31

Conservation 2planning

Cape Byron Lighthouse. The making of judgments about what to conserve and how best to do this, and the development of processes by which this is done. 32

2Conservation planning Conservation planning is undertaken by NPWS in close Narran and , have been listed to the Ramsar consultation with the community and other land managers to Convention. The Gwydir and listings are ensure the conservation of natural and cultural heritage while particularly significant because they represent the first voluntary also providing for people’s enjoyment of that heritage. The key listings of on private land in . objective of NPWS conservation planning activities is to NPWS and its partners are working with landholders in the improve the process for establishing conservation priorities for Gwydir and the Macquarie Marshes to prepare Ramsar NSW to ensure: management plans for their newly listed wetlands. These • integration of natural, cultural and community values; management plans will document the existing management • consultation and transparency; and arrangements on site and within the broader catchment, as well • responsiveness to threats and change. as future action to ensure that these significant wetlands are The activities addressed in this section include planning related managed sustainably for present and future generations. activities through which NPWS is contributing to the Negotiations also are underway to nominate additional wetlands achievement of NSW Biodiversity Strategy objectives. across a range of land tenures in NSW to the convention. The Commonwealth’s new Environment Protection and BIODIVERSITY PLANNING Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 provides specific protection for Ramsar sites, which are classified as ‘matters of National Environmental planning Environmental Significance’ under the Act. In the light of this NPWS continued to undertake its statutory responsibilities as a Act, NPWS, the Department of Land and Water Conservation, concurrence authority and an approval body under the and NSW Fisheries have developed a formal nomination process Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979. NPWS also to ensure that all stakeholders are fully consulted and can have prepared submissions to the Department of Urban Affairs and input to any proposed new listings in NSW. Similarly, in Planning in response to public exhibition of the document Plan recognition of the cultural significance of wetlands for making in NSW: Opportunities for the Future; the draft State indigenous people, the project partners are working to establish Environmental Planning Policy for exempt and complying a formal negotiation process with Aboriginal people to gain their development and the draft Environmental Planning and involvement and support for new Ramsar listings. Assessment Regulation 2000. Water reforms NSW coastal policy NPWS continued its involvement in the implementation of the NPWS is a member of the NSW Coastal Council, which is government’s water reform package to ensure that the protection responsible for monitoring the implementation of the of high conservation value assets such as wetlands, floodplains, government’s NSW coastal policy – a whole of government groundwater dependent ecosystems, cultural heritage and approach to protect and manage the coastal zone of NSW. threatened species are adequately considered in the water NPWS has primary responsibility for the implementation of 23 planning process. NPWS is represented on river management strategic actions contained in the policy. NPWS progress in committees and provides advice and information on meeting its responsibilities during 1999-2000 will be reported in conservation and biodiversity issues for inclusion in river and the Council’s next annual report in late 2000. groundwater management plans. NPWS is involved in a number of river planning exercises which set flow rules in regulated Ramsar rivers and determine water sharing arrangements in The Ramsar Convention aims to stem the loss of wetlands unregulated rivers. It is also involved in discussions that will worldwide and ensure their ‘wise use’ by balancing productive determine environmental flow regimes and sustainable water uses with conservation. NPWS is responsible for administering management in all the state’s major rivers. In addition, the convention in NSW. In 1998 NPWS, in partnership with the NPWS is represented on the key inter-agency committees World Wide Fund for Nature Australia (WWF) and the NSW overseeing the implementation of the reforms and setting National Parks Association (NPA), obtained Commonwealth statewide policy directions. funding to implement the Service’s Strategy for the nomination of Ramsar sites on private land in NSW. This strategy recognises Native vegetation reforms that many types are inadequately protected in the NPWS continued its involvement in the implementation of the reserve system; and it identifies opportunities for NPWS to work government’s native vegetation reforms. NPWS is represented with private landholders to protect the special values of on all 18 Regional Vegetation Committees where it provides important wetlands on their properties. advice and information on conservation and biodiversity issues, Since the partnership between NPWS, WWF and the NPA began and participates in the development of regional vegetation at the end of 1998, five private land sites in the Gwydir and the management plans under the Native Vegetation Conservation Act Macquarie Marshes, and two sites within the reserve estate at 1997. NPWS is supporting these reforms through reviewing 33

1999 2000 ANNUAL REPORT W. LACEY W.

