It is recommended that a strategic plan is established for improving air quality, which should be based on the following priorities:

• finalise the Environment Protection Policy and prepare the required strategic plan for improving ambient air quality (high priority); and
   
• continue the wood-smoke mitigation program in Launceston and extend the program to other regions (medium priority).
   

As part of a comprehensive overall strategic plan for improving air quality (Recommendation 1) it is recommended that:

• monitoring of respirable particles (PM₁₀) continues for Hobart and Launceston and is extended to Devonport;
   
• monitoring of fine particles (PM_2.5) commences in Launceston; and
   
• monitoring of air toxics commences in Launceston.
   

As part of a comprehensive overall strategic plan for improving air quality (Total Exposure to Air Pollution), it is recommended that:

• the capacity of different modes of public and private transport to service new subdivisions (and the capacity of the existing road network) is considered in land use planning and the approval of new subdivisions;
   
• consider incentives to encourage public transport;
   
• road-worthiness requirements for vehicle emissions are identified and enforced;
   
• the application of clean fuel (such as compressed natural gas) and fuel-efficient vehicles (such as hybrid cars) are promoted through registration pricing structures and government car fleet purchases;
   
• Hydro Tasmania is encouraged to pursue emerging opportunities in hydrogen-powered vehicles and fuel cell technology as part of an integrated renewable and efficient energy strategy for Tasmania; and
   
• the Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Resources maintains its commitment to promoting cycling through initiatives under the State Bicycle Advisory Committee.
   

It is recommended that:

• in consultation with commerce and industry, the State Government reviews present standards and enforcement procedures for indoor air quality and examines permit conditions for scheduled premises to better enforce workplace standards;
   
• the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment identify opportunities to include indoor air quality standards in building and design codes, and to better inform builders, architects, designers and their clients about indoor air quality issues; and
   
• a legislative mechanism is investigated to set standards for the residential sector, potentially based on a National Environmental Protection Measure.
   

It is recommended that strategies are implemented for delivering required outcomes under the National Greenhouse Strategy, including priorities relating to greenhouse gas emission reductions and improving estimates of greenhouse gas emissions.

It is recommended that:

• extension programs are implemented to increase awareness and adoption of sustainable land management practices as defined in industry and government best-practice guidelines;
   
• the adoption of environmental management systems at a local land management scale is encouraged to guide and accredit sustainable land management practices;
   
• capacity to assess the current status, condition and trends of land resources and land degradation processes is enhanced through well-targeted research and development programs;
   
• land use planning and decision-making is undertaken to minimise and avoid resource degradation; and
   
• the above recommendations are assessed and prioritised at the regional scale through Regional NRM strategies.
   

It is recommended that:

• the Tasmanian Salinity Strategy is finalised and implemented;
   
• the extent, severity and impact of salinity are assessed, salinity risk assessment is undertaken, and monitoring of groundwater and surface water salinity is established in high priority catchments; and
   
• research, development and extension is undertaken to: (i) better understand the processes driving salinity; and (ii) develop and promote practical and profitable land management options to prevent and manage potentially saline land, and for the productive use of saline land and water resources.
   

It is recommended that:

• monitoring of key soil reference sites and water quality in identified high risk areas is undertaken to provide indications of change in soil condition;
   
• research and development is undertaken to identify appropriate land management practices to reduce the risks of soil degradation; and
   
• monitoring of the extent of uptake of 'Soil Management Guidelines' (Hamlett 2002) by the farming community is undertaken to assess improvements in land management practices over time and the extent to which the farming community is accepting the principles.
   

It is recommended that:

• further reduction in vegetation cover is avoided in areas susceptible to tree decline, as this will exacerbate ecological stress on remaining forest or woodland remnants;
   
• best practice in the management of revegetation programs is followed (see 'key issues');
   
• the extent of tree decline is routinely monitored as part of the proposed program of vegetation change detection and monitoring; and
   
• management practices for addressing rural tree decline proposed in the Cooperative Research Centre for Sustainable Production Forestry report are implemented, including reduced nutrient input through careful fertiliser placement (Close & Davidson 2001).
   

