Department of Environment and Conservation and Environment of Department Department of Environment and Conservation 2008-2009 Annual Report 2008-2009 Annual Report Annual 2008-2009 2009195 E R N M O V E G N T E O H T F W A E I S L T A E R R N A U S T Acknowledgments This report was prepared by the Corporate Communications Branch, Department of Environment and Conservation. For more information contact: Department of Environment and Conservation Level 4 The Atrium 168 St Georges Terrace Perth WA 6000 Locked Bag 104 Bentley Delivery Centre Western Australia 6983 Telephone (08) 6364 6500 Facsimile (08) 6364 6520 Recommended reference The recommended reference for this publication is: Department of Environment and Conservation 2008–2009 Annual Report, Department of Environment and Conservation, 2009. We welcome your feedback A publication feedback form can be found at the back of this publication, or online at www.dec.wa.gov.au. ISSN 1835-1131 (Print) ISSN 1835-114X (Online) 8 September 2009 Letter to THE MINISter Back Contents Forward Hon Donna Faragher MLC Minister for Environment In accordance with section 63 of the Financial Management Act 2006, I have pleasure in submitting for presentation to Parliament the Annual Report of the Department of Environment and Conservation for the period 1 July 2008 to 30 June 2009. This report has been prepared in accordance with provisions of the Financial Management Act 2006. Keiran McNamara Director General DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND CONSERVATION 2008–2009 ANNUAL REPORT 3 DIRECTOR GENERAL’S FOREWORD Back Contents Forward This is the third annual report of the Department of Environment and Conservation since it was created through the merger of the former Department of Environment and Department of Conservation and Land Management. In the first report, for 2006–07, I commented on the challenges that face a new organisation in maintaining services to the community while at the same time implementing change. The department was created at a time of remarkable economic conditions that placed considerable strain on the department’s resources – both human and physical – especially in respect to environmental assessment and approvals processes for new resources developments and issues such as native vegetation clearing. In our second year, I remarked that we faced increasing pressure to retain and attract staff, as we had become a ‘pool’ from which the resources sector drew staff who were well qualified in environmental issues. Changing world economic conditions since have provided something of a buffer and in this, our third year, we have been able to consolidate, reform some of our internal processes, and in the process create a stronger and more proactive agency. A department such as DEC is seldom out of the news. There will always be pollution incidents, bushfires, injured or stranded animals, the need to conserve threatened species, projects seeking approvals and the apprehension of people who are breaking the State’s conservation and environmental laws. In fact, never a day goes by when we are not contacted in relation to some issue by the media. Consequently, the department’s profile more often than not is reflected as being ‘responsive’ rather than ‘proactive’. As the various service statements in this annual report reveal, there is a myriad of activities that the department undertakes that clearly focus on conserving the nature of Western Australia and protecting our environment. These include working closely with industry in respect to environmental impact assessments, creating and implementing community sustainability programs, biological surveys and research, monitoring our air quality, coordinating the Government’s response to climate change, bringing native plants and animals back from the brink of extinction, controlling threats to our natural environment before they become major problems, providing access and an enjoyable experience for the 14 million visitors to the lands and waters we manage on behalf of the people of Western Australia, implementing fire management plans for 25 million hectares of conservation lands as well as a further 89 million hectares of unallocated Crown land, running environmental and conservation educational programs that reach to more than 200,000 school children a year, and involving the community through the thousands of volunteers who contribute their time to environmental protection and nature conservation. It is this proactive approach – carried out in partnership with the community – that reflects the real face of the department. I would like to acknowledge the contribution of the Conservation Commission of WA and the Marine Parks and Reserves Authority, the vesting bodies for our terrestrial and marine reserves, along with members of the Waste Authority, Keep Australia Beautiful Council, the Environmental Protection Authority and the Contaminated Sites Committee, and the Swan River Trust to which the department provides administrative and technical support. And, as always, I thank our 2000 staff throughout the State – from Esperance to Kununurra – for their continuing contribution and commitment to protecting and conserving the nature and environment of WA. Keiran McNamara Director General 4 DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND CONSERVATION 2008–2009 ANNUAL REPORT ContentS Back Contents Forward Acknowledgments......................................................................................................................................... 2 Recommended reference............................................................................................................................... 2 Letter to the Minister ..................................................................................................................................... 3 Director General’s Foreword .......................................................................................................................... 4 Contents ........................................................................................................................................................ 5 1 OVerVIew of AgencY ....................................................................................................................... 8 1.1 Executive summary ..................................................................................................................... 9 1.2 Operational structure ................................................................................................................ 14 1.2.1 Enabling legislation ........................................................................................................... 14 1.2.2 Responsible Minister ........................................................................................................ 14 1.2.3 The role of the department .............................................................................................. 14 1.2.4 Legislation administered by DEC as at 30 June 2009 ....................................................... 14 1.2.5 Performance management framework ............................................................................ 16 1.2.6 Changes from the 2007–08 reporting year ..................................................................... 18 1.2.7 Shared responsibilities with other agencies ...................................................................... 18 1.3 Organisational profile ............................................................................................................... 20 1.4 Organisation structure .............................................................................................................. 21 2 AgencY perfORMance ................................................................................................................... 22 2.1 Report on operations ................................................................................................................ 23 2.1.1 Service 1: Nature Conservation ................................................................................... 23 2.1.1.1 Overview .................................................................................................. 25 2.1.1.2 Building biodiversity knowledge................................................................ 26 2.1.1.3 Establishment of a terrestrial and marine conservation reserve system ...... 29 2.1.1.4 Effective management of the conservation reserve system ....................... 31 2.1.1.5 Recovery of threatened species and ecological communities, and management of other significant species and ecosystems ......................... 32 2.1.1.6 Conserving landscapes and seascapes; integrating off- and on-reserve conservation and managing threatening processes ................................... 45 2.1.1.7 Encouraging public understanding and support of biodiversity conservation and other DEC programs and activities ..................................................... 57 2.1.2 Service 2: Sustainable Forest Management ............................................................... 62 2.1.2.1 Overview .................................................................................................. 62 2.1.2.2 Implementation of approved forest management plans and government policies and programs ............................................................................... 63 2.1.2.3 Inventory, assessment and modelling of natural resources ........................ 64 2.1.2.4 Maintenance and enhancement of biodiversity