Address: Main Office: John Gorton Building

Biodiscovery

Australia’s biodiversity offers vast potential for both fundamental and applied scientific research, which will generate applications with economic, social and environmental value—for example, in agriculture, bioremediation, alternative fuels and drug design.

The department manages a regulatory and policy framework for access to native genetic resources in Commonwealth areas and sharing the benefits arising from their use. The purpose of the framework is to provide legal certainty for researchers and innovators, ensure sustainable use and obtain tangible benefits for Australia and the conservation of Australia’s biodiversity.

During 2010–11 the department continued to provide policy advice for Australia’s negotiations on an international regime for access and benefit-sharing leading to the adoption of the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilisation (the Nagoya Protocol). After the Nagoya Protocol was adopted, the department became responsible for overseeing the signature and ratification process. Consultations to inform the Australian Government’s decisions commenced. This process involves establishing an interdepartmental committee of relevant Australian Government agencies and briefing the Commonwealth–State–Territory Standing Committee on Treaties, the department’s Indigenous Advisory Committee and industry groups.

Convention on Biological Diversity

The department plays an important role in protecting and conserving biodiversity whilst supporting Australia’s global leadership role in relation to the sustainable management of biodiversity and wildlife, domestically and internationally.

In 2010–11 the department coordinated and led Australia’s engagement in the United Nations Year of Biodiversity, which was in turn led by the Convention on Biological Diversity for the United Nations.

The importance of, and Australian and global engagement in, the Year of Biodiversity was best evidenced by a highly successful tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity held in Nagoya, Japan—widely considered as a critical milestone in actions to ensure the conservation and sustainable management of biodiversity.

While Australia had one of the smaller delegations, it made a substantial contribution to the highly successful multilateral meeting. This was due to the well prepared delegation led by the department. Of particular note was the contribution to finalising the Aichi Targets—20 ambitious global biodiversity targets for the next 10 years that include raising awareness of the values of biodiversity and resource mobilisation and increasing the protection of land and sea areas to 17 per cent and 10 per cent respectively.

Results

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  19 properties, covering more than 772 280 hectares, were added to the National Reserve System with funding support of over $22.2 million from Caring for Our Country.
  
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  Over 21 000 hectares of nationally threatened ecological communities on private land were protected under the Environmental Stewardship Program.
  
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  Assistance has been provided to more than 2 000 land managers since 2008 to undertake on-ground works improve the quality of water entering the Great Barrier Reef lagoon. This was achieved through funding to regional natural resource management organisations and peak agricultural industry organisations under the Caring for our Country Reef Rescue program. A total of 3 600 land managers have been engaged through the program in farm planning, risk assessment and training activities.
  
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  Through the open call process under the Caring for our Country 2010–11 business plan, communities in coastal environment have been assisted in restoring, protecting and improving the water quality of coastal hot spots through $24.8 million in funding for over 40 Community Coastcare projects.
  
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  A range of community and natural resource management organisations, governments and landholders have received $6.5 million in funding for 15 projects through the open call process under the Caring for our Country 2010–11 business plan to help them address threats posed by invasive plant and animal species and improve land management practices in priority Ramsar wetlands and High Conservation Value Aquatic Ecosystems across Australia.
  
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  Funding of $7.9 million in Community Action Grants was provided for 452 projects across Australia, including over $850 000 to Indigenous organisations to fund 46 projects.
  
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  Landholders, communities, local government and non-government organisations received funding of $10.8 million over two years, until June 2011, to undertake targeted natural resource management bushfire recovery works in six fire-affected Victorian catchments.
  
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  Research undertaken as part of the Indigenous Fire Management in Northern Australia project has underpinned the development of a savanna burning offset methodology under the Carbon Farming Initiative. This methodology provides an economic opportunity for Indigenous land managers to access the carbon market through traditional fire management practices whilst supporting ongoing land management activities. The area under traditional fire management regimes has been expanded as a result of projects covering more than 100 000 square kilometres of northern Australian savannas.
  
