Management for nature conservation
State of the Parks Fourth Edition
Victoria’s parks are important for conservation of representative and adequate examples of the State’s biodiversity and ecological processes. Victoria’s parks are home to many of the state’s largest and least disturbed ecosystems, as well as many of its most threatened species and communities. Parks also play an important role in protecting remnant vegetation in urban areas.
Sections
Extent and representation of natural assets in parks
Status and management of key threats to park ecosystems
Key factors influencing management effectiveness (other than resourcing)
Improved management actions
- Implementation of well-planned, resourced and monitored weed, pest and habitat restoration initiatives at priority parks (e.g. Mallee, Grampians, Alps).
- Excellent delivery partnerships (e.g. with Catchment Management Authorities, volunteers, other government departments) enabled larger-scale delivery of environmental programs (e.g. large-scale revegetation in mallee parks).
- Improved clarity of management objectives for priority parks through conservation action planning.
- Targeted compliance programs (e.g. firewood removal).
- Targeted marine and terrestrial monitoring programs and partnerships in several priority parks (e.g. Great Otway, Yarra Ranges, Alpine), providing valuable knowledge.
Challenges
- Some parks were still in recovery phase from recent large-scale bushfires (e.g. Grampians, Yarra Ranges).
- Improved environmental and climatic conditions also resulted in favourable conditions for spread of weeds.
- Lack of effective management strategies for some key and emerging pest animals (e.g. feral cats, deer).
- Complex and diverse stakeholder views on appropriate strategies for some environmental threats, such as feral horses.
- Ageing baseline datasets for species composition and condition.
- Challenges in reconciling planned burns for community safety and conservation objectives.
- Time-lag in management response to changes in environmental conditions.
- Difficult access to some parks.
Future focus
- Ensure that programs align with goals and contribute to targets under Protecting Victoria’s Environment - Biodiversity 2037 strategy.
- Continue to roll out conservation action planning priority landscapes to identify clear and measurable objectives for both priority conservation assets and for the key threats to them, as well as development of effective strategies for management, priorities for actions and priorities for monitoring.
- Grow targeted compliance plans and programs to reduce illegal activities.
- Continue to build on the science program, including leverage through the research partners panel and partnered, targeted monitoring projects to enable more quantitative information to supplement the qualitative assessments used for State of the Parks.
- Undertake further planning and assessment and response to respond to climate change impacts.
- Continue to work closely with DEWLP to ensure that all planned burns optimise ecological objectives.
- Plan for and respond to emerging issues/changing environmental conditions.
- Increase the profile of the parks estate’s significant environmental values through digital media and other initiatives.
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