Director of National Parks Annual Report 2009-10
© Director of National Parks, 2010 | ISSN 1443-1238
Opening statements
Our mission
To assist the Minister and the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts in the conservation and appreciation of Australia's biological diversity and associated cultural heritage through leadership and cooperation in the management of Australia's protected areas, building knowledge of Australia's biodiversity and working with Indigenous Australians.
Our values and approaches
As part of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts portfolio, Parks Australia commits to professionalism as a major public service institution serving the Government and Minister in accordance with the values of the Australian Public Service and specific departmental values:
- caring for the environment
- respecting and responding to the values of Indigenous landowners and other partners
- engaging with and responding to stakeholders
- providing leadership and being active team contributors
- committing to learning and development
- committing to excellence in our operations
- accepting responsibility and being accountable
- acting with integrity and achieving results.
Objectives are achieved by:
- basing our work on the best available information and analysis
- working in partnerships to improve environmental, cultural and heritage outcomes
- communicating and influencing effectively
- valuing and investing in our people to develop their capabilities
- effectively managing risks
- developing and delivering high quality policies and programs
- managing change in a strategic and flexible manner
- monitoring and managing performance to ensure cost-effective outcomes are delivered.
Managing the Australian Government's protected areas
An organisational snapshot
The Director of National Parks is the statutory agency responsible for the Australian Government's protected area estate, both terrestrial and marine. The Director is assisted by Parks Australia, a division of the Australian Government Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, in carrying out the Director's responsibilities for management of terrestrial reserves. Management of marine reserves is undertaken by the Department's Marine Division and the Australian Antarctic Division.
In 2009-10, the Director of National Parks:
- managed seven terrestrial reserves comprising six national parks and the Australian National Botanic Gardens
- through the Marine Division and the Australian Antarctic Division of the Department, managed 26 marine reserves and two conservation zones
- managed Calperum and Taylorville Stations via a contract with Austland Services Pty Ltd
- employed 290 full-time equivalent staff around Australia
- recorded a total price of outputs of $66.7 million.
Major highlights and issues for 2009-10
- The fifth management plan for Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park came into effect
- Booderee National Park won the national Indigenous Tourism award in the 2009 Qantas Australian Tourism Awards and was awarded a commendation in the best tourism attraction category
- Despite the enormous efforts of park staff, scientists, zookeepers and vets, the rescue mission for the pipistrelle bat on Christmas Island was unsuccessful and the species is now believed to be extinct
- The Australian National Botanic Gardens took on a leadership role to coordinate Australia's diverse seedbank efforts that secure the future of native plants that may be under threat in the wild
- Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park's new viewing area, called Talinguru Nyakunytjaku was officially opened
- While small mammal populations continued to decline across northern Australia, biodiversity surveys at Anlarr and Mamukala in Kakadu National Park resulted in one of the best trapping results for years, indicating that these areas may be an important refuge for small mammal populations.
Figure 1: Locations of Commonwealth parks and reserves managed by the Director of National Parks in 2009-10