The RPDC acknowledges the Tasmanian Acid Drainage Reconnaissance Report and adopts the recommendations proposed in the Report (Gurung 2001). It is recommended that the Tasmanian Acid Drainage Reconnaissance Report is followed up with systematic environmental assessments of all the potential and actual acid-producing sites to enable the selection of priority sites for detailed characterisation and remediation options, as required under Section 37.5 of the Tasmanian State Policy on Water Quality Management (1997). The assessment process and identification of priority sites could be improved with:

• routine sulphur analysis in all samples from geological and geochemical investigations to allow quick assessment of the potential acid-forming nature of host rocks in an area;
   
• the consideration of water quality monitoring requirements for acid mine drainage as part of the implementation of the Tasmanian Surface Water Quality Monitoring Strategy (see Improving Water Quality Recommendation);
   
• monitoring and assessment of surface waters and groundwaters for accurate delineation of catchment areas impacted by acid drainage from abandoned mines; and
   
• site-specific hydrogeochemical characterisation of potential acid-producing abandoned mines through a quantitative assessment of point and diffuse sources of acid drainage and downstream impacts from metal contaminant mass loading. Such a characterisation is important in effective implementation of remediation methods.
   

It is also recommended that broad scale water treatment programs are assessed, prioritised and implemented to counter acid mine drainage and achieve sustainable improvements in water quality.

It is recommended that:

• systematic mapping of acid sulphate soils at finer scales is undertaken within the areas identified as potentially hosting acid sulphate soils in order to prioritise and target responses;
   
• monitoring and assessment of land use changes that may exacerbate disturbance of acid sulphate soils is undertaken as part of the overall approach to monitoring land cover change;
   
• monitoring of appropriate water quality parameters is undertaken in at-risk locations in coastal waters in the north of the State in order to detect impacts arising from acid sulphate soils and to prioritise management efforts;
   
• implementation of remediation strategies is initiated in locations already identified where disturbance of acid sulphate soils is impacting on the water quality; and
   
• management awareness programs are developed for land use once priority risk areas are identified.
   

It is recommended that:

• the National Wilderness Inventory is updated for Tasmania in order to better assess changes in wilderness quality and to support development planning (including environmental impact assessment for major projects);
   
• the update of the National Wilderness Inventory is used to inform and support a whole-of-government commitment to maintaining Tasmania's wilderness;
   
• more pro-active approaches to managing bushwalking impacts in wilderness areas are developed and trialled;
   
• information is gathered on bushwalker usage of, and demand for, Tasmania's wilderness in order to better target management actions; and
   
• monitoring is undertaken to enable changes in the extent and severity of track degradation to be reported on a more regular basis.
   

It is recommended that a coordinated Statewide inventory of land resource related information be prepared detailing what information is available, its location, scale and access. This information would be used to assist NRM Committees, land managers, local government and the community in the development and implementation of sustainable land management strategies and activities. The inventory should consider such matters as contained in the Land Chapter of this Report, including: land tenure, land use and land cover; soil condition; soil structure decline and compaction; rural tree decline; wilderness; and landscape and scenic condition.

It is recommended that:

• significant skylines, scenic landscapes and areas of consistent and recognisable landscape character be defined and mapped at a regional scale in partnership with councils and community organisations and be made available through the Land Information System Tasmania (LIST);
   
• a State Policy on the Protection of Scenic Landscapes be prepared to define the principles for protecting significant skylines and landscape areas, particularly those visible from major tourist routes and tourist attractions, in a similar manner to the State Policy on the Protection of Agricultural Land;
   
• planning schemes, amendments and development proposals be assessed to ensure they protect significant skylines and landscape areas and that development changes will maintain distinctive landscape character;
   
• significant skylines, scenic landscapes and areas of consistent and recognisable landscape character be recognised in local and regional strategies in relation to beneficial values including: natural resource management; open space and recreation; vegetation management; catchment management; and coastal management;
   
• the Forest Practices Board Visual Management System for Tasmania be updated to take account of visual landscape character (as defined through community participation in landscape assessment) in determining the visual suitability, scale and design of plantation and native forestry; and
   
• the Planning Guidelines for Urban Skylines and Hillfaces (2001) be reviewed and updated in the light of the Hobart region gap analysis being undertaken by the Commission, and be given appropriate weight in the assessment of planning schemes and amendments.
   

It is recommended that:

• the coverage of systematic inventories for sites of geoconservation significance are improved, supported by, and integrated with, georegionalisations and other base layers;
   
• these inventories are used to support improved reporting on indicators and reporting through mapped-based products on the Land Information System Tasmania (LIST);
   
• a 'gap-analysis' of Tasmania's geoconservation estate is undertaken; and
   
• geoconservation issues are considered in management planning and development planning through environmental impact statements, planning schemes and environmental management plans.
   

