Background

Regional aspects

Assessing and measuring the current situation

Indicators

Management responses

Future directions

Recommendations

Background

Reservation on public land and the use of covenants and private reserves on private land are major elements of conservation of biodiversity. However, reservation does not provide absolute protection, nor is it the only means of conservation. Even reserves are susceptible to undesirable wildfires and disease outbreaks, such as Phytophthora. Thus processes and events that threaten biodiversity may not always be managed through reservation. In 2002, there is perhaps no clearer example of this than the potential impact of the European red fox on Tasmanian fauna.

Off-reserve conservation is recognised as having an important role in the conservation of biological diversity. It is especially important in the eastern, central and northern parts of the State where land clearing in particular has been greatest, and the reserve network does not adequately conserve native plant and animal communities and habitat.

Nevertheless, reserves are an important response in protecting habitat and improving the coverage of the reserve system continues to be a focus of management action. Tasmania is well-known for its National Parks; together with the Australian Alps and Cape York Peninsula, South-West Tasmania is recognised (Australian State of the Environment Committee 2001) as a region having among the highest levels of reservation nationally.

Objectives of reservation

The first reserve in Tasmania to protect a natural area was created in March 1885 when the 300 acre (121 ha) Russell Falls Reserve was proclaimed under the Waste Lands Act 1863. The title of the first specific legislation for creating reserves, the Scenery Preservation Act 1915, highlights visual qualities and tourism as one of the driving influences for the establishment of reserves.

Over time a range of objectives including cultural, recreational, visual, geomorphologic, and wilderness has driven the establishment of reserves. These objectives are reflected in the international standard for reserve classification is the International Union for Conservation and Nature (IUCN) protected area management categories. Of the eight IUCN (1994) categories, Tasmania contains six. These six IUCN categories are equivalent to formal or dedicated reserves, of which there are the following in Tasmania: national parks, state reserves, game reserves, nature reserves, historic sites and forest reserves not subject to the Mineral Resources Development Act 1995. The six IUCN (1994) protected area management categories that occur in Tasmania are shown in the table. The level of habitat protection within a reserve is also partly dependent upon its reserve type or classification.

IUCN protected area management categories

IUCN category	Definition
Ia	Strict nature reserve: protected area managed mainly for science.
Ib	Wilderness area: protected area managed mainly for wilderness protection.
II	National Park: protected area managed mainly for ecosystem protection and recreation.
III	Natural Monument: protected area managed mainly for conservation of specific natural features.
IV	Habitat/species management area: protected area managed mainly for conservation through management intervention.
V	Protected landscape/seascape: protected area managed mainly for landscape/seascape conservation and recreation.
VI	Managed resource protected area: protected area managed mainly for the sustainable use of natural ecosystems.

Source: http://www.wcmc.org.uk /protected_areas/data/sample/iucn_cat.htm. Revision date: 15 August 2000 | Current date: 19 September 2001.

In conserving biodiversity values through reservation, the National Strategy for the Conservation of Australia's Biodiversity stipulates three key principles: comprehensiveness, adequacy and representativeness (CAR). Reserves should be comprehensive in providing protection for the full range of characteristics present in the natural environment. They should also protect adequate areas of each population, species and community to ensure the long-term survival of these natural characteristics. And they should include representatives of the diversity shown within each of these characteristics.

Tasmania is committed to establishing a CAR reserve system over land, freshwater and marine systems. The CAR reserve system established under the Tasmanian Regional Forest Agreement had an objective of, where possible, reserving at least 15% of the area of all forest types which existed in 1750. Representation in reserves of the diversity of habitats that occur in Tasmania on land, in rivers and lakes, and in the sea has incrementally improved over time. In the past, reserves were set aside in an ad hoc manner, resulting in a concentration of reserves on land with high ruggedness and low potential for intensive land use.

The classification of reserve does not change the level (representativeness/comprehensiveness) of reservation, although it may influence the type of land use activities permitted to occur within the reserve.

