2002 2003 Annual report NSW national Parks & Wildlife service Published by the Department of Environment and Conservation (NSW) PO Box 1967, Hurstville 2220 Since 24 September 2003 the National Parks and Wildlife Service has been part of the Department of Environment and Conservation (NSW) Copyright © Department of Environment and Conservation (NSW) 2003 ISSN 0158-0965 Coordinator/Editor: Rohan Hills Design and layout: Harley & Jones design Printed by: Bloxham & Chambers Copies of this report are available from the National Parks Centre, 102 George St, The Rocks, Sydney, phone 1300 361 967; or NPWS Mail Order, PO Box 1967, Hurstville 2220, phone: 9585 6533. This report can also be purchased online or downloaded for free from the NPWS website: www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au Front cover photos (from left to right): Eremophylla sp. flowers, Nocoleche Nature Reserve (J Winter/NPWS); Plover Island, Yuraygir National Park (P Green/NPWS); Mutawintji Historic Site (C Smith/NPWS); Fringe lily, (Thysanotus sp.) Crowdy Bay National Park (P Green/NPWS); Bush stone-curlew (K Stepnell/NPWS); Royal National Park (D Grujovic/NPWS). Back cover photos (from left to right): Royal National Park (C Smith/NPWS); Lawyer vine leaves, Sea Acres Nature Reserve (P Green/NPWS); Grave site, Montague Island Nature Reserve (S Cohen/NPWS); Green moray eel, Jervis Bay Marine Park (M Cufer/NPWS). Inside front cover: Waratah Creek, South East Forest National Park (B Wrigley/NPWS) Annual report 2002-2003 Working with people and communities to protect and conserve natural and cultural heritage in the NSW landscape NPWS mission NSW national Parks & Wildlife service 2 ANNUAL REPORT 2002-2003 NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service Contents Director-General’s foreword 6 3 Conservation management 35 Working with Aboriginal communities 36 Overview Joint management of national parks 36 Mission statement 8 Aboriginal heritage 37 Role and functions 8 Outside the reserve system 39 Customers, partners and stakeholders 8 Voluntary conservation agreements 39 Legal basis 8 Wildlife refuges 39 Legislative change 10 Land for wildlife 39 Organisational structure 10 Biodiversity conservation programs 40 Lands managed for conservation 10 Wildlife management 40 Organisational chart 12 Ecologically sustainable management 41 Other protected areas 14 Energy management 41 Key result areas 14 Waste management 41 Sewage management 42 1 Conservation assessment 15 Managing built assets 43 NSW Biodiversity Strategy 16 Buildings and surrounds 43 Regional assessments 16 Managing historic heritage sites 43 Wilderness assessment 17 Roads and other access 44 Vegetation surveys and mapping 18 Visitor facilities 45 Wetland and river system survey and research 18 Managing site use in protected areas 47 Native fauna surveys and research 20 Policies and guidelines 47 Threat management research 21 Balancing site use and conservation 47 Cultural heritage research 22 Contributing to communities 48 Conservation research and assessment tools 24 World Heritage 48 Contributing to sustainable rural and 2 Conservation planning 25 regional development 49 Biodiversity planning 26 Tourism 49 Establishment of parks and reserves 26 Pest and weed management 50 Declaration of Aboriginal places 29 Pest animal management 50 Plans of management 29 Weed management 53 Threatened species planning 30 Fire management 55 Cultural heritage planning 32 Prevention 55 Marine park planning 33 Fire management training 55 Other conservation planning 34 Coordinated fire fighting 56 2002-03 bushfire season 57 Recovery and rehabilitation 58 3 4 Conservation facilitation 59 Enhancing and managing resources for conservation 83 Fostering commitment to natural and cultural heritage 60 Business planning 83 Community programs network 60 Grants and sponsorships 83 Educational programs 60 Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife 84 NPWS library 62 Property and leasing management 84 Visitor centres 62 International liaison 63 6 Appendices 85 Public affairs 64 A. NPWS-managed lands at 30 June 2002 86 Electronic service delivery 64 B. Significant statutory bodies, Increasing community involvement in committees and trusts 91 conservation 65 C. Infringements and prosecutions 94 Volunteer and community programs 65 D. Consultants engaged 95 Enhancing people’s enjoyment of E. Employee statistics 96 NSW parks and reserves 66 F. Performance statement: Director-General 99 Visitor and market research 66 G. Statement of Affairs, Freedom of Information Working with our culturally diverse community 67 and Privacy 100 Improving access and services for people H. New NPWS publications 103 with a disability 67 I. Papers published by NPWS staff 104 Supporting community conservation J. Overseas visits by NPWS staff 106 activities 68 K. Disability action plan 107 Information