It is recommended that:

• the process for setting Water Quality Objectives is evaluated.
   
• Water Management Plans facilitate the achievement of Water Quality Objectives.
   
• regional NRM plans include strategies to address local water quality issues both in-situ and at the source.
   
• the Tasmanian Surface Water Quality Monitoring Strategy is implemented.
   
• a centralised and regularly updated database of water quality, which builds on initiatives including HYDROL, SPLASHBACK, and W.I.R.E.D, is developed and maintained.
   
• the Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment undertake State of River Reports to improve catchment scale understanding of water resource issues as required to inform NRM Regional Strategies and Water Management Planning.
   

In association with the recommendation on Consumption-Based Pricing of Water, it is recommended that:

• incentives and encouragement are provided to promote the introduction of more efficient irrigation systems; and
   
• trends in crop types and irrigation systems are tracked through the Agricultural Census undertaken by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
   

In association with the recommendation on Environmental Flows, it is recommended that:

• practical guidelines and methods for accelerating the development of future Water Management Plans are implemented through evaluation of the current Water Management Planning process;
   
• practical methodologies are developed for assessing the potential socio-economic impacts of proposed environmental flow regimes and Water Management Plans; and
   
• priorities and timelines for undertaking Water Management Plans are made transparent and defensible.
   

This recommendation is presented in association with recommendations on improving water quality (Recommendation 3.1) and groundwater management (Recommendation 3.6).

It is recommended that:

• cumulative impacts of farm dams are taken into consideration as part of dam approvals processes and water management planning;
   
• a multi-agency database of water infrastructure (e.g. dams, weirs) is established to record the location and status of water infrastructure;
   
• an assessment of the need, priorities and mechanisms for removal of redundant in-stream structures is undertaken; and
   
• field checking and validation of actual dam numbers and capacities is undertaken.
   

It is recommended that:

• the introduction of water metering and the adoption of pricing structures be implemented consistently Statewide to better reflect the true costs of water supply (introduction of metering would be prioritised through social, economic and environmental cost-benefit analysis); and
   
• the transition from current fixed charges towards a system of consumption-based pricing is promoted to provide incentives for efficiency and water conservation, while avoiding an overall increase in economic burden.
   

It is recommended that:

• administrative mechanisms are implemented to: recognise the continuity between surface and groundwater; give effect to the intent of the Water Management Act 1999; and to investigate the potential administrative overlap between the Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment and Mineral Resources Tasmania responsibilities for groundwater management;
   
• consideration of the impact of groundwater extraction on surface water sources and limitations to groundwater extractions are included as part of the development of Water Management Plans;
   
• licenses are implemented for the extraction of groundwater from high yielding bores;
   
• studies are undertaken to support Statewide sustainable management of the groundwater resource, including regional assessments of groundwater quality and sustainable yield;
   
• groundwater management plans are implemented for key catchments and/or groundwater aquifers; and
   
• assessments are undertaken of the impact of contaminants on future groundwater resource development.
   

It is recommended that:

• setting of environmental flows in the State include consideration of a broad range of ecosystem values including instream biota, geomorphology, riparian vegetation, and estuarine health; and
   
• technical methodologies and monitoring approaches for environmental flows are evaluated and modified as required.
   

It is recommended that:

• An inventory of the extent, diversity and condition of Tasmania's riparian vegetation (including species and communities) is produced, which builds on the existing TASVEG mapping, and the results mapped at the Statewide scale.
   
• Studies are undertaken and recommendations made for the standardisation of adequate buffer widths for riparian vegetation on public and private lands to maintain freshwater ecosystem services and values.
   
• Protection of riparian vegetation on agricultural land is supported through incentives under the Private Forests Reserves Program, the Protected Areas on Private Land Program and through codes of practice.
   
• Development of guidelines for the improved protection for headwater streams is continued and implemented through the Forest Practices Code (following from the review of the Soil and Water Provisions of the Forest Practices Code).
   

It is recommended that:

• the 'Wetlands Strategy for Tasmania - Draft Discussion Paper' (DPIWE 2000) is finalised and implemented;
   
• wetlands of international, national and state significance on private land and Crown Land are reviewed with a view to assessing reservation and management options to improve their conservation status (priority would be given to wetlands identified as threatened or requiring rehabilitation); and
   
• a Planning Directive is prepared under the Land Use Planning and Approvals Act 1993 to ensure that wetlands are identified in, and protected through, planning schemes.
   