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  Twenty-eight traditional owner groups were engaged through the Reef Rescue Land and Sea Country Indigenous Partnerships Program.
  
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  Indigenous Protected Areas now cover an area equivalent to 25 per cent of Australia’s National Reserve System. Indigenous custodians of Indigenous Protected Areas manage and protect important natural and cultural heritage values on behalf of all Australians.
  
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  The Uunguu Indigenous Protected Area was declared by the Wunambal Gaambera people of the north Kimberley, protecting 340 000 hectares of northern savanna country including a wealth of threatened species, wetlands of national significance and internationally significant rock art.
  
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  Apara Makiri Punti and Antara–Sandy Bore Indigenous Protected Areas were declared on the Anangu Pitjantjatjara lands in South Australia. The new Indigenous Protected Areas will protect over 1.9 million hectares of land as well as threatened plants and animals including marsupial moles, mallee fowl and the great desert skink. Apara Makiri Punti Indigenous Protected Area covers more than 1.1 million hectares and includes unique landscapes such as the western end of the Musgrave Ranges and the extensive sand dune and sand plain country studded with small hills and rocky outcrops. Antara–Sandy Bore Indigenous Protected Area extends over 836 000 hectares and includes the Everard Ranges.
  
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  In 2010–11 the department, and agencies accredited under the access and benefit-sharing provisions of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Regulations 2000, Part 8A), provided over 65 access permits for the collection of biological resources from Commonwealth reserves.
  
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  The first Existing Pest Animal National Strategy under the Australian Pest Animal Strategy for management of feral camels was developed. The draft National Feral Camel Action Plan was developed by representatives of the Australian Government and the Northern Territory, Western Australian, South Australian and Queensland governments.
  
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  Participation in a biosecurity response to an incursion of myrtle rust (Uredo rangelii), a newly described plant pathogen, in New South Wales commenced in April 2010 and is ongoing into 2010–11.
  
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  Reducing the impact of invasive species is a priority for Caring for our Country. Since 2008 Caring for our Country has invested over $58 million for better weed and pest animal management. In 2010–11 projects from Caring for our Country funding included:
  

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  $19 million to mitigate the impacts of feral camels in Australia on environmental, social and economic assets and values across Australia’s rangelands. This figure does not include regional base-level funding, much of which goes towards managing weeds and pest animals. $711 million has been provided over the period 2008–09 to 2012–13
  
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  over $13.2 million for projects targeting Weeds of National Significance and vertebrate pest animals (particularly rabbits, pigs, dogs and horses).
  

These investments build on Caring for our Country projects worth over $45 million announced in 2008–09 and 2009–10 to reduce the impact of weeds and pest animals on biodiversity and natural icons, including over $1.5 million to find a new biological control for rabbits.

Barrow Island, Western Australia. (Kevin Walley)

Evaluation

Monitoring, evaluation, reporting and improvement plans have been completed by all Caring for our Country grantees required to do so. The Caring for our Country Report Card 2009–10 and the 2009–10 Natural Heritage Trust Annual Report are being prepared for release. Data being collated for the report card shows that strong progress continues to be made towards fully achieving all five-year outcomes.

In 2010–11 a significant review of the Caring for our Country initiative explored the effectiveness of the program, achievements to date and options for natural resource management in the future. A range of communication methods including social media tools such as Twitter, Facebook and an online forum, were used to generate discussion and to disseminate information through existing stakeholder networks.

The review explored options for future government support for natural resource management. It was supported by a number of issues papers, a community consultation report as well as contemporary research and thinking on issues such as landscape-scale management and community capacity building and engagement.

Reef Rescue

Progress towards the targets of the Reef Rescue program will be measured against the baseline survey of land management practices that was conducted this year across 28 catchments draining to the Great Barrier Reef lagoon. Also, an integrated water quality monitoring and reporting program will monitor water quality from farms to the reef lagoon and measure progress towards accomplishment of the Reef Rescue water quality targets.