Kwiambal: a new national park in northern NSW. applications to clear native vegetation where referred by the NSW under reservation to 6.36 per cent. Important new reserves Minister for Land and Water Conservation; identifying and additions to the reserve system included: vegetation communities of high conservation value; and • Peery National Park (41,680 hectares) ensuring that threatened species issues are adequately Located in western NSW about 100 kilometres north-west of considered in the planning process. Wilcannia, this park lies in the Mulga Lands Bioregion within the Overflow. Peery and Poloko Lakes are major NPWS took part in developing inter-agency protocols for features of Peery National Park and form part of the much vegetation assessment and planning, to ensure consistency larger Paroo Overflow wetland system which is particularly in the government’s delivery and support of reforms. NPWS is important for the maintenance of wildlife habitats. Peery Lake also represented on the key inter-agency committees supports two distinct sets of artesian springs which form the overseeing implementation of the reforms and setting statewide largest active spring complex in NSW. policy directions. NPWS provided representatives to the • Kwiambal National Park (1,300 hectares) Native Vegetation Advisory Council and its sub-committees, Located 20 kilometres west of Ashford at the junction of the and is leading the development of a native vegetation MacIntyre and Severn Rivers, Kwiambal National Park is conservation strategy as required by the Native Vegetation characterised by white cypress pine/tumbledown gum and Conservation Act 1997. white cypress pine/silver-leaved ironbark woodlands. River Guidelines for biodiversity planning red gum and river oak line the rivers. The park provides habitat for rare and threatened flora and fauna, including the NPWS was allocated funds through the NSW Biodiversity koala. Kwiambal National Park is an outstanding recreational Strategy to assist councils to use existing planning mechanisms, resource for the region, with the MacIntyre Falls attracting a such as local environmental plans, to achieve biodiversity large number of visitors. outcomes. Workshops were held in and Bathurst in • Planchonella Nature Reserve (716 hectares) December 1999 with key local government representatives to Located about 100 kilometres north-east of Moree, identify their needs and seek their input. Draft guidelines have Planchonella Nature Reserve will conserve the endangered been prepared, and these will be piloted with a small number of ecological community known as Semi-evergreen Vine councils in 2000-2001. Thicket. These thickets are dry rainforest communities that inhabit the western slopes of the Great Dividing Range from ESTABLISHMENT OF PARKS the Upper Hunter Valley north into and the AND RESERVES . The reserve also contains species which During the year, more than 60,000 hectares of new parks and are relics from moister periods when sub-tropical rainforests additions to existing parks were declared as part of the NSW extended into the north-western slopes, as well as species reserve system. Twelve new parks and reserves with a total area which have evolved and adapted to more arid environments. of more than 49,000 hectares were proclaimed, including seven • Pourmalong Nature Reserve (34 hectares) eastern forests resulting from the comprehensive regional This reserve is situated on the Cedar Hill Swamp on Blue assessment process. Since March 1995, over 1,062,000 hectares Gum Creek in the upper reaches of Hexham Swamp have been formally protected, bringing the total land area of approximately 16 kilometres north-west of Newcastle. 34