It is recommended that actions proposed in Tasmania's Nature Conservation Strategy 2002-2006 (State Biodiversity Committee 2002) and Threatened Species Strategy (Threatened Species Unit 2000) in relation to threatened species are implemented and reviewed regularly. No further recommendations are proposed for this SoE Report. The Nature Conservation Strategy included the following actions:

• improve the Threatened Species Protection Act 1995 and streamline it with new legislation;
• identify critical habitats and facilitate public authority management agreements and other strategic processes to maximise protection on a broad-scale;
• have a greater focus on threatening processes;
• increase survey and research needed for management of threatened species;
• provide more information through plans, listing statements and expanded use of the internet;
• increase the identification of threatened invertebrates and lower plants, and assist in their protection; and
• encourage greater cooperation in recovery plans (National, State, Local Government and community), especially for migratory species and those with national and international ranges.

The following actions are recommended.

• An integrated and long-term approach to vegetation management at the landscape scale is established for forest and non-forest vegetation. This should include provisions for the assessment of applications for clearance against bioregional priorities for conservation, for monitoring and enforcement, and for independent oversight. Instruments for implementation could include legislation, planning guidelines or a State Policy on Native Vegetation Retention (see also Recommendation 14, 1997).
   
• A Statewide information system is established to provide repeatable data on changes in the health and extent of forest and non-forest vegetation. These data should be integrated with existing vegetation mapping (TASVEG), the scientific advisory group (CARSAG)-responsible for the extension of the comprehensive, adequate and representative reserve system from public to private land, and Forest Practices Board programs.
   
• Planning schemes incorporate maps from the Statewide information system to identify and protect priority native vegetation, potentially with the inclusion of a standardised schedule through the Simplifying Planning Schemes project.
   
• The principal recommendations of the RFA Review are adopted to: complete the review of the Permanent Forest Estate; increase transparency and effectiveness of the Forest Practices System; and improve forest community mapping.
   
• The strategic recommendations arising from the study of 'Landscape Change in Meander Valley' are adopted. In particular, State Government agencies should work towards monitoring and reporting reform; and regional Natural Resource Management processes should establish baselines and monitoring regimes for regional vegetation management outcomes based on a robust spatial approach.
   
• The State provide for the protection of threatened vegetation communities through an appropriate statutory framework.
   

It is recommended that actions are implemented to improve the control and management of weeds, pests and diseases in Tasmania as detailed in the Nature Conservation Strategy 2002-2006 (State Biodiversity Committee 2002), Sustainable Forest Management Reports, and the Regional Forest Agreement Five Year Review.

It is recommended that:

• community education and awareness on the need for sustainable firewood collection is supported;
   
• research is undertaken into the locations, mechanisms, scale of firewood collection, and extent and intensity of biodiversity impacts of firewood collection, particularly on hollow dependent species, woodland birds and invertebrate fauna;
   
• the practicality of promoting commercial firewood collection from post-harvest woody debris in State Forest is investigated, in order to reduce pressure on poorly reserved dry forest and woodland vegetation;
   
• mandatory registration of firewood merchants and certified purchase of firewood are investigated for Tasmania (the system could be potentially based on the National Code of Practice for Firewood Merchants with registration criteria specific to Tasmania); and
   
• the impacts of firewood collection on biodiversity values, as well as use impacts associated with emissions of particulates, are considered as part of the preparation of an energy policy for Tasmania, which recognises that, for example, alternative forms of heating can be promoted and use of insulation required for new dwellings.
   

It is recommended that:

• the adequacy of the reserve system is evaluated with respect to capacity to protect more fully representative biodiversity values for non-forest vegetation communities, riparian vegetation, off-shore islands, and wetlands;
   
• a systematic and coordinated approach is implemented to assess marine and estuarine priorities for reservation at bioregional and Statewide scales (to be applied in developing a comprehensive, adequate and representative system of marine and estuarine reserves);
   
• Tasmania's off-shore islands are managed to provide a refuge from the European fox for small mammal and ground-dwelling bird populations and, like in New Zealand, to serve as sites for threatened species translocation, or as holding areas;
   
• present initiatives to provide for nature conservation on private land are recognised and enhanced through a range of realistic incentives, financial packages, and the continuation of programs such as 'Land for Wildlife' (State Biodiversity Committee 2002);
   
• the scope and duration of the RFA Private Forest Reserve Program and the Protected Areas on Private Land are extended as key conservation tools for private land (State Biodiversity Committee 2002); and
   
• CSIRO regional climate models for Tasmania should be applied in planning for the preparation of species/habitat reservation and conservation management plans for Tasmania (see also 1997 recommendation).
   

