Nature conservation > Biodiversity > Conserving biodiversity

Protected areas

Protected areas are the keystone for conservation. They play a vital role in the survival of the earth as a sustainable, functioning ecosystem, and are critical for the future of all people and for the diversity of other living things.

Protected areas alone will not ensure that biodiversity and ecological processes are conserved. However, most countries rely on a protected areas system to maintain the diversity of ecosystems, species and wild genetic resources.

Functions and benefits of a protected area system (Source: IUCN, UNEP, WWF 1992)

A protected area system provides safeguards for:

natural and modified systems that are essential for maintaining life-support systems, conserving wild species and areas of particularly high species diversity, and supporting scientific research;
culturally important landscapes (including places that demonstrate harmonious interactions between people and nature), historic monuments, and other heritage sites in built-up areas; sustainable use of wild resources in modified ecosystems;
traditional, sustainable use of ecosystems in sacred places or traditional sites of harvesting by indigenous peoples; and
recreational and educational uses of natural, modified and cultivated ecosystems.

Protected areas can be especially important for development when they:

conserve water and soil in zones that are highly erodible if the original vegetation is removed, notably the steep slopes and upper catchments and river banks;
regulate and purify water flow, notably by protecting wetlands and forests;
shield people from natural disasters, such as floods and storm surges, by protecting water-shed forests, riverine wetlands, coral reefs, mangroves and coastal wetlands;
maintain natural vegetation on soils of inherently low productivity that would, if transformed, yield little of value to human communities;
maintain wild genetic resources or species important to medicine;
protect species and populations that are highly sensitive to human disturbance;
provide habitat that is critical to harvested, migratory or threatened species for breeding, feeding or resting; and
provide income and employment, notably from tourism.

Under the Nature Conservation Act 1992, different types of protected areas can be declared to protect Queensland's biological diversity and outstanding natural and cultural features.

Protected areas, mostly national parks, currently conserve examples of many Queensland’s ecosystems. Almost 4 percent of the state or 6·8 million hectares is protected.

There are 11 types of protected area:
National park (scientific)
National park
National park (Aboriginal land)
National park (Torres Strait Islander land)
National Park (recovery)
Conservation park
Resources reserve
Nature refuge
Co-ordinated conservation area
Wilderness area
World Heritage management area
International agreement area

Some are state land. Others can include private lands. The Act recognises the value of privately-owned lands for nature conservation. Making a living from the land and conserving wildlife can be compatible.

The management principles for the different classes of protected areas are outlined in sections 16–26 of the Nature Conservation Act 1992 and summarised here:

Protected area	Management principles	Land tenure	Number and area 30 June 2003
National park (scientific)	Managed to protect the area's scientific values, natural processes and biological diversity and to provide for controlled scientific study. Allows for habitat manipulation and control of threatening processes to protect threatened species.	State land	7 52 176 ha 0.03% of Queensland
National park	Managed to provide to greatest possible extent for permanent preservation of the natural condition and to protect the cultural resources and values. (This is the cardinal principle.) Also managed to present the cultural and natural resources and values. Any use is to be ecologically sustainable and nature-based.	State land	212 6710715 ha 3.9% of Queensland
Conservation park	Managed to conserve and present the cultural and natural resources and values and permanently conserve the natural condition to the greatest possible extent. Any commercial use of the area’s natural resources is to be ecologically sustainable.	State land	176 42 319 ha 0.02% of Queensland
Resources reserve	Managed to recognise and protect, if appropriate, the area's cultural and natural resources, provide for the controlled use of the area's cultural and natural resources and maintain the area in a predominantly natural condition. Commercial forestry is not allowed.	State land	39 347 858 ha 0.2% of Queensland
National park (Aboriginal land)	Managed as a national park but as far as practicable in a way consistent with Aboriginal tradition.	Aboriginal land leased to the Crown, or leasehold land subleased to the Crown
National park (Torres Strait Islander land)	Managed as for a national ark but as far as practicable in a way consistent with Island custom.	Torres Strait Islander land leased to the Crown, or leasehold land subleased to the Crown
Nature refuge	Managed to conserve significant natural resources, provide for controlled use of natural resources, provide for interests of landholders to be considered.	Overlays existing tenure/s Involves more than one landholder	97 61 948 ha 0.03% of Queensland
Co-ordinated conservation area	Managed to conserve natural and cultural values through coordinated management, take account of values including recreational, educational and commercial values, provide for interests of landholders to be maintained.	Overlays existing tenure/s	1 1170 ha
Wilderness area	Managed to protect or restore wilderness values and cultural and natural resources to greatest possible extent, preserve the capacity to evolve in the absence of significant human interference, provide opportunity for solitude and self-reliant recreational and spiritual activities.	Overlays existing tenure/s
World Heritage management Aaea	Managed to meet international obligations, protect internationally outstanding cultural and natural resources and biodiversity and transmit the world heritage values to future generations.	Overlays existing tenure/s
International agreement areas	Managed to maintain area's importance to nature of significant international concern, and conserve wildlife habitat, provide for interests of landholders to be considered.	Overlays existing tenure/s