Environmental Stewardship Program

An independent review commissioned in 2010 provided a positive report on the performance of the trial Environmental Stewardship Program. The review recommended refining aspects of program implementation and supported the continuation of the program. The review report is available on the Caring for our Country website. Funding for the program was extended for four years in the 2010–11 budget.

The Indigenous Protected Area program

In 2010–11 the Indigenous Protected Area program supported the declaration of over 2 million hectares of land as Indigenous Protected Areas. In addition, new Indigenous Protected Area consultation projects were initiated for more than 15 million hectares of Indigenous-owned lands. The consultation projects are expected to progress toward Indigenous Protected Area declarations over coming years and will contribute to a significant expansion of the National Reserve System.

Reef Plan

In accordance with the Reef Water Quality Protection Plan, an independent audit, undertaken by Lloyd Consulting, has thoroughly assessed the degree to which actions of the Reef Plan had been implemented, how well partners were engaged and whether there were any impediments to the successful implementation of the plan. The final report was submitted by the auditors in March 2011. A joint government response to the audit is being prepared through the Reef Plan Intergovernmental Operational Committee and will identify the steps to be taken in addressing the impediments highlighted in the audit.

Biodiscovery

The department manages regulations under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) on access to biological resources in Commonwealth areas and benefit-sharing arrangements for their use. Since amendments to the EPBC Regulations establishing the access arrangements were passed in late 2005, the department, and agencies accredited under the access and benefit-sharing legislation, have provided over 450 access permits and finalised seven benefit-sharing agreements.

As the convenor of the Biodiversity Working Group—a group of state, territory and Commonwealth officials responsible for biodiscovery policy—the department is the contact point for agencies in other jurisdictions and continues to work with the states and territories to implement measures to facilitate biodiscovery. The department played a central role in negotiations that led to the adoption of the Nagoya Protocol.

Case study 1: Engaging NSW communities in coastline conservation

Caring for our Coast is a $4.85 million program to engage coastal communities in rehabilitating, restoring and conserving coastal environments in New South Wales over a four-year period from 2009 to 2013.

Under the program, community organisations and their partners are funded to carry out local on-ground activities that address targets under the 2009–10 and 2010–11 Caring for our Country business plans.

So far the program has significantly exceeded expectations. Over 50 per cent more volunteers were involved in the project under stage one of the project than were expected for the whole of stage one and stage two combined, and this high level of engagement is set to continue in stage two.

Under stage one, 210 community organisations and over 1 000 volunteers, including 17 local Indigenous communities and groups, have taken part in coastal and marine projects along the New South Wales coastline. Work to date has focused on increasing native habitat through rehabilitation and enhancement of 452 hectares within the coastal zone, and a further 982 hectares across selected sites, to reduce the impact of Weeds of National Significance (primarily lantana and bitou bush). Critical aquatic habitat and coastal areas have also been targeted for protection.

The project was managed by the Northern Rivers Catchment Management Authority (CMA) in partnership with the Hunter-Central Rivers, Hawkesbury-Nepean, Sydney Metro and Southern Rivers CMAs. The project has highlighted the benefits of conducting larger strategic projects that engage a range of compatible stakeholders, like CMAs and coastal community organisations, to effectively achieve outcomes through an integrated and cooperative approach.

Removing daisy weeds from sand dunes. (John Baker)

Case study 2: Indigenous fire management in northern Australia project

Warddeken Manwurrk ranger controlling a fire break on the West Arnhem Plateau. (Peter Eve, Monsoon Photographic Studio)

Traditional fire management practices, using strategic savanna fire management activities, have the potential to protect the savanna landscapes of northern Australia from wildfires that cause significant regional biodiversity loss. They also offer a chance to reduce emissions of accountable greenhouse gases.

