities to increase and manage Indigenous Protected Areas.

Along with Caring for our Country, continued investment through the Biodiversity Fund will enhance habitat connectivity and vegetation and reduce the impacts of pressures on biodiversity.

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