The comprehensiveness of the present reserve system in conserving Tasmania's biodiversity varies. Although there are 589 formal reserves covering about 2,606,260 ha of the land area (38%) of the State and about 83,000 ha of the marine environment (3.5%), the various habitat types are unevenly represented, and many species and plant communities are not found in current reserves. For example, only about 1% of white gum (Eucalyptus viminalis) grassy woodland within the Eucalypt woodland group is contained within reserves. Buttongrass moorland and alpine vegetation communities are well reserved while grassy woodlands and native grasslands are not as well reserved. Estuarine and marine habitat is poorly reserved. Tasmania's five Marine Protected Areas cover 82,888 ha or 3.5% of the State's Coastal Waters.

The extent to which genetic diversity is conserved in Tasmania is uncertain due to scarce information. Studies on certain eucalypts, Huon pine and sassafras reported in the last SoE Report (SDAC 1997) revealed their pattern of genetic diversity which made it possible to identify important populations for conservation. Much more work is needed though to get a complete understanding of Tasmania's genetic diversity. Conservation of genetic diversity also requires protection of the processes which maintain it. These include insect pollinators and biotic agents of seed dispersal, as well as protection from exotic genes and pollen transfer by introduced agents, such as honeybees and bumblebees.

A more systematic approach to reservation focussing on conservation outcomes is being established nationally. An important reference document here is 'Directions for a National Reserve System - A Partnership Approach'.*****

Regional aspects

The following table from the National Land and Water Audit provides a CAR assessment of the reserve system in each of Tasmania's bioregions. This assessment is confined to the terrestrial reserve system, further information on estuarine and marine reservation is provided in the Coastal, Estuarine and Marine Chapter and, in particular, the Marine and Estuarine Protected Areas Issue Report.

Priorities for biodiversity conservation (reserve consolidation) and a CAR assessment of the reserve system in each of Tasmania's bioregions

Bioregion	Reserve Consolidation	Comprehensive	Adequate	Representative
Ben Lomond	moderate	high	low	low-moderate
Flinders	low-moderate	very high	low	moderate
King	low-moderate	high	low	low-moderate
Central	low	*	*	*
Northern Midlands	very high	low	low	low
Northern Slopes	moderate	moderate	low	moderate
South East	high	very high	low	moderate
Southern Ranges	low	very high	high	moderate-high
West	low	very high	very high	high

Comprehensive, Adequate and Representative

A reserve system displaying the features of comprehensiveness, adequacy and representativeness.

• comprehensiveness-the degree to which the full range of ecological communities and their biological diversity are incorporated in the reserve system.
   
• adequacy-the reserve system's ability to maintain the ecological viability and integrity of populations, species and communities.
   
• representativeness-the extent to which areas selected for inclusion in the reserve system are capable of reflecting the known biological diversity and ecological patterns and processes of the ecological community or ecosystem concerned.
   

* The Central Bioregion is awaiting the completion of vegetation mapping and analysis of ecosystem reservation status before a CAR assessment can be conducted.

Source: NLWRA 2001

Assessing and measuring the current situation

The indicators within this section report on some broad measures of the coverage of the reserve system for land, wetlands, estuaries, rivers and the marine environment. The monitoring and data available is sufficient to report on actual changes, including some improvements to the reserve system on land, since the last SoE Report. An indicator for the coverage of management plans is also provided as management is essential in maintaining the values that the reserve system seeks to protect.

Indicators

Terrestrial Protected Areas - at a glance

• Continued in depth

• The RFA has improved the representativeness of the reserve system for forests in Tasmania. The Comprehensive, adequate and representative (CAR) forest reserve system has resulted in the creation of an additional 458,000 ha of new reserves containing 293,000 ha of forest (RPDC 2002)..
   
• The Private Forest Reserve Program is responding to the need to protect the many forest species and communities that do not occur on public reserved land. Conservation initiatives on private land is especially important in the eastern, central and northern parts of the State where land clearing in particular has been greatest.
   
• Of the 50 native forest communities identified and mapped for the RFA, 34 have at least 15% of their estimated pre-1750 extent protected in reserves. However, 10 forest communities, mainly from the dry eucalypt group, have less than 7.5% of their estimated pre-1750 extent protected in reserves. For most of these communities, the majority of their remaining extent is on unreserved private land.
   
• While the State has about 40% of its land area in reserves, the distribution is concentrated in a few bioregions: the West and Central Highlands have 83% and 56% respectively within formal reserves. The Southern Ranges also has high levels of formal reservation with 44% of its area reserved. However, six of the nine terrestrial bioregions in Tasmania have more than 80% of their area outside any type of reserve. The situation is particularly critical in the Northern Midlands where 97.4% of the region is outside any type of public or private reserve.
   