services 68 L. Energy and waste management 108 Conservation partnerships 68 M. Ethnic Affairs Priorities Statement 108 Inter-agency and whole-of-government initiatives 69 N. Approved recovery plans 108 5 Capacity building 73 7 Financial statements 109 Attracting, developing and retaining a skilled workforce 74 Notes to and forming part of financial statements 118 Performance management 74 Other financial information 131 Learning and organisational development 75 Management development 75 Index of statutory requirements 135 Workforce diversity 75 Employment and industrial relations 76 Contact information 136 Occupational health and safety (OHS) 77 Working as a cohesive and informed team 77 Organisational efficiency and service delivery 78 Financial management 78 Risk management 78 Insurance 79 Staff Intranet 79 Information management and technology 80 Corporate governance 81 4 ANNUAL REPORT 2002-2003 NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service Plover Island, Yuraygir National Park. P Green/NPWS 5 The Hon. Bob Debus Minister for the Environment Parliament House Macquarie Street Sydney Dear Minister, It is my pleasure to forward to you for presentation to the New South Wales Parliament the Annual Report of the National Parks and Wildlife Service for the period 1 July 2002 to 30 June 2003. I welcome the opportunities the new Department of Environment and Conservation (NSW) will afford the environment, conservation and interactions with the community in the year ahead. Consolidating the staff of the National Parks and Wildlife Service, Resource NSW, Environment Protection Authority and Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust into one Department will enable us to build on our scientific knowledge, innovation, regulation and field experience to address environmental issues. I look forward to informing you of our progress. This report has been prepared in accordance with the provisions of the Public Finance and Audit Act 1983 and the Annual Reports (Departments) Act 1985. Yours sincerely LISA CORBYN Director General October 2003 6 ANNUAL REPORT 2002-2003 NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service Director-General’s Foreword My first annual report as Director-General of the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) in 1998 was produced during a major review process, resulting in a restructure and a refocus of the priorities of the agency. At this time a corporate plan was developed to guide the agency in its new direction. It seems fitting that this, my last annual report as Director-General, sees the fulfilment of this corporate plan and the beginning of a new one to take the NPWS into the next challenging phase. Throughout the reporting year the NPWS has continued to move toward a comprehensive and representative reserve system. Some 140 properties were purchased across the state, including crucial properties in the Riverina and far western New South Wales. The continuing Regional Forests Agreement process resulted in the addition of more than 144,000 hectares of land to the reserve system in the north and south of the state and 12 new wilderness declarations, including some 12,000 hectares in the southern highlands. Our commitment to community information and engagement was enhanced with the launch of the new Internet site with improved details on NSW national parks, native animals and Aboriginal sites and history. We have had some encouraging results from pest control programs — particularly with wild dogs in the Brindabella region where collaborative work with local landholders and Rural Land Protection Boards has seen a significant decrease in sheep kill numbers. Similarly, the Fox Threat Abatement Plan was approved and is being implemented across the state to ensure control efforts are being targeted for maximum effectiveness. Much of our focus over the last 12 months was again on fire. We experienced the second extreme fire season in a row, beginning uncharacteristically early in July and continuing through until late February. NPWS staff and resources were deployed all over the state, with the ongoing ferocity of the fire in Kosciuszko National Park requiring firefighters from all agencies to put in a marathon effort. All NPWS staff, Rural Fire Service volunteers and officers from the NSW Fire Brigades should be commended for their tireless efforts in what was an extremely long and arduous season. The United States also faced one its worst bushfire seasons in years and seven NPWS staff were assigned to camps in Oregon to assist suppression efforts there. 7 The cooperative hazard reduction program following the fire season has progressed well, despite wet conditions through much of April, May and June. The NPWS international program continued in 2002 as we hosted a delegation from the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste (East