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National Parks in Queensland draft policy

The Vision

National parks and other protected areas will be the vital means for safeguarding Queensland’s natural heritage.

Protected areas will provide for the continued expression of indigenous traditions and customs, where the rights and interests of indigenous people coexist with the protection of natural values.

National Parks will be cherished as expressions of nature unscarred by human interference, as landscapes free of the signs of modern society and commercial exploitation, where the elements of nature are free to function and evolve in the most secure environment possible.

Protected areas will provide current and future generations with enjoyment, inspiration and spiritual nourishment arising from a deep love and respect for nature or attachment to the natural environment.

The hallmark of protected area management will be a sense of dignity, honour and achievement, high professional standards and excellence in the science, skills, traditional knowledge and resources underpinning protection and presentation.

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1. Goals

1.1 The primary goal of the protected area estate is the protection and conservation of Queensland’s natural heritage of biological diversity, natural features and wilderness.

1.2 Within the protected area estate, indigenous traditional owners will be free to continue the expression of their traditions and customs.

1.3 Protected areas will be managed to conserve their natural and cultural values.

Presentation of the values of protected areas will enhance public understanding, appreciation and enjoyment of those values and will be a major tool for the protection of those values.

Management of the protected area estate will provide environmental stewardship based on applied science, a thorough knowledge of ecosystems and their components, and, where possible, indigenous knowledge.

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2. Strategies

Reserve design and management

2.1 Application of the cardinal principle for the management of National Parks will ensure the permanent preservation of their natural condition and protection of their cultural resources and values.

2.2 Queensland’s biological diversity will be conserved at all levels from genes to landscapes, maintaining the natural patterns of distribution, association and abundance and the capacity for ongoing evolution

2.3 With respect to biological diversity, the protected area estate will be comprehensive, adequate and representative (CAR). It will be designed and managed to maintain or restore

• ecological processes and the dynamics of ecosystems in their landscape context,

• viable examples of all ecosystems, replicated throughout their natural ranges,

• viable populations of native species throughout their natural ranges by, inter alia, maximising the inclusion of high-quality habitat,

• the genetic diversity of native species, and

• the capacity for ongoing evolution and for response to natural and human-induced climatic change.
  

2.4 Management of the CAR reserve system will maintain the integrity of ecosystems and flora and fauna populations.

2.5 To the maximum extent feasible, regional and subregional conservation objectives will be met through national parks. Complementary off-reserve management and other Protected Area categories will contribute safeguarding Queensland’s natural heritage.

2.6 Management of the protected area estate will be based on the principle of ‘protection first’ and the maintenance or restoration of ecological integrity. To ensure that nature conservation objectives are met while still providing for nature-based recreation and tourism, the area of the protected area estate will exceed that required to meet biodiversity targets for achieving a CAR reserve system.

2.8 Maintenance, restoration and presentation of natural and cultural values of the protected area estate will be primary responsibilities for the QPWS.

2.9 QPWS will have the necessary skills, resources and research capability for protection, monitoring, restoration and presentation of the reserve system.

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Native title and indigenous rights and interests

2.10 The Government recognises that native title and significant indigenous rights and interests continue to exist over many protected areas. The Government and traditional owners will negotiate agreements and cooperative arrangements regarding tenure, use and management of these areas to achieve the shared goal of maintaining the natural condition and indigenous cultural heritage to the greatest possible extent.

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Funding

2.11 The protected area estate not only fulfils the high-priority objective of conserving nature, but also provides essential ecosystem services such as clean water, carbon sinks and gene pools and makes a significant contribution to the local, regional and state economies. In recognition of these irreplaceable public benefits, the Government will ensure core funding sufficient to provide for best-practice management.

2.12 Core funding will provide for interpretation, research, inventory, monitoring and adaptive management to maintain and, where necessary, restore values and integrity and for the development of joint management arrangements with native title holders.

2.13 The Government will also provide annual allocations for acquisition of new areas to meet agreed CAR and other objectives over a reasonable timeframe.

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Presentation and community relations

2.14 Presentation of protected areas will provide visitors enjoyment, inspiration and spiritual nourishment, nurturing a deep love and respect for nature or attachment to the natural environment, and respect for traditional indigenous culture. Presentation provides an important means for achieving protection and transmission to future generations of the natural and cultural heritage.

2.15 Presentation of protected areas will involve an assessment of likely impacts to ensure the level and nature of visitation is consistent with the primary goal of management and the principle of ‘protection first’.

2.16 Where appropriate, the Government may out-source routine maintenance duties so as to allow professional staff to focus on interpretation, maintenance and restoration of natural and cultural values.

2.17 The protected area estate will be managed in the context of the broader landscape through reciprocal ‘good neighbour’ relationships that encourage cooperation with neighbours, local communities and Local Government in order to improve protection.

2.18 The Government will encourage and facilitate the development of sympathetic, well planned ‘gateway communities’ at or near entrances to protected areas where private enterprise or Local Government may provide accommodation, transport, interpretation etc. State land leased for this purpose will be an option.

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Infrastructure

2.19 Incursions into protected areas for public utility infrastructure will be avoided other than in demonstrably exceptional circumstances, the overriding principle being the maintenance of ecological and natural integrity.

2.20 Infrastructure for essential management for protection or presentation will be minimal, non-intrusive and consistent with the primacy of protection, restoration and reserve design principles.

2.21 No commercial infrastructure development will be permitted on the protected area estate.

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Reporting

2.22 Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service will prepare and publish regular ‘State of the Parks’ reports including the status and adequacy of protection, monitoring, inventory, research, restoration and presentation.

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