National parks
Most protected areas in Queensland are national parks. The cardinal management principle for national parks is preservation of the natural condition to the greatest possible extent. Protecting cultural resources is also important.

National parks (scientific)
Established to protect places or species with exceptional scientific value, this type of protected area gives a high level of protection for nature. Scientific study and monitoring are allowed under strict conditions, and parks can be managed as necessary to control threatening processes. Entry to a national park (scientific) is by special permit and there is no provision for recreational use. Epping Forest, the site of the last remaining colony of the endangered northern hairy-nosed wombat, is a national park (scientific).

National park (Aboriginal land) and National park (Torres Strait Islander land)
National parks made available for claim under the Aboriginal Land Act 1991 or the Torres Strait Islander Land Act 1991 can also be made national park (Aboriginal land) or national park (Torres Strait Islander land). These areas are managed as national parks but, as far as practical, any Aboriginal tradition or Torres Strait Islander custom which apply to the area are respected and protected.

Traditional use of native plants and animals is possible, according to a management plan. For example, hunting some native animals might be allowed on such parks under certain conditions.

Fourteen national parks in Cape York Peninsula plus the Simpson Desert National Park have been made available for claim. None has yet been made national park (Aboriginal land). When a national park is successfully claimed, before it can become a national park (Aboriginal land), these actions must first happen:

A board of management must be established
A management plan must be prepared in co-operation with the board of management and the traditional owners; and
A lease to the State must be negotiated.

National Park (recovery)

managed to protect or restore, to the greatest possible extent, the park’s natural condition and protect its cultural resources and values so that it can be dedicated as a national park;
provide for manipulation of the park’s natural resources to restore its conservation values;
ensure any commercial or other use of the park’s natural resources to restore its conservation values is consistent with an approved regeneration plan for the park;
ensure any other use of the park is nature-based.

Conservation parks
Conservation parks are managed to protect and present nature and cultural heritage. Most become conservation parks because they do not meet the strict management criteria for national park classification. Queensland’s 176 conservation parks currently protect 42 319 hectares.Like national parks, conservation parks are managed:

To conserve and present the area's cultural and natural resources and their values
To permanently conserve the area's natural condition

However, a greater range of activities can be undertaken on conservation parks. Any commercial use of the area's natural resources such as fishing and grazing must be ecologically sustainable. Educational activities and nature-based recreation are encouraged.

Conservation parks can be managed by trustees such as a local government.

Conservation parks protect and manage scientific sites and special natural features such as the turtle rookery at Mon Repos and dinosaur tracks at Lark Quarry.