It is recommended that:

• the State Government and regional organisations of councils prepare regional settlement strategies that integrate land use, transport, and natural resource management;
   
• population change, land supply and demand be monitored on State, regional and local levels and be used to prepare settlement strategies;
   
• key regional centres be identified for the development of amenities and services, higher-density mixed-use developments around existing and potential transport nodes;
   
• in releasing new land for subdivisions, planning authorities consider equity of access to services and amenities by residents, and the protection of environmental and resource values;
   
• demographic analysis and consultation with communities is undertaken to determine recreation and social infrastructure requirements in the planning and re-planning of residential areas;
   
• potential adverse health and safety effects are considered in the use and development of land when preparing and reviewing planning schemes and making planning decisions;
   
• assessment of sites contaminated, or potentially contaminated, by hazardous wastes comply with the guidelines set out in the National Environment Protection (Assessment of Site Contamination) Measure 1999 (see also Waste Management and Contaminated Sites); and
   
• consistent and transparent systems of headworks charges for subdivisions are implemented, which better reflect the cost to the community of development, and which promote staged and infill development in proximity to existing services wherever practicable.
   

It is recommended that:

• development of sustainable housing and 'green' buildings are encouraged for Tasmania through incentives and protocols drawing on national initiatives such as those promoted by the Green Building Council of Australia and the Australian Greenhouse Office;
   
• water sensitive urban design principles are incorporated into housing guidelines;
   
• public housing is integrated with the community and established infrastructure, services and amenities through promoting mixed use around established settlement nodes (including the inner-cities);
   
• rental affordability is monitored and opportunities to promote investment in rental housing stock are investigated;
   
• design of appropriate housing stock and flexible tenancy solutions is promoted to better reflect changes in demographic factors including housing occupancy; and
   
• a statutory requirement is established to consider Tascord in the preparation of planning schemes, planning scheme amendments, and planning decisions relating to residential development.
   

It is recommended that the State Government in partnership with local government:

• continues reductions in the number of landfill sites;
   
• supports national initiatives under the Environment Protection and Heritage Council to investigate options following the expiry of the National Packaging Covenant in 2004, including the introduction of container deposit legislation;
   
• undertakes surveys on the quantities and rates of household hazardous waste generated in Tasmania and, based on this information, investigates opportunities for educational programs about the disposal of hazardous waste;
   
• implements the key recommendation of the Natural Heritage Trust funded report by Mineral Resources Tasmania on the effects of waste disposal on groundwater quality in Tasmania (Ezzy 2002), including: implementation of methods for site investigations for future landfill sites; monitoring of groundwater, surface water and gas vapour from sites; and rehabilitation/remediation of existing sites;
   
• assesses the risks posed to human health and the environment from redevelopment of contaminated, or potentially contaminated, land (see also 'Contaminated Sites'); and
   
• finalises key reports and strategies on waste management including the Draft Tasmanian Waste Management Strategy 2000 (DPIWE 2000) to address matters such as cost recovery programs to fund hazardous waste containment and remediation works and the establishment of an interim storage facility for hazardous waste.
   

It is recommended that the Contaminated Sites Management System ensures that:

• environmental and health risks arising from the use of contaminated land are identified and the necessary remediation is undertaken;
   
• any change in the use of contaminated land to a more sensitive use includes an evaluation of the potential for adverse health and environmental impacts to enable necessary remediation to be undertaken;
   
• for orphan sites which constitute a health or environmental risk, the DPIWE undertake the necessary remediation and recover the associated costs as a charge against the land; and
   
• a database is developed, potentially linked to, or integrated with, The LIST, to identify those properties on which potentially contaminating activities have occurred (the database will initially concentrate on those potentially contaminating activities for which records are held by the Environment Division and Workplace Safety Tasmania).
   
• the assessment of sites contaminated, or potentially contaminated, by hazardous wastes comply with the guidelines set out in the National Environment Protection (Assessment of Site Contamination) Measure 1999 (see also Waste Management).
   

