This is Tasmania's second State of the Environment (SoE) Report and builds significantly on the substantial groundwork undertaken in compiling the first report, completed in 1997. The report fulfills the Commission's legislative requirements under the State Policies and Projects Act 1993 and Resource Planning and Development Commission Act 1997. A major report is produced every five years as required under the Act.

Key improvements for this second report include the development of a web-based reporting system, which will improve the capacity to maintain and distribute the information in the report. This is complemented by the use of environmental and natural resource indicators in tracking changes over time.

The report contains valuable information on a wide variety of issues of concern to all Tasmanians, including our resource managers, environmental care groups and environmental educators.

The report also makes a series of informed recommendations for the future, which further the sustainablity objectives set out in Tasmania's Resource Management and Planning System.

I would like to thank the many Tasmanians who have assisted the Commission in compiling this detailed analysis of our unique environment.

Without their support this report could not have been written.

Julian Green

Executive Commissioner