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Objective

Recommendation

Key issues

Actions taken

Objective

To enhance biodiversity conservation.

Recommendation

It is recommended that the Department of Environment and Land Management develops a strategy to implement an off-reserve biodiversity conservation program through the use of appropriate management planning and cooperative arrangements.

Key issues

This information is available from Volume 2 of the last SoE Report (SDAC 1997), which can be downloaded. The final objective, final recommendation, and a summary of key management actions are detailed below.

Actions taken

Off-reserve conservation has been one of the most important mechanisms for achieving conservation progress since the first SoE Report (1997). It has been one of the key programs funded through the Natural Heritage Trust and the Regional Forest Agreement. The Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment established a Private Forest Reserves Unit in July 1998 to promote the system of comprehensive adequate and representative (CAR) forest reserves on private land in Tasmania. As of November 2003, 150 properties had been secured with perpetual conservation covenants over about 26,846 ha of targeted native forest.

The Department of Primary Industries, Water Environment has also developed a Protected Areas on Private Land Program, with Natural Heritage Trust assistance. With landholder approval, areas of non-forest conservation significance as well as forested areas that do not meet the priorities of the Private Forest Reserve Program are covenanted. Land Tax relief and rate rebates are available in some municipalities as incentives.

Other key initiatives have been implemented through Bush Heritage, the Tasmanian Land Conservancy, Land for Wildlife, Bushcare, and Greening Australia.