It is recommended that:

• protection and rehabilitation is ensured for water supply catchments and groundwater recharge zones that are relatively unaffected by human contact and largely free from environmental pollutants, through commitment to catchment and groundwater management planning programs;
   
• a more regional or Statewide approach is investigated in the provision of essential water infrastructure services, rather than the present system of highly dispersed, and locally managed and funded schemes;
   
• given that there are limited relatively pristine water supply catchments to provide the highest quality water with less treatment requirements, demand management and water pricing are applied to assist in reducing water consumption, and that commitment to water reuse and recycling schemes is maintained;
   
• Hydro-geological studies are undertaken to quantify and prioritise the risks of contamination in priority catchments and groundwater aquifers (see also Waste Management);
   
• improvement in public information on drinking water is supported through investigating the potential for expanded reporting on selected measures of water quality, such as turbidity, colour, total dissolved solids, water hardness, coliform bacteria, and selected chemical variables (data would be collected and reported in relation to the quality of natural waters harvested for water supplies and the quality of water supplied to the consumer at the tap); and
   
• programs are developed to address information and education needs for water suppliers, infrastructure providers, and water users.
   

It is recommended that:

• the Environment Protection Policy (Noise) considers the impact of noise on health, particularly for sensitive populations, as outlined in the draft enHealth document on The Non-Auditory Health Aspects of Noise (enHealth Council, unpublished draft 2002);
   
• the Environment Protection Policy (Noise) for Tasmania be finalised;
   
• a program of monitoring the acoustic environment is established to support better identification of progress towards the acoustic environmental quality objectives defined in the Draft Environment Protection Policy (Noise);
   
• monitoring and recording systems are updated to permit greater sharing of noise data among responsible agencies; and
   
• a single database for noise monitoring data, currently held by the Environment Division, is developed and existing data are entered.
   

It is recommended that:

• Tasmania Fire Service and Councils develop model amendments to planning schemes for development in bushfire prone areas;
   
• educational programs are implemented to allow the community to understand how to improve the bushfire performance of developments, including not placing developments in places where there may be unacceptable environmental costs; and
   
• Tasmanian fire authorities continue to support the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre and other research efforts to improve our understanding of the dynamics of bushfires and reduce the environmental impacts of managing bushfire risks.
   

It is recommended that:

• cultural heritage managers assess and evaluate the strategic process for the integrated identification and assessment of cultural heritage protection priorities currently being developed by the State Government and the University of Tasmania (as trialed in this SoE Report);
   
• the heritage policy and management implications of the strategic process are identified;
   
• subject to the successful evaluation of the strategic process, management approaches are implemented to respond to priorities identified; and
   
• subject to the successful implementation of the strategic process, a wider application of the process is undertaken to provide a greater coverage of cultural heritage items for the next SoE Report.
   

Complementary to this, it is also recommended that:

• comprehensive historical studies, heritage research and audits at the region, city, town or neighbourhood scale are used to augment current listing of significant places; and
   
• consideration is given to linking all registers and lists of State and Local Government cultural heritage to provide a 'one-stop-shop' that enables access to the information by the public, clients, stakeholders and data custodians.
   

It is recommended that the Tasmanian Heritage Council reviews mechanisms to best protect cultural landscapes and streetscapes, including:

• legislative amendments to provide for cultural landscape and heritage precinct protection within planning schemes;
   
• legislative amendments to give the Tasmanian Heritage Council the statutory power to control the design of new structures within those cultural landscapes/heritage precincts; and
   
• legislative amendments to give the Tasmanian Heritage Council (and/or Local Government Authorities) statutory power to assess the effect of development adjacent to a heritage listed place on that place.
   

It is recommended that:

• the Department of Tourism, Parks, Heritage and Arts investigates means to assist historic heritage property owners;
   
• State Government agencies identify heritage places within their portfolio responsibilities, explore opportunities to fully utilise heritage buildings, and incorporate heritage conservation and management procedures when undertaking Strategic Asset Management Plans;
   
• planning instruments, such as planning directives and State Policies, are investigated as instruments for the management and protection of cultural heritage; and
   
• heritage advice and communication are provided within the framework of the Historical Cultural Heritage Act 1995 and the planning system in order to inform developers and local government about the practical operation of heritage regulations, and provide conservation advice to building owners and developers.
   

