Regional pest management strategies
Finalisation of Regional Pest Management Strategies 2012-2017
The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is currently preparing new Regional Pest Management Strategies for weed and pest animal management of national parks and reserves across NSW.
The strategies have been prepared to provide a strategic approach to pest management on lands managed by the NPWS under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974. The strategies aim to minimise adverse impacts of pests on biodiversity, protected areas and the community. The strategies achieve this through identifying and focusing on the highest priority programs, ensuring that actions are achievable and delivering measurable outcomes. These strategies recognise that pest species are a problem across the landscape. Programs are developed and often carried out in collaboration with neighbours, other government agencies, Livestock Health and Pest Authorities, local councils, regional pest committees, universities and community groups.
As part of the process of developing these strategies, a comprehensive stakeholder and community consultation process was undertaken from August to November 2011, to identify areas of interest and issues which needed to be addressed.
Fifteen regional consultation forums were held across NSW and were attended by more than 380 stakeholders. NPWS would like to thank all those who attended the consultation forums. This involvement was greatly appreciated and the contributions will help to ensure the Regional Pest Management Strategies for 2012 to 2017 result in improved outcomes for the environment, as well as for rural communities and agricultural enterprises who neighbour national parks.
Following regional forums, a state-level stakeholder roundtable forum was held on 15 November 2011. It was hosted by the Minister for the Environment and attended by high level representatives from government departments and non-government organisations involved in pest management across NSW. The outcomes of the forum were positive with agreement to improve coordination of pest management across the landscape in NSW.
In 2011, each of the 14 NPWS regions prepared a Draft Regional Pest Management Strategy. These strategies were placed on public exhibition from 6 December 2011 until 29 February 2012. All submissions received are currently being considered as part of the finalisation of the strategies. NPWS would like to thank all those who submitted comments on the draft strategies.
Electronic copies of the strategies (2012-2017) will be finalised and available for download in the first half of 2013. They will also be available as paper copies from NPWS offices across NSW.
Page last updated: 07 May 2013