By involving Indigenous groups in these activities, traditional fire management can have significant benefits for Indigenous livelihoods and economic development. Potentially they offer a pathway into emerging carbon markets and create enterprise opportunities whilst supporting ongoing land management activities.

For this reason, the Indigenous Fire Management in Northern Australia Project is expanding the use of traditional fire management to reduce the number of intense wildfires in four project areas: north Kimberley, Central Arnhem Land, Gulf and Cape York. The projects are now set to cover over 100 000 square kilometres of biodiversity-rich but wildfire-prone savanna landscapes.

In addition to producing these important outcomes for the environment, as part of the project research will be carried out on savanna emissions and capacity building to help to determine actual emission outcomes from altered fire management practices. These projects build on the successful precedent set by the West Arnhem Land Fire Abatement Project.

Case study 3: Working on Country – Warddeken Manwurrk Rangers

In 2008, Warddeken Land Management Limited, an Indigenous environmental charity that cares for the significant cultural and biological assets of the West Arnhem Land Plateau, received funding through Working on Country. The funding was used to engage eight Indigenous rangers in permanent part-time positions and provide training, equipment and consumables necessary to undertake land management activities in this unique landscape.

The Warddeken Manwurrk Rangers are based at Kabulwarnamyo on the country of the elder Wamud Namok in the warddewardde (sandstone) country of West Arnhem Land Plateau, near the centre of the 13 500 square kilometre Warddeken Indigenous Protected Area.

This remote location is a challenge. For more than six months a year the plateau is inaccessible by road due to monsoonal flooding. The outstation has no shops or services and currently there is limited potential for new houses to be built. That the ranger initiative continues is a testament to the rangers’ motivation to care for their country.

The rangers implement an annual fire management program across 40 Indigenous clan estates, consulting with communities to decide the extent of early dry season prescribed burns and conducting aerial incendiary burning. Grassy weed infestations are also a big priority and they have had great success so far. Gamba grass infestations in the area have been reduced dramatically as a result of their vigilance.

The rangers also carry out a range of feral animal management activities. They conduct tramp ant surveys, map buffalo damage and monitor cats, pigs, black rats, bees and cane toads.

A collaborative partnership with the Northern Territory Government’s Biodiversity Unit and Djelk Indigenous Protected Area has resulted in great enhancement in the capacity for biodiversity monitoring in the area. A full-time ecologist applies the ‘two tool box’ approach, using both Indigenous and western ecological knowledge to combat biodiversity loss.

Working on Country is critical to the successful reinstitution of effective land management on the plateau. In addition, many Indigenous people are now employed for the first time in their lives, receive wages similar to those of park rangers and take part in training.

Combining Working on Country and Indigenous Protected Area programs with non-government funding, such as the West Arnhem Land Fire Management Agreement and conservation philanthropy groups, has been vital for the success of the initiative. By using these diverse sources of funding and support, useful working partnerships have developed between groups such as Bushfires NT, neighbouring ranger groups (including Kakadu National Park), Biodiversity NT, AQIS, Australian National University and Charles Darwin University.

Warddeken is successfully pioneering new land management initiatives that can be applied to remote locations and other areas where biodiversity is under threat.

Case study 4: Henbury Station— a new model for conservation management

Bruce Breaden, traditional owner, Environment Minister Tony Burke and Peter Cochrane, Director of National Parks. (Daniel Griffiths)

At over half a million hectares, Henbury Station in Australia’s arid centre is the largest single land purchase supported by the National Reserve System program to date. The Australian Government supported the $13.5 million purchase for inclusion in the National Reserve System with a $9.2 million Caring for our Country grant.