It is recommended that:

• legislation is enacted, updating the out-of-date Aboriginal Relics Act 1975, to protect Aboriginal heritage;
   
• opportunities for greater community education and engagement of the non-Aboriginal community in understanding and appreciating Aboriginal heritage values are explored;
   
• formal and close liaison with the Aboriginal community in managing their heritage is established through decision-making forums and processes; and
   
• protection is provided for tangible and intangible aspects of Aboriginal heritage.
   

It is recommended that:

• opportunities are investigated to improve training in cultural resource management at a tertiary and post tertiary level for public historians, architects, planners, engineers, archaeologists, conservation tradespeople, and Aboriginal heritage officers;
   
• standards of site recording are formulated and agreed upon across the industry to allow relevant professionals and interested members of the public to carry out site recording at, or near, a professional level;
   
• opportunities are investigated to improve the advisory role of the Department of Tourism, Parks, Heritage and Arts (DTPHA) to increase the perception of Aboriginal heritage value and protection;
   
• training and monitoring of the quality of cultural heritage interpretation for tourism is supported;
   
• consideration is given to implementing educational and promotional programs to improve the levels of public and stakeholder understanding of the contribution that heritage makes to social and economic wellbeing; and
   
• the Tasmanian Heritage Office within DTPHA investigate establishing a central repository of cultural heritage resource material related to educational and promotions activities.
   

It is recommended that:

• Water Management Plans take into consideration the environmental flow requirements for coastal wetlands and estuaries as required in the Water Management Act 1999;
   
• the dependence of coastal wetlands and estuaries on the maintenance of freshwater systems, water quality and environmental flow requirements is recognised in regional and catchment-based Natural Resource Management plans;
   
• the successful partnership approach between local councils and the State Government established for the Derwent Estuary Program is applied as a model for other estuaries;
   
• Protected Environmental Values and Water Quality Objectives are defined for estuarine and coastal waters;
   
• local government environmental strategies and planning schemes take into consideration the requirements of the coastal and marine environment;
   
• building on the existing programs by the Tasmanian Aquaculture and Fisheries Institute, monitoring of water quality and habitat is undertaken for coasts and estuaries to support integrated management;
   
• integration of monitoring and reporting mechanisms is promoted where practicable (e.g. the Tasmanian Node of the Australian Coastal Atlas and Seamap Tasmania) as means to disseminate natural resource management data on the coastal and marine environment; and
   
• a marine planning system, potentially similar to that covering land, is established to ensure that resource management planning and conservation planning take place in an integrated and transparent manner within the Resource Management and Planning System.
   

It is recommended that:

• responses identified in the National Taskforce (SCC/SCFA 2000) report to prevent and manage marine pests in Australia are implemented in Tasmania;
   
• research is undertaken into the distribution of marine pests and their impacts on Tasmanian estuarine and marine species and ecosystems;
   
• ways to minimise the translocation of marine pests already in the State are assessed and implemented;
   
• a Code of Practice for boat owners is developed to decrease the risk of translocation of marine pests via hull fouling;
   
• port baseline surveys are completed for all first ports of call (data from these surveys should then be used to develop a program of ongoing monitoring to improve the State's early warning capabilities and to maintain the currency of the baseline data); and
   
• education programs continue to focus on early warning of new pest incursions and reducing the translocation risk.
   

It is recommended that:

• information is compiled on the Statewide extent of coastal, estuarine and marine habitats, species and ecosystems, their conservation status, commercial and recreational resources and productivity (this information is required to support the assessment and establishment of a comprehensive, adequate and representative system of marine protected areas at a Statewide scale);
   
• information gained from these initiatives would be made available through on-line systems such as Seamap, the Tasmanian Node of the Australian Coastal Atlas, and The Land Information System Tasmania (LIST);
   
• management plans for existing and newly proclaimed Marine Protected Areas are prepared and implemented, taking into account the integrated management of catchments, coasts and estuaries (see recommendation);
   
• habitat management plans are implemented for coastal, estuarine and marine waters, as prescribed under Living Marine Resources Management Act 1995;
   
• the critical conservation role of Tasmania's offshore islands is recognised, and pest impacts and other threatening processes are managed on these islands; and
   
• up-to-date information is developed, maintained and disseminated on the distribution of, and management prescriptions for, threatened species and ecological communities.
   

