The Australian government describes a protected area as ‘a clearly defined geographical space, recognised, dedicated and managed through legal or other effective means to achieve the long-term conservation of nature with associated ecosystem services and cultural values.’

National parks are generally managed by state and territory governments, and are one of the best known and most extensive types of protected area. The national reserve system also contains Commonwealth reserves, Indigenous lands, protected areas run by non-profit conservation organisations and areas of ecosystem that are protected by farmers on working agricultural properties.

First and foremost, the purpose of Australia’s national parks and many other protected areas is for conservation of our biodiversity and natural landscapes. Creating reserves puts in place secure, long-term arrangements to ensure that land is used to support conservation, and is a low-cost, high leverage strategy compared with other conservation actions.

The reserve system provides important habitat for native species that are under pressure from land clearing and overexploitation in other areas.  Highly protected reserves, such as national parks, are the only conservation strategy that is associated with the stabilisation and recovery of threatened species populations.

As well as being important for conservation of local species, national parks are the cornerstone of broader conservation efforts. Connectivity projects such as landscape-scale corridors are supported by a series of core large protected areas, which can then be linked by conservation and restoration work on private and public lands in between them.

National parks and reserves have other important benefits, beyond biodiversity conservation.

• Culture and heritage: They protect many Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal heritage places and artefacts, and provide access to cultural places and resources. Some protected areas are owned, or jointly managed, by Aboriginal people. The natural reserve system also protects features of geological significance, such as cave systems.

• Public access and accountability: Critics of national parks and protected areas sometimes claim that national parks are “locked up” land. However, the opposite is true: our national park system allows the public to access and enjoy many of the diverse and spectacular natural areas of NSW, whilst also protecting them for future generations to enjoy. They also provide places for education and scientific study. Public ownership of the protected area system ensures that there is ongoing professional management that is publicly accountable and supported by financial investment from the government; public participation in management planning; and public access to most areas with visitor facilities provided in many locations.

• Economic values: Intact natural areas provide a variety of resources and processes that benefit human society, known as 'ecosystem services'. These include processes such as water catchment and filtration, air quality control, pollination and carbon capture and storage. In addition, the reserve system generates jobs in tourism, park management and capital works and income from visitors.

The Federal Government’s National Reserve System (NRS) website provides detailed information about Australia’s protected areas, and lays out the goals and principles underpinning the system. NPAC supports the good work being done to expand and manage the NRS, but advocates for further development of this system to protect the full range of Australia’s unique landscapes.

Australia’s current reserve system represents a significant conservation achievement, consisting of more than 10,000 reserves covering over 16% of the country. However, it needs to be expanded further to ensure the survival of many native species. Currently, only 30% of threatened species have an adequate amount of their habitat protected in reserves. However, scientific estimates indicate that, by building on the current reserve system, we could provide adequate habitat protection for all threatened species by placing as little as 18% of the continent in strategically chosen reserves.

The reserve system also needs further development to ensure that it protects Australia’s diverse landscapes. The goal of the National Reserve System is to develop and manage a comprehensive, adequate and representative national system of protected areas that contains samples of the full range of regional ecosystems in Australia. These areas need to be sufficiently large and well-designed to ensure that ecological communities, populations and ecological processes are maintained in the long term, and are resilient to the threats they face. In order to meet this goal, more work is required to fill gaps in the representation of significant ecosystems.

Australia is divided into 88 bioregions, which are large areas that are characterised by particular natural features, geology and environmental processes, and distinctive ecosystems and species. These are further divided into subregions.  Based on 2012 figures from the Collaborative Australian Protected Area Database (CAPAD), all 88 Australian bioregions have some representation within the reserve system, but 34 of these currently have less than 10% of their area protected. At a finer scale, more than half of Australia’s 419 subregions have less than 10% of their area protected, with 37 of these having no protection at all.

Maps showing the level of protection of bioregions across Australia, and further data about Australia’s protected areas, are available from the Federal Government’s National Reserve System website.

NPAC believes that Australians need a national park acquisitions program that can:

- Deliver core habitat protection and connectivity to other protected areas

- Leverage funds from State Governments, Conservancies and Indigenous conservation partners committed to enduring conservation management

- Harness the commitment and passion of Traditional Owners for looking after their country and deliver cross-portfolio Indigenous outcomes

NPAC’s ‘Jewel in the Crown’ campaign provides a vision of a national park legacy for all Australians, and includes a number of recommendations for reinvigorating and prioritising the national parks system.