Located about 130 kilometres south-west of Alice Springs, Henbury Station increases the protection of the under-represented Finke bioregion from 4.4 per cent to 9.75 per cent and the MacDonnell Ranges bioregion to 17.42 per cent. The station is well connected to other protected areas, sharing its northern border with the Finke Gorge National Park and Owen Springs Conservation Reserve. It also contains the Henbury Meteorite Crater and Illamurta Springs conservation reserves and contributes to the Territory Eco-link, a 2 000 kilometre conservation corridor from Arnhem Land to the South Australian border.

While Henbury has previously operated as a cattle station, 70 per cent of the 527 300 hectare station remains largely in its natural condition. It is a significant addition to the National Reserve System, not just because of its strategic location and large size, but also through its significant biodiversity values.

It contains more than 100 kilometres of the Finke River, which crosses the property from west to east, along with several other permanent waterholes which provide critical refuges for the threatened Palm Valley palm and Finke River goby (a small fish). The property is incredibly diverse, extending south from the rugged McDonnell Ranges with its springs and gorges, out on to vast open red plains dotted with isolated ranges and hills. It improves the protection of desert oak woodlands and ancient arid floodplains scattered with coolibah and red gum. Henbury provides habitat for a number of threatened species including the endangered Slater’s skink and vulnerable Latz’s wattle and minnie daisy.

The project has strong support from the Northern Territory Government while the Central Land Council has been talking with the owners, R.M. Williams Agricultural Holdings, about the role they could play in the property’s ongoing management.

As part of the ongoing conservation of Henbury the owners are looking to pilot the capturing of carbon by managing the natural recovery of the property’s vegetation and using the sale of the resulting carbon credits to support the long-term management of Henbury. If successful, this may provide a guide for other protected area managers as well as pastoralists who are interested in managing part of their properties for conservation while generating carbon-based income to supplement or replace earnings from farming activities.

The innovative conservation and carbon project taking place on Henbury Station will be of considerable interest to many organisations. As a condition of the agreement’s support, the owners are required to provide regular public updates on the progress of the project so all parties can benefit from this exciting ‘learning by doing’ project.

Bruce Breaden, traditional owner, Environment Minister Tony Burke and David Pearse, R.M.Williams Agricultural Holdings. (Parks Australia)

Highlights

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  Over $8 million was provided to Natural Disaster Recovery Regional Response projects across Australia to respond to high-priority emergency needs following recent natural disasters.
  
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  An advisory group was established in April 2011 to inform development of the National Wildlife Corridors Plan.
  
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  Australia’s Biodiversity Conservation Strategy 2010–2030 was released in October 2010 with the endorsement of all state and territory governments and the Australian Government.
  
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  In June 2011 the Reef Rescue Research and Development Program was launched with an inception workshop for scientists leading 18 projects that will increase understanding of the link between land management practices, water quality and the health of the Great Barrier Reef.
  
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  Since 2008 over 2 000 community groups have been engaged under the Caring for our Country Community Coastcare initiative to help build the capacity of local communities to adapt, restore and protect Australia’s precious coastal environment.
  
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  In 2010–11, the Environmental Stewardship Program’s Multiple Ecologies Communities Project contracted 69 additional sites to protect and improve over 21 000 hectares of nationally threatened ecological communities on private land. Since 2008 the total number of sites contracted has reached 270, protecting over 47 500 hectares of threatened ecological communities across New South Wales, South Australia and Queensland.
  
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  The Working on Country Indigenous Ranger program has contracted 625 rangers to manage the natural and cultural values of the Indigenous estate. This program provides employment to Indigenous Australians whilst drawing on their invaluable traditional knowledge about land and sea country.
  
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  Research undertaken as part of the Indigenous Fire Management in Northern Australia project has underpinned the development of a savanna burning offset methodology under the Carbon Farming Initiative. This methodology provides an economic opportunity for Indigenous land managers to access the carbon market through traditional fire management practices whilst supporting ongoing land management activities.
  
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  In October 2010, after six years of negotiations, the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilisation (the Nagoya Protocol) was adopted at the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity. The Nagoya Protocol