It is recommended that:

• wild fisheries are managed, assessed and reported using ecologically sustainable development principles, and these processes are extended to local fisheries, as well as export fisheries;
   
• by-catch estimates from wild fisheries are researched and published. Efforts should also be made to mitigate by-catch, especially where the by-catch species are protected or threatened species;
   
• precautionary approaches are applied in those commercial fisheries whose stock status is unknown, where fishing effort is increasing, or where other trigger points are reached; and
   
• based on the findings of the National Recreational and Indigenous Fishing Survey (Henry & Lyle 2003), strategies are implemented to support the sustainability of these practices in Tasmania, and to support integrated management of commercial and recreational fishing resources.
   

It is recommended that:

• environmental monitoring and reporting guidelines for marine farming are finalised and implemented, and access and sharing of environmental monitoring information is promoted between industry, research organisations, community and government;
   
• nutrient loads in Tasmanian estuaries are assessed and research is undertaken into the impacts on estuarine and coastal ecosystems arising from land-based activities and marine farms;
   
• planning systems provide for the adaptive management of land-based activities that may impact on the sustainable conservation, management, use and development of the State's marine resources;
   
• ecologically sustainable development principles are recognised and reported against for fisheries providing feed stock for marine farming (these may include interstate fisheries;
   
• further research and monitoring is undertaken to more effectively manage the interactions between marine finfish farms and marine birds and mammals; and
   
• environmental flow requirements for marine farming are considered as part of the Integrated Management of Catchments, Coasts and Estuaries (see also Integrated Management of Catchments, Coasts and Estuaries).
   

It is recommended that:

• the vulnerability of coastal settlements and infrastructure in the Tasmanian coastal zone is assessed and mapped;
   
• in order to assist in understanding and predicting coastal impacts, attention is directed to improving the resolution of The Land Information System Tasmania (LIST) core land information data, such as contour heights in susceptible coastal areas;
   
• coastal vulnerability to climate change, including adaptation principles, are included as priorities within the State Coastal Policy;
   
• coastal vulnerability is included as a schedule for planning schemes in local government areas with potentially vulnerable coastlines; and
   
• the Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment initiate an information and awareness program.
   

It is recommended that:

• A 'Sustainability Framework' is developed to guide the preparation and review of key environmental and natural resource provisions arising through: legislation; agency and council strategic plans, policies, strategies and management plans; State, regional and bilateral partnership agreements; regional strategies; planning schemes; and major projects.
   
• The sustainability framework should identify opportunities to apply the range of existing mechanisms of governance, including State Sustainable Development Policies.
   
• A 10 year review of the operation of the RMPS is undertaken with the involvement of the different spheres of government, the community, and industry in the State.
   
• The review considers the capacity of the system to deliver the RMPS objectives in the light of current and emerging environmental and natural resource issues, including those that may result in increasing public cost (e.g. coastal vulnerability to inundation).
   
• Regional Plans are implemented (e.g. Greater Hobart and Launceston) in order to develop shared and consistent solutions to issues, such as regionally important skylines, vegetation retention, access to services for outlying areas, sustainable transport solutions, flexible housing solutions, and integrated infrastructure planning.
   

It is recommended that:

• whole-of-government mechanisms are implemented to improve coordination in monitoring and data sharing in environmental and natural resources issues between all spheres of government, including government business enterprises;
   
• consolidation of the web-based delivery of environmental information is undertaken wherever practicable to reduce duplication of effort while ensuring statutory responsibilities are delivered and effective and timely community access to information is provided;
   
• as part of the 10 year review of the RMPS, an independent review is also undertaken of State of the Environment reporting in Tasmania including timeliness, coverage, comparisons with interstate programs, and readership of reports; and
   
• opportunities are investigated, as part of the review of the State of the Environment Report, to improve collaboration in content and timing of State of the Forests and State of the Environment reports, including data sharing arrangements.
   

It is recommended that:

• opportunities for government-industry-University of Tasmania partnership arrangements are investigated to support critical research. These may be based on the successful Tasmanian Aquaculture and Fisheries Institute (TAFI) and Tasmanian Institute of Agricultural Research (TIAR) approaches;
   
• opportunities for the implementation of user pay systems for environmental and natural resource management are assessed and evaluated by the Department of Treasury and Finance and the Tasmanian Audit Office (priorities could include charges for disposal of waste to landfill and user pay systems for users of parks currently experiencing unsustainable levels of usage, and other priorities identified through this report and those identified through State and regional NRM processes);
   
• joint agency investment in critical core datasets is promoted (examples would include remotely sensed satellite data including Landsat and SPOT and water quality and quantity data); and
   
• rate and land tax rebates are applied consistently and transparently for private land held for conservation benefits.