Final Annual Report 2005-2006
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About us Contents MINISTER FOR THE Executive Director’s review 2 ENVIRONMENT About us 4 In accordance with Our commitment 4 Section 70A of the Our organisation 7 Financial Administration The year in summary 12 and Audit Act 1985, I submit for your Highlights of 2005-2006 12 Strategic Planning Framework 16 information and presentation to Parliament What we do 18 the final annual report of Nature Conservation – Service 1 18 the Department of Sustainable Forest Management – Service 2 65 Conservation and Land Performance of Statutory Functions by the Conservation Commission Management. of Western Australia (see page 194) – Service 3 Parks and Visitor Services – Service 4 76 Astronomical Services – Service 5 112 General information 115 John Byrne Corporate Services 115 REPORTING CALM-managed lands and waters 118 OFFICER Estate map 120 31 August 2006 Fire management services 125 Statutory information 137 Public Sector Standards and Codes of Conduct 137 Legislation 138 Disability Services 143 EEO and diversity management 144 Electoral Act 1907 145 Energy Smart 146 External funding, grants and sponsorships 147 Occupational safety and health 150 Record keeping 150 Substantive equality 151 Waste paper recycling 151 Publications produced in 2005-2006 152 Performance indicators 174 Financial statements 199 The opinion of the Auditor General appears after the performance indicators departmentofconservationandlandmanagement 1 About us Executive Director’s review The year in review has proved to be significant for the Department of Conservation and Land Management (CALM) for the work undertaken and because it has turned out to be the Department’s final year of operation. The Minister for the Environment announced in May 2006 that CALM would merge with the Department of Environment on 1 July 2006 to form the Department of Environment and Conservation. The merger is designed to build on the strengths and achievements of both CALM and the Department of Environment, to better address priority and emerging issues related to protecting and conserving Western Australia’s environment. CALM’s achievements for 2005-2006 included further steps towards establishing a world-class marine and terrestrial reserve system in WA. Gull Rock National Park was declared east of Albany, and the State Government announced that Dirk Hartog Island in the Shark Bay World Heritage Area would become a national park. Both areas have important conservation values with Gull Rock National Park supporting several species of threatened native flora and the region’s most significant remaining stands of scarlet banksia (Banksia coccinea) and Dirk Hartog supporting more than 360 species of plants and animals. Significant progress was also made on the establishment of new marine conservation reserves at Dampier Archipelago/Cape Preston, Geographe Bay/Leeuwin-Naturaliste/Hardy Inlet and Walpole/Nornalup Inlets. Improvements to the visitor facilities and services in the State’s conservation lands were also made thanks to the State Government’s four-year, $56.6 million capital works program. Some of the State’s most iconic attractions – Purnululu National Park and Bluff Knoll in Stirling Range National Park – received significant upgrades to visitor facilities. It was also announced during the year that a new visitor centre would be opened for the Perth Hills national parks and a $4.7 million interpretive centre would be built at the Pinnacles in Nambung National Park. Members of the public were encouraged to play their part in the State’s fight against the threatened invasion of cane toads into WA with the launch of a $500,000 community awareness campaign. Television, radio and print advertisements, posters and brochures were developed to raise awareness of the proximity of cane toads to the WA border. WA is the first State to mount a concerted effort against cane toads before they arrive. This has been assisted by the partnerships forged with the Northern Territory Government and with community groups, particularly Kimberley Toad Busters and the Stop the Toad Foundation. 2 departmentofconservationandlandmanagement About us The Department’s aim of building and maintaining good relations with the more than 16,000 landowners whose properties adjoin CALM-managed lands and waters resulted in the release of a draft Good Neighbour Policy for public comment. Public forums and meetings were subsequently held, to seek input from neighbours to help finalise the policy. The draft was almost two years in the making and was developed through extensive consultation with key rural stakeholders. It covers a wide range of issues, from the construction and maintenance of fences to fire management and weed and feral animal control, and builds on projects CALM already has under way to deliver benefits to its neighbours. Consultation with Aboriginal people was stepped up throughout the State in 2005-2006 with the operation of eight demonstration park councils. Metropolitan community advisory groups for Perth’s regional parks also continued to advise on park management and 21 community groups received grants for a range of conservation projects in regional parks. Further consultation was undertaken to determine the boundaries to be put forward in the nomination for World Heritage listing for the Ningaloo Reef area, which will also benefit from the State Government’s $5 million Ningaloo Research Program for additional research on the Ningaloo ecosystem and key species such as whale sharks. CALM initiated the inaugural International Exchange Program with the United States Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and National Parks Service. The program began with four BLM employees taking up a five-month placement with CALM in March 2006. CALM staff carried out a range of other significant projects in 2005-2006. Their efforts and valuable assistance from CALM’s 8,230 registered volunteers, members of the Conservation Commission of WA and the Marine Parks and Reserves Authority, community-based and other organisations who work with us on a day-to-day basis are gratefully acknowledged. The professionalism and dedication shown by CALM staff throughout its 21-year history has brought tremendous benefits for conservation in WA. I look forward to this commitment continuing as we move forward to a new era of protecting and conserving our environment and the nature of WA. Keiran McNamara Director General Department of Environment and Conservation (Executive Director, Department of Conservation and Land Management until 30 June 2006) 31 August 2006 departmentofconservationandlandmanagement 3 About us In partnership with Our commitment the community, we conserve WA’s Our vision biodiversity, and A natural environment in Western Australia that retains its biodiversity and manage the lands enriches people’s lives. and waters Our mission entrusted to us, for In partnership with the community, we conserve WA’s biodiversity, and manage their intrinsic the lands and waters entrusted to us, for their intrinsic values and for the values and for the appreciation and benefit of present and future generations. appreciation and Our values benefit of present In working to achieve our mission, we endeavour to behave with: and future • Honesty and integrity – acting ethically, legally and treating people with generations. impartiality. • Respect – understanding and respecting individual differences, valuing each other’s contribution, and respecting the views and aspirations of co-workers and the community. • Openness – having processes that are transparent and understandable. • Commitment – being responsible, accountable and dedicated in our work. We will demonstrate: • Teamwork – working collaboratively and cooperatively with co-workers, and in partnership with the community. • Leadership – being progressive, showing initiative and creativity in meeting our objectives. • Professionalism – acting in a professional, courteous and fair manner, and using up-to-date and sound scientific principles and accurate information in our work. • Value – delivering the best possible result for conservation through continual improvement of our efforts. Our principles In making decisions we will be guided by the following principles: • The diversity and health of ecological communities and native species throughout WA will be maintained and restored. • Where there are threats of serious or irreversible damage, the lack of full scientific certainty shall not be used as a reason for postponing measures which seek to prevent loss of biodiversity. • Users of the environment and resources will pay fair value for that use. 4 departmentofconservationandlandmanagement About us • Use of wildlife will be on the basis of ecological sustainability. CALM manages • Outcomes will be delivered in the most effective and efficient way. more than 26 • Cooperation, sharing and integration of resources and knowledge within million hectares, CALM and between communities and agencies will be promoted. • We will adopt a flexible and responsive approach to management and including more operations and be receptive to change. than nine per cent of WA’s Our objectives land area. Conserving biodiversity To protect, conserve and, where necessary and possible, restore WA’s natural biodiversity. Creating sustainable community benefits To generate social, cultural and economic benefits through the provision of a range of services that are valued by the community and are consistent with the principles of ecological sustainability. Maintaining community involvement and support To