Australia’s national parks and protected areas are the jewel in our conservation crown, and are a legacy for all Australians. They are critical for protecting biodiversity and natural areas, and are the cornerstone of conservation efforts across Australia. They also contribute greatly to Australian society and have significant economic values.

Australia’s extensive national reserve system is a visible, enduring conservation legacy, which provides secure, long term, cost effect conservation of natural areas. Reserves play an important role in conserving native and threatened species, by protecting their habitat from human pressures. They are also national icons, showcasing Australia’s unique landscapes and wildlife to the world.

NPAC’s ‘Jewel in the Crown’ campaign lays out a vision for strengthening Australia’s national parks legacy and seeks to influence governments to adopt a range of strategies for reinvigorating and prioritising the national reserve system.

The primary purpose of national parks and similar protected areas is for the conservation of biodiversity and natural areas. Unfortunately, in recent times, the conservation values of parks have come under serious threat from recreational, commercial and political pressures. These pressures represent a shift in priorities by Governments, politicians and sections of the community. This shift seems to be founded on a failure to understand the intrinsic value of healthy, protected natural environments and the crucial role they play in sustaining human wellbeing, society and the economy.

Many State Governments within Australia have been introducing policies and projects that seriously threaten the conservation values of national parks. One major area of threat is the exploitation of natural resources within protected areas. For example, the Queensland, NSW and Victorian governments have all tried to introduce grazing into national parks. Similarly, the NSW and Victorian governments have introduced logging trials in national parks along the Murray River, and the NSW government permitted fishing within formerly no-take sanctuary zones inside marine parks.

Although visitation and recreation are an important function of national parks, these must be compatible with conservation values. The introduction of inappropriate, high impact recreational activities poses a serious threat to our protected areas. For example, in 2012, the NSW government attempted to introduce recreational hunting into NSW national parks. Other high impact activities that are being expanded in national parks in several states include horse riding, four-wheel driving and fossicking. Similarly, many State Governments are allowing and actively encouraging inappropriate, large-scale commercial tourism developments within parks. These developments are likely to damage environmental values and disadvantage non-paying visitors.

National parks and the staff who maintain them are also being threatened by budget cuts in many states, which compromise the ability of Parks Services to manage, promote and expand the protected area system.

Traditionally, the federal government has played a role in regulating decisions that may impact upon “Matters of National Environmental Significance”, which include threatened species and National and World Heritage areas. However, in response to pressure from business and industry groups, the Federal Government has sought to hand over its approval powers to State Governments. In the past, these federal controls prevented State Governments from making environmentally devastating decisions like damming the Franklin River, allowing oil rigs in the Great Barrier Reef and letting cattle grazing in sensitive alpine areas. Removing this system of checks and balances allows State Governments free rein to exploit natural areas for financial and political gain, and poses a very serious threat to Australia’s natural areas and native species.

National parks and protected areas are some of Australia’s most important public assets, and have widespread community support and recognition. NPAC is seeking clear commitments from all political parties and all levels of government to protect the integrity and security of national parks and protected areas for future generations.

State and Territory Governments, who are largely responsible for creating, managing and funding parks, must show leadership by resisting proposals that exploit and harm the conservation values of national parks. The Australian government has a pivotal role to play in defining and implementing a national park vision for all Australians to enjoy and benefit from.

NPAC is advocating for a national park acquisitions program that can deliver core habitat protection and connectivity to other protected areas; leverage funds from State Governments, Conservancies and Indigenous conservation partners committed to enduring conservation management; and harness the commitment and passion of Traditional Owners for looking after their country and deliver cross-portfolio Indigenous outcomes.

In order to achieve these goals, NPAC recommends:

1. Providing $500 million over five years for strategic National Park acquisitions across Australia.

2. Reforming the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 to improve the security of our national parks and list these areas as Matters of National Environmental Significance.

3. Focusing future national park and other protected area acquisitions on critical habitats including climate change connections and refugia sites.

4. Developing national conservation land management standards that ensure national parks retain the values that led to their gazettal.

NPAC has met with Federal politicians from all political parties to provide them with copies of the Jewel in the Crown document, and discuss how they can play a vital role in protecting and developing Australia’s national parks legacy.