Conservation planning

The reserve is a freshwater wetland that supports a wide corridors on other continents. The new parks include the areas variety of waterbirds including swans, ducks, herons, egrets, of Murramarang, Conjola, the Five Lakes south of Ulladulla, migratory and non-migratory wading birds. One hundred and Deua additions, Dignams Creek, Tallaganda, Badja and twenty-four species have been recorded. The site is a known Monga which combine to create a second Comprehensive egret roost and recently has been found to support significant Adequate and Representative (CAR) reserve system in southern numbers of the migratory Lathams Snipe. It is the only site NSW, following completion of the Eden regional forest in Australia rated of international significance for Lathams agreement in 1996. In the Tumut region the longstanding Snipe, supporting over one per cent of the world population proposal to protect and link the Brindabella to Kosciuszko during the southern hemisphere summer. national parks was achieved. In addition, the creation of the • Big Bush Nature Reserve (431 hectares added) Woomargama (Dora Dora) National Park near Holbrook Located about 20 kilometres north-west of Temora, this addition formed the western end of a chain of reserves extending 100 establishes an important link between two existing parts of the kilometres from Kosciuszko to near Holbrook on the reserve, enhancing the long-term viability of the reserve. The south-west slopes. addition contains good stands of the rare plant Eucalyptus vindis The Premier’s announcement will form the basis for a NSW and extensive stands of E. microcarpa and E. sideroxylon which forest agreement which ends years of conflict over logging of provide habitat for the endangered Superb Parrot. old growth forests. It provides a guarantee that the timber Several portions of Kwiambal National Park totalling 1200 industry will be supplied with 42,000 cubic metres per annum hectares were gazetted during the year, and negotiations are still from the South Coast region and 48,000 cubic metres per annum in progress with State Forests and Inverell Shire Council for the from the Tumut region. remainder of NPWS purchased lands (totalling 1,877 hectares) In May 2000 the Minister for the Environment announced to be gazetted. funding for 91 new NPWS positions to manage these new and Four former vacant crown land areas were also gazetted: expanded reserves. These include field staff, rangers and Gibraltar Nature Reserve (160.6 hectares), Bluff River Nature scientists, with 15 per cent of these positions to be filled by Reserve (1798 hectares), Mt McKenzie Nature Reserve (140.7 Aboriginal staff. hectares) and Curry Gap Crown Reserve (219 hectares). All but Gibraltar Nature Reserve are subject to grazing leases which Acquisition of wilderness will expire in June 2001. The Dunphy Wilderness Fund was established in September 1996 in memory of Milo Dunphy and his father Myles to purchase More than 300 hectares of unique upland swamp and adjacent tall forest communities were acquired and added to the South freehold and leasehold lands within identified wilderness for East Forest National Park (SEFNP). The new areas will addition to existing wilderness areas. The fund was initially contribute to the protection of upper catchments of the Bombala established with a funding commitment of $1 million per annum River and Tantawangalo Creeks – both important water supply for five years. In March 1999 the government committed funding sources for regional urban centres. The areas, which contain for an extended period. A reference group for the fund, important habitat for threatened arboreal mammal and large comprising representatives from NPWS, the Foundation for forest owl species, will be managed in accordance with the National Parks and Wildlife and the Nature Conservation Council newly drafted SEFNP Plan of management. of NSW, provides continuing advice on acquisition criteria, reviews the acquisition program and the level of public donations, NPWS has successfully attracted Commonwealth funds under and promotes the Fund. the National Reserve System program to the value of about Tax deductible private donations and bequests to the fund can be $6 million to buy land to establish new reserves. Currently, negotiations are underway for NPWS to acquire several areas in made through the Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife. western NSW. At 30 June 2000, donations to the fund totaled $73,100. During the year the Budawang Committee donated $72,600 directly to ‘Dawn of 100 new parks’ NPWS to offset the purchase of an inholding at Corang Peak in In April the Premier announced a major expansion of the state’s Budawang wilderness. national park system by almost 316,839 hectares in the South At 30 June 2000 NPWS had acquired 22 properties Coast and Tumut regions. This followed completion of the encompassing 36,000 hectares of land at a cost of $4.1 million. southern comprehensive regional assessment. The expansion These acquisitions included inholdings within Wollemi, now completes a continuous corridor of protected areas – Kanangra-Boyd, Ettrema, Budawang, Guy Fawkes, and stretching 350 kilometres from the Victorian border to near Washpool declared wilderness areas, and the Tuross Macquarie Pass, north of Nowra – and links from the provisionally identified wilderness area. In addition, some 15 escarpment to the coast. It represents a world class reserve parcels of land encompassing approximately 20,000 hectares are system, comparable with the great protected mountain being considered for purchase during 2000-01 using funds from 35

1999 2000 ANNUAL REPORT

the Dunphy Wilderness Fund. Negotiations are progressing on a priority basis. In addition, a specific allocation of $3.7million was made from JEREMY LITTLE environmental trusts in 1997 for the acquisition of residual lands associated with terminated occupation permits. Fifteen properties in north-east NSW were listed for acquisition. At 30 June 2000, six properties costing $1,161,000 and totalling 3,340 hectares had been acquired. Acquisition negotiations will continue during 2000-01 on a priority basis.