Protection Offered by Land Tenure Against Land Cover Change - at a glance

• Continued in depth

• This analysis was first undertaken in the last SoE Report. A 1-5 ranking is provided showing the protection that land tenure and the reserve system provides against future land cover (vegetation) disturbance. Given the various tenure and reserve classifications that exist in Tasmania, this approach is intended to assist in describing simply what the system in Tasmania means for the protection that it affords to land cover and vegetation.
   
• The mapped output based on the rankings shows some important changes in the reserve system since the last SoE Report, including the increased role of Forest Reserves, particularly across the north of the State. There has been an improvement in the bioregional coverage of the reserve system and the protection afforded particularly to forest communities. Nevertheless, many anomalies in the reserve system remain.
   
• The level of protection afforded by 'reservation' status against future land cover disturbance may often be less than what would be expected for reserves. In particular, some large areas of broad scale erosion impacts are occurring in Conservation Areas in the State.
   
• Even in formal reserves, vegetation and land cover change continues to occur through such impacts as inappropriate fire regimes, recreational activities such as bushwalking and off-road vehicles, and pests and diseases.
   

Terrestrial Protected Areas (Rivers, Riparian Vegetation, and Catchments) - at a glance

• Continued in depth

• Forty-eight percent of Tasmania's riparian vegetation is in State and private forests. Streamside buffers are required under the Forest Practices Code. These riparian vegetation buffers are used as streamside protection areas and have known length and area.
   
• Riparian vegetation in the West, Central Highlands and Southern Ranges bioregions is more comprehensively reserved than in the Northern Midlands, King, Flinders or Northern Slopes bioregions.
   
• The table ranks planning and management catchments in relation to area within reserves. Nearly all land in catchments along the south coast and significant areas of land in catchments on the west coast is contained in some form of reserve.
   
• Nearly 30% of the length of streams in Tasmania, including their native riparian vegetation is found in reserves. Seven riparian communities are well reserved in Tasmania's national parks and State reserves.
   
• The total area of formal and informal river reserves in Tasmania is around 47 km². There are three formal river reserves in Tasmania with a total area of 45 ha.
   
• There are nearly 900 informal river reserves across the State.
   
• Because of an uneven distribution of formal reserves and conservation areas around Tasmania, some stream types and native riparian communities are not reserved. Being in a reserve does not guarantee protection for riparian areas: riparian vegetation in a reserve maybe adversely affected by upstream activities such as in-stream dams, agriculture, forestry or mining.
   

Wetland Reservation - at a glance

• Continued in depth

This is a response indicator, which illustrates the number and extent of wetlands in Tasmania that are recognised as being important for conservation and which are being protected. Both inland and coastal wetlands are discussed.

• Approximately 800 sites (i.e. sites listed on the Tasmanian Wetland Inventory (Atkinson 1991 and Kirkpatrick and Harwood 1981)) have been surveyed across about half of the State to determine their conservation significance. Of these 800, 148 (i.e. 59 are recognised as being important for conservation at the State level, and 89 at the national level, 10 of which are also internationally recognised) have high conservation value.
   
• Fifty-nine wetlands are considered to be a priority for conservation in Tasmania (i.e. significant at the State level) but few of these have any sort of short- or long-term security.
   
• Only 5 of the 10 Ramsar sites (i.e. internationally significant wetlands) are wholly protected and one partly protected within secure reserves.
   
• A report on wetland condition and status (Dunn 2002) notes that a number of places identified that are of national and international significance are not listed nor protected. The report was conducted for the NLWRA and provided an indicative listing of 281 new wetland nominations for potential listing in the DIWA.
   

Marine Protected Areas - at a glance

• Continued in depth

• Further information is provided in the Marine and Estuarine Protected Areas Issue Report. In 2001 Tasmania had five Marine Protected Areas covering 3.518% (82,888 ha) of Tasmanian coastal waters. However it is estimated that only 0.05% of Tasmania's marine species occur in reserves.
   
• None of the 111 estuaries present in Tasmania were fully protected. Only parts of one estuary, the D'Entrecasteaux, have been protected, including the areas at Tinderbox (52 ha) and Ninepin Point (63 ha).
   