Resources reserve
Resources reserves are declared over land which has high conservation value but cannot be reserved as national or conservation park, for example, areas subject to fossicking, mining or intensive tourism. More than 300 000 hectares are protected in 39 resources reserves in Queensland.

Resources reserves are managed to:

recognise and protect the area's cultural and natural resources;
provide for the controlled use of those resources; and
ensure the area is kept mainly in a natural condition.

Trustees can be appointed to manage a resources reserve. An example of this type of protected area is Palmer River Goldfields Resources Reserve in north Queensland.

Nature refuge
Under the Nature Conservation Act, a private landholder can help protect native wildlife and wildlife habitat by having that property declared a nature refuge.

A nature refuge can be declared over any land, State or freehold, to protect significant natural resources such as wildlife habitat and provide for controlled use of those natural resources, taking account of the landholder's interests.

Properties which could become nature refuges might:

have significant wildlife values;
provide a wildlife refuge during drought;
contain special features such as geological formations or fossils; or
contain rare and/or threatened plants and animals or communities

Once a property (or part of a property) becomes a nature refuge, a voluntary conservation agreement is developed to protect the land's conservation value and guide the way the property is managed. This agreement is between the Minister for Environment and the landholder and may be binding on future landholders.

Every agreement is tailored to suit the particular needs of the property in question.

Activities and likely management are detailed in the conservation agreement. The property can still be used for agriculture, grazing, timber production and tourism, provided those activities are ecologically sustainable. Public access is not allowed.

Management actions such as controlled burning to minimise wildfires, weed control and feral animal removal are allowed.

What are the advantages?

The property becomes part of the statewide network of places which protect Queensland’s wildlife and biodiversity.
Wildlife conservation goes hand in hand with ecologically sustainable use.
The property’s conservation value is protected.
The landholder can call upon the Department of Environment for advice about managing the property for conservation.

A nature refuge can be declared without the landholder's consent if no agreement can be reached and the Minister is satisfied that the area is important for nature conservation. Where this happens, the landholder can be compensated if detrimentally affected by any restriction or prohibition placed on existing land use.

Department of Environment staff provide advice to landholders on the best ways to protect wildlife and habitat on nature refuges.

If you think your property has value for wildlife and should be considered for a nature refuge, contact your nearest Department of Environment office for more information.

Coordinated conservation area
Private landowners can also join together with other landholders to form a co-ordinated conservation area. A co-ordinated conservation area provides for consistent management of adjacent areas of varying tenure to conserve the area's natural and cultural values, and take account of educational, commercial, recreational and other values. Landholder interests must be maintained. Queensland has one co-ordinated conservation area.

Wilderness area
Wilderness areas are managed to protect or restore wilderness values and maintain such areas without significant human interference. Wilderness areas can be declared over various tenures including national park.

World Heritage management area
Any area on the World Heritage list can be protected under this category.

If an area were declared a World Heritage management area, the area would be managed to:

meet international obligations;
protect the outstanding cultural and natural resources and biological diversity of the area; and
convey the area's World Heritage values to the community.

A management plan must be prepared before a World Heritage management area can be declared. No areas have been declared.

International agreement area
Where an international treaty exists to protect nature, international agreement areas can be established to maintain the area's conservation importance and conserve the area's wildlife. Landholder activities might be restricted to protect wildlife, but landholder interests must be taken into account. A management plan must be prepared before the area can be declared.

This type of protection is useful for wetlands and migratory species such as birds. Bowling Green Bay and Moreton Bay are examples.

Protected areas in Queensland as at 30 June 2003

Type of protected area	Number	Area (ha)	Percent of Queensland
National parks (scientific)	7	52 180	0.03
Conservation parks	176	42,319	0.02
National parks	212	6,710,715	3.88
Resources reserves	39	347 858	0.20
Nature refuges	97	61,948	0.03
Co-ordinated conservation area	1	1 170	0.0007
Total	532	7 216 190	4.1617

Last updated: 28 November 2003

Biodiversity

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Protected areas