DECLARATION OF ABORIGINAL AREAS AND PLACES The NPWS Aboriginal Sites register includes more than 30 outstanding Aboriginal Place nominations that span a period of 25 years. The Aboriginal Places program has begun the Royal National Park. A plan of management was adopted for the assessment of these outstanding Aboriginal Place nominations, park in February. as well as the assessment of new nominations throughout NSW. NPWS commitments to Aboriginal heritage and the Aboriginal cultural heritage values and outlines the intent of NPWS to work Place program will continue so that Aboriginal community in partnership with the Aboriginal community to manage the area. expectations can be met, and places of significance can be NPWS also displayed a sign to be erected on the mountainside conserved for future generations. explaining that the site is legally protected under the National Outcomes from the Aboriginal Place program 1999-2000 Parks and Wildlife Act 1974; and, being a men’s site, asking included: women not to enter the area. • production and distribution of draft guidelines for assessing Aboriginal Places; PLANS OF MANAGEMENT • production of an information brochure for landholders and Aboriginal communities; The National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 requires a plan of • design and distribution of an Aboriginal Place nomination management to be prepared for each national park, nature form; and reserve, historic site, karst conservation reserve, state recreation • declaration of Barlings Beach Aboriginal Place, near Mogo, area and regional park. A plan of management is a legal on the south coast of NSW. document outlining how the area will be managed in the future. The procedures for exhibiting and adopting a plan of In addition, 11 outstanding nominations were investigated. Of these, three were completed and submitted for ministerial approval. management are laid down in the Act. Reports on the other eight were nearing completion at the end of During the year 16 plans of management were adopted by the June, and will be submitted to the Minister during 2000. Minister for the Environment for the following 21 Service- managed areas: Nungumirar Aboriginal Area • Bellinger River National Park The 12 hectare Nungumirar Aboriginal Area is a prominent • Bongil Bongil National Park mountain top between Nambucca Heads and Coffs Harbour, and • Demon Nature Reserve was formerly known as Picketts Hill. The place is of high • Kajuligah Nature Reserve spiritual importance relating to a dreaming story of a sacred • Kinchega National Park kangaroo. It is a men-only site. The site is significant to the • Lake Innes Nature Reserve people of the Gumbaynggir Nation and has been identified as an • Narran Lake Nature Reserve area of spiritual importance to their Aboriginal ancestors and to • Aboriginal communities today. • Queanbeyan Nature Reserve • Royal National Park, Heathcote National Park and Garawarra The Minister for the Environment approved gazettal of State Recreation Area Nungumirar as an Aboriginal Area and this occurred on 7 July • The Rock Nature Reserve 1999. The gazettal was celebrated by its traditional owners with a • Tooloom National Park smoking ceremony, traditional dancing and formal ceremony. The • Tweed Heads Historic Site and Ukerebagh Nature Reserve Director-General handed a certificate drawn up by NPWS to • Wallaga Lake National Park, Goura and Bermaguee respected local Gumbaynggir Elders, acknowledging the area’s nature reserves spiritual significance. The certificate recognises Nungumirar’s 36

Conservation planning

• Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve THREATENED SPECIES PLANNING • Yuranighs Aboriginal Grave Historic Site. Plans of management were placed on exhibition during the year for: Recovery plans • Bald Rock and Boonoo Boonoo national parks At 30 June NPWS had completed or drafted some 170 recovery • Borenore Karst Conservation Reserve plans dealing with 220 species. Six of these were formally • Botany Bay National Park approved by the Minister for the Environment during the year • Goobang National Park and seven draft plans were publicly exhibited. A further 33 plans • Lake Urana Nature Reserve are in advanced draft form and are being reviewed by other • Langtree Nature Reserve public authorities, before their release on public exhibition. • Tarawi Nature Reserve Recovery plans were adopted by the Minister during the year for: • Towra Point Nature Reserve • Eleocharis tetraquetra • Warrabah National Park. • Allocasuarina portuensis NPWS assisted the Reserve Trust to prepare and • Persoonia mollis subsp maxima exhibit the draft plan of management for the Borenore Karst • Hakea pulvinifera Conservation Reserve. • Neobatrachus pictus (Painted Burrowing Frog) • Grevillea kennedyana. The National Parks and Wildlife Advisory Council has specific Recovery plans were placed on exhibition during the year for responsibilities under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 to consider and advise the Minister for the Environment on public consideration and comment for: plans of management and any representations received in • Emydura macquarii (Bellinger River Emydura) response to public exhibition of a plan. The Advisory Council • Eudyptula minor (Little Penguin) • Prostanthera junonis (Somersby Mintbush) considered and reported on 16 plans of management for 21 • Egernia margaretae Service-managed areas during 1999-2000. • Pseudomys apodemoides (Silky Mouse) Keeping native mammals 4,997 • Pseudomys bolami (Bolam’s Mouse) • Cercartetus conccinnus (Western Pygmy Possum).