• Since 1996 one new Marine Protected Area has been declared around Macquarie Island, which is located in the Southern Ocean 1,500 km south-east of Tasmania. This reserve, the largest marine reserve in the world, has increased the area of marine protection in Tasmanian waters by 81,472 ha (3.458%).
   
• However, in the immediate area around Tasmania only 1,416 ha (0.06%) of coastal waters are protected with not all reserves affording the same level of protection to all species. For example, some reserves allow recreational fishing.
   
• Of the nine IMCRA bioregions in Tasmania only three contain marine reserves, with the Macquarie Island being the most well reserved i.e. 100% of its area.
   

Proportion of Natural Heritage Places with A Management Plan - at a glance

• Continued in depth

• Management plans are only required for reserves administered under the National Parks and Reserves Management Act 2002, Crown Lands Act 1976, and the Forestry Act 1920.
   
• Of the 398 reserves managed under the National Parks and Reserves Management Act 2002, 49 (12.3%) have approved management plans and 53 (13.3%) have management plans in preparation. Note however, that there is a significant difference between the number of reserves covered by management plans, and the area covered by those management plans. For example, while only 49 of the 398 reserves have approved management plans, these plans actually cover 66.9% of the total reserved land area managed under the National Parks and Reserves Management Act 2002.
   
• One hundred per cent of reserves managed under the Forestry Act 1920 have management plans. The plans are incorporated through the forest management plans for each of the five forest districts (Murchison, Mersey, Bass, Derwent and Huon).
   

Management responses

Terrestrial protected areas

Key management responses to the reserve system for forests since 1997 identified in the 2002 RFA Review (RPDC 2002) are as follows:

• An enhanced comprehensive, adequate and representative (CAR) forest reserve system has been developed. The review reports that this has resulted in the creation of an additional 458,000 ha of new reserves containing 293,000 ha of forest (RPDC 2002).
   
• The RFA policy for protection of threatened forest communities on all public land was introduced.
   
• DPIWE established a Private Forest Reserves Unit in July 1998 to promote the system of CAR forest reserves on private land in Tasmania. To 30 June 2001, some 90 landowners agreed to place perpetual conservation covenants over about 15,000 ha of targeted native forest.
   

Other initiatives and program areas include:

• The establishment of the Bushwalking and Track Review (BATR) to develop socially, environmentally and economically acceptable solutions to impacts associated with overnight bushwalking in the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area (WHA).
   
• Preparation of management plans, including the Tasmanian World Heritage Area Management Plan (1999).
   

Estuarine and marine protected areas

• In 1998, the Commonwealth, States, Territories endorsed the Guidelines for Establishing the National Representative System of Marine Protected Areas - ANZECC Task Force on Marine Protected Areas 1998.
   
• In 2001, DPIWE released the Tasmanian Marine Protected Areas Strategy.
   
• On 14 August 2001 the Minister for Primary Industries, Water and Environment, issued a reference to the RPDC to conduct an inquiry and recommend to the Minister on the establishment of a marine protected area within the Interim Marine and Coastal Regionalisation of Australia Bioregions known as the Davey Bioregion and the Twofold Shelf Bioregion.
   
• Since 1996 one new Marine Protected Area has been declared around Macquarie Island, which is located in the Southern Ocean 1,500 km south east of Tasmania. This reserve, the largest marine reserve in the world, has increased the area of marine protection in Tasmanian waters by 81,472 ha (3.458%).
   

Wetlands

• DPIWE released the report entitled 'A Wetlands Strategy for Tasmania - Draft Discussion Paper' (2000). The report considered many mechanisms for the protection and management of wetlands, including the role of reserves. The suggested reserve strategies include that private owners of high conservation value wetlands will be encouraged to enter into management agreements, preferably conservation covenants, with the Parks and Wildlife Service.
   

Future directions

Tasmania Together and the RMPS

Relevant Tasmania Together goals and standards for 'Biodiversity' are listed in the linked file. The Tasmania Together Progress Board reported on progress toward targets for benchmarks set (Tasmania Together Progress Board 2003). Indicators, targets and baseline data are available in the latest Progress Report June 2003. Further information, including progress report updates, is available from Tasmania Together.

Involvement of the community, and the fair and orderly use of resources are also fundamental principles of the RMPS. The RMPS objectives have been developed to advance the principles of sustainable development.

Recommendations