Appendix 2: Conservation General Policy – chapter 7 extract

The 2005 Conservation General Policy states, in Chapter 7: Conservation Beyond Public Conservation Lands and Waters, that:

7(a) The Department should work cooperatively to develop effective working relationships with people and organisations to protect natural resources, historical and cultural heritage, and public access.

7(b) The Department when managing public conservation lands and waters should work cooperatively with its neighbours to seek mutually satisfactory solutions to cross-boundary issues.

7(c) The Department should undertake statutory advocacy to protect the values of public conservation lands and waters where necessary.

7(d) The Department should undertake statutory advocacy to protect natural resources and historical and cultural heritage outside public conservation lands and waters for the benefit and enjoyment of the public, including public access, in particular where:

i. the resource or heritage is of international, national or regional significance; or

ii. indigenous terrestrial or aquatic species or recreational freshwater fisheries are threatened with loss or decline; or

iii. significant marine or freshwater habitats and ecosystems are threatened with loss or decline; or

iv. significant geological or geothermal features or landforms are at risk of permanent degradation; or

v. activities taking place or proposed in places linked to public conservation lands and waters could have adverse effects on them; or

vi. proposed activities are likely to cause further loss, degradation or fragmentation of significant places; or

vii. important linkages between significant places can be maintained or improved; or

viii. representativeness of the full range of indigenous habitats and ecosystems can be maintained or improved; or

ix. natural character of the coastal environment and the margins of lakes and rivers would be compromised; or

x. recreational freshwater fisheries are threatened with loss or decline; or

xi. public walking access to rivers, lakes or the coast and to public conservation lands and waters is inadequate.

7(e) The Department may support the protection efforts and conservation advocacy of other people and organisations.