Category No. of Service areas No. of Service areas Action taken by NPWS to implement recovery plans is of reserved for which there is for which there is addressed throughout this report. area an adopted a plan exhibited plan of or finalised for Threat abatement plans management exhibition* Vertebrate pests and weeds are identified as broad threats under National parks 48 26 the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995. Pest threats Historic sites 8 2 listed as ‘key threatening processes’ include foxes, feral cats, Nature reserves 54 13 and plague minnow (Gambusia holbrooki), and invasion of State recreation areas 8 5 native plant communities by bitou bush. Aboriginal areas 1 Total 119 46 * includes six new plans to replace existing plans of management

NPWS contributed to the development of the draft strategic overview for the Central Eastern Rainforest Reserves (Australia)

World Heritage property (CERRA). This was placed on public ROBYN MOLSHER / NPWS display from 14 February to 1 May, following its endorsement by the relevant NSW, Queensland and Commonwealth ministers. CERRA is the most disjunct of Australia’s World Heritage properties, although significant issues (such as control of weeds, fire management and pressure of visitor numbers) are common throughout the property. The CERRA strategic overview is a non-statutory strategic plan which has been prepared to ensure a consistent approach to common issues and identification of management priorities linked to the property’s World Heritage values. Once finalised, it will give direction for the statutory plans of management which are being prepared for each NPWS staff monitor a population of Grevillea kennedyana. A recovery plan individual reserve. was adopted for this threatened species during the year. 37

1999 2000 ANNUAL REPORT

• public exhibition of a draft fire management plan for Billinudgel Nature Reserve; and • preparation to final review stage of draft fire management plans for Morton, Bald Rock, Boonoo Boonoo, Gibraltar Range, Washpool and Border Ranges national parks and

ROBYN MOLSHER / NPWS Limpinwood Nature Reserve.

CULTURAL HERITAGE PLANNING During the year, substantial progress was made in preparing a conservation management plan and adaptive reuse strategy for the Point Stephens Lighthouse cultural heritage precinct. This involved a study costing $22,000, which included heritage architectural design options for stabilisation of the lighthouse keeper’s triplex cottage complex, built in 1862 and damaged by

A draft recovery plan for the threatened skink Egernia margaretae was put on fire in 1992. public exhibition during the year. Conservation management plans were also prepared during the year for: NPWS has prepared a draft fox threat abatement plan which • Beyer’s Ave landscape, Hill End Historic Site details a strategy to minimise the effect of foxes across NSW on • Built monuments and ceremonial plantings, Botany Bay threatened and other native fauna, such as Yellow-footed Rock National Park Wallaby, Mountain Pygmy Possum, Southern Brown Bandicoot, • Denman’s Cottage, Hill End Historic Site and Little Terns. The plan identifies species most at risk from • English Cottage group, Hill End Historic Site fox predation and localities where the benefits of fox control • Georges and Middle Heads, Sydney Harbour National Park will be greatest. In addition, the plan identifies methods to • Holtermann Corner Buildings, Hill End Historic Site improve the effectiveness of individual programs; recommends • Kelly’s Cottage, Budderoo National Park the establishment of collaborative programs across land tenures; • Lake Innes House, Lake Innes and provides specific guidelines to measure the success of • North Head Quarantine Station, Sydney Harbour National individual programs. Finally, it discusses the feasibility of re- Park introducing locally-extinct species, such as the Brush-tailed • Old Great North Road Bettong and Bridled Nail-tail Wallaby, into specific areas in • Penders, Mimosa Rocks National Park western NSW. An extensive public consultation period will be • Shearing Shed and ‘Chinese Fence’ complex, Arakoola undertaken before the plan is finalised. Nature Reserve • Sugarloaf Lighthouse, Myall Lakes Fire management plans • The Alpha Farm Site including the Kurnell Accommodation As part of a multi-agency working group comprising State House, Botany Bay National Park Forests, Department of Land and Water Conservation and the • The National Pass walking track in Blue Mountains Rural Fire Service, NPWS has played a key role in the National Park development of bush fire risk management plans across the state. • Yarrangobilly Caves House Precinct, Kosciuszko These plans provide a cooperative framework for fire National Park. management and reinforce conservation objectives for fire management across the landscape. MARINE PARK PLANNING Work continued in the preparation of fire management plans for NPWS, in partnership with NSW Fisheries, commenced NPWS managed lands, including Southern Richmond Ranges, planning during the year for the Solitary Islands and Jervis Bay South-east Forests and other national parks and reserves. This marine parks. These plans will ensure that the principal aim of work, which is undertaken in consultation with local conserving marine biodiversity and maintaining ecosystems can communities, entails the compilation of comprehensive fire be met while also allowing ecologically sustainable use. Current history and natural resource data which provide valuable support community activities, such as fishing, scuba diving, sailing and to local government planning for fire, land use and development. whale watching, will continue to be available within these Other planning work completed during the year included: marine parks. • adoption of the Tyagarah Nature Reserve fire management plan; 38

Conservation planning

OTHER CONSERVATION PLANNING Coffs Harbour koala plan of management In a joint initiative with Coffs Harbour City Council, NPWS Sydney Water Catchment Special Areas prepared a koala plan of management for the city of Coffs The Sydney Catchment Authority (SCA) was established in July Harbour. The plan was prepared under the provisions of State 1999. NPWS is a party to a joint management agreement for Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP) No 44 – Koala Habitat Sydney Water Catchment Special Areas, which was signed in Protection. This is the first such plan to be adopted by a council February 1999 with Sydney Water Corporation and which and approved by the Director-General of the Department of JEREMY LITTLE transferred to the SCA upon its establishment. The purpose of Urban Affairs and Planning. The implementation of the plan will this agreement is to integrate conservation outcomes and water be significant in providing a regional planning strategy for koala resource security for the communities of Sydney, Blue conservation and management in Coffs Harbour and it is hoped Mountains and the Illawarra. that it will provide a model for other councils’ preparation of A Special Areas strategic plan of management jointly sponsored koala management plans. by SCA and NPWS was put on public exhibition in September 1999, together with the joint management agreement between Alpine resorts planning NPWS and SCA. An important element of the plan is a review The Perisher Range Ski Resorts Development Plan was drafted (since begun) of heritage values across all historic timeframes during the year and stakeholder input sought through a series of within the Special Areas. In particular, NPWS is developing public workshops. This plan is designed as a strategic document to with the relevant communities a comprehensive approach to manage natural cultural and recreational resources within the ski managing indigenous cultural heritage across the Sydney Water resorts of Perisher, Smiggin Holes, Blue Cow and Guthega. Work Catchment lands of the Warragamba, Woronora and also began on a comprehensive environmental management plan Metropolitan Catchment. for developments associated with the ski resort development plan. During the year NPWS also provided substantial input to the The Ski Resorts in the Upper Snowy Catchment Stormwater Department of Urban Affairs and Planning preparation of a draft Management Plan, developed during the year, recommends regional environment plan for Sydney’s drinking water. strategies for improving stormwater management within a number of ski resorts in Kosciuszko National Park. Tomaree Head conservation plan A stakeholder team guided development of this plan, which A conservation plan was developed for Tomaree Head, an area of was placed on public exhibition in June 2000. historic and natural significance which contains important Following extensive consultations with and input from fortifications and attracts some 80,000 visitors each year. The plan stakeholders, a draft Kosciuszko National Park Environmental will protect this important and popular area and guide $140,000 Planning Manual was also placed on public exhibition. Later of redevelopment works including lookout and walking track implementation of recommendations in the manual has allowed construction. The proposed works will improve visitor access and NPWS to better apply the principles of state environmental safety while protecting natural and cultural heritage values. planning within the park.

NPWS FUTURE DIRECTIONS In 2000-01 a major focus for NPWS’s conservation planning activities will be working with the community and other government agencies to establish agreed criteria for cultural and natural significance. This is an important step towards the establishment of state conservation priorities. Another major area of activity will be the accelerated development of recovery and threat abatement plans to protect threatened species of flora and fauna.

Performance targets 2000-03 • State conservation priorities established by June 2002 • Conservation priorities for 60 per cent of bioregions established by June 2002 • 20 per cent of listed threatened species covered by Senior research scientist Dan Lunney speaks at the launch of the Coffs recovery/threat abatement plans by June 2003 Harbour Koala Plan of Management in June.