See National Objectives and Targets for Biodiversity Conservation 2001-2005 under Target 1.1
Natural Resource Management Programs
State, Territory and Australian governments, along with community groups, industry and landholders are investing large sums to address natural resource management issues in Australia. The Natural Heritage Trust (NHT) and the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality (NAP), worth $1.4 billion and $3 billion respectively, are the two major programs through which action is currently being taken. These represent the biggest financial commitment to environmental action in Australia's history and are playing an important role in protecting and enhancing Australia's unique biodiversity, the viability of rural and regional communities and the future of our agricultural industries. Both the NAP and the NHT are partnerships between all levels of community and Government. The programs are driven by single regional plans, developed by local communities and supported by government and the best available science, to improve the management of natural resources on a regional scale.
At the regional level, the level common to both the NAP and the NHT, a single accredited natural resource management plan and a single investment strategy per region are being used as the basis for investment for both programs. This is to ensure that the two programs are delivered in an integrated manner. In addition, monitoring and evaluation processes, communications strategies, capacity building strategies and the development of market-based instruments and environment management systems will be aligned for the two programs. Effective monitoring and evaluation ensures that managers have the information required to allocate resources efficiently and effectively, and the parliament and public can have confidence that funds are being appropriately spent.
Fifty-six regions have been identified covering all of Australia, and a natural resource management plan is being developed for each. Plans consider all environmental, social and economic impacts of natural resource management decisions on a regional basis.
The Natural Resource Management Ministerial Council (NRMMC), on which governments of all states and territories and the Commonwealth are represented, has been established to develop a coordinated approach to issues affecting natural resource management in Australia. The NRMMC oversees the joint implementation of the NHT and the NAP. The NRMMC has established two national level documents to assist with monitoring, evaluation and reporting on natural resource management. They are the:
National Framework for Natural Resource Management Standards and Targets, and the
National Natural Resource Management Monitoring and Evaluation Framework
The “National Natural Resource Management Framework for Standards and Targets” sets out national outcomes that investment in natural resource management, through programs such as the NAP and the NHT, should work to achieve (see under Target 1.1).
Sustainable management of Australia’s forests
The Australian concept of ecologically sustainable forest management can be defined as the integration of commercial and non-commercial values of forests so that the welfare of society (both material and non-material) is improved, whilst ensuring that the values of forests, both as a resource for commercial use and for conservation, are not lost or degraded for current and future generations. The concept formed a primary basis for all Regional Forest Agreements.
Systems and processes for the management of all forest values were assessed to provide a basis for ecologically sustainable forest management over the long term. Seven criteria and two over-arching principles were used in the assessments. These included protection and maintenance of biological diversity, maintenance of productive capacity of ecosystems, maintenance of forest ecosystem health and vitality, protection of soil and water resources, maintenance of forest contribution to global carbon cycles, maintenance of natural and cultural heritage values, and maintenance and enhancement of long-term socio-economic benefits to meet the needs of society. The precautionary approach for the prevention of environmental degradation, and inter-generational equity, were the two overarching principles.
On the basis of these assessments, a process for improvements to forest management systems and processes in each State, covering legislation, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and review and improvement, was put in place through Regional Forest Agreements, including improved cooperation between industry sectors and government agencies. A major step towards achieving ecologically sustainable forest management was agreement between Governments to establish environmental management systems on public lands capable of responding to varying temporal scales, lag effects and changes to forest ecosystem processes.
In Regional Forest Agreement areas, systems are in place to manage forests on the basis of sustainable yield and review, and improve forest practices.
Sustainable management of Australia’s rangelands
Concerns about the ecological condition of Australia’s rangelands, and about the social and economic sustainability of its industries, have given rise to efforts to diversify land use in this vast area of inland Australia. In recent years a substantial flora and fauna harvesting industry (eg native seeds, bush foods, cut flowers, feral goats and buffalo harvesting) has developed in the rangelands. The rights of indigenous peoples, who are native title holders, are central to commercially and ecologically sustainable rangeland enterprises.
The Australian Collaborative Rangeland Information System (ACRIS)
The rangelands cover 75% of the continent, including some of its most remote and least disturbed landscapes and reporting is a major undertaking. The Australian Collaborative Rangeland Information System (ACRIS) is a coordinating mechanism that collates rangeland information from State, Northern Territory (NT) and Australian Government agencies, and other sources. The ACRIS Management Committee has representatives of Australian and State/NT Governments and a Management Unit co-located with the Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre (CRC).
ACRIS themes for monitoring include indicators for landscape and ecosystem change and sustainable water management. The water theme will be based partly on the distribution of water points in the landscape. ACRIS is due to report in 2007.
The ACRIS reporting framework is based on land use pressures rather than natural characteristics such as climate and rainfall and reports against changes in five diverse characteristics including critical stock forage productivity, native vegetation species presence, overall vegetation cover, landscape function and social responses to environmental problems.
The international movement of wildlife and wildlife products for commercial purposes and sustainable use
The international movement of wildlife and wildlife products for commercial purposes is regulated under the EPBC Act. The Act contains a number of provisions relating to sustainable use.
Commercial trade in specimens derived from regulated native species, species listed by the Convention for International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), or the import of regulated live plants and animals for commercial purposes, may be allowed provided the specimens have been derived from an approved source. Companies that trade commercially in wildlife or wildlife products must ensure that they can demonstrate their products have been derived from an approved source, or are exempt from the provisions of the Act. The export of live native amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals for commercial purposes is prohibited, although these may be eligible for export for non-commercial purposes.
For further information, see:
Application for approval of a wildlife program
Wildlife trade guidelines on the approval of a wildlife program
Wildlife trade operations
Approved wildlife trade management plans
Accredited wildlife trade management plans
Approved commercial import programs
Trade in wildlife for non-commercial purposes
Wild harvest of native species
Commercial exports of regulated native species
The EPBC Act provides that export of specimens derived from a regulated native species for commercial purposes may occur only if it is derived from one of these sources:
Approved captive breeding program;
Approved artificial propagation program;
Approved aquaculture program;
Approved wildlife trade operation;
Approved wildlife trade management plan; or
Accredited wildlife trade management plan
‘Declarations listed on the approved source registers are in force until their expiry (see wsm@deh.gov.au). Exports of regulated native species, derived from approved sources, require an export permit from the Department of the Environment and Heritage, except for accredited wildlife trade management plans.
Specimens of CITES listed species may be imported or exported for commercial purposes provided they have been derived from an:
Approved CITES registered captive breeding program (Appendix I animals)
Artificially propagated plants (Appendix I and II plants)
Animals bred in captivity (Appendix II animals) or
Approved commercial import programs (Appendix II plants and animals and aquaculture)
Commercial export of CITES listed live native mammals, birds, reptiles or amphibians is not permitted. Specimens of plants and animals listed on Appendix III may be imported for commercial purposes provided a relevant CITES authority in the country of export has given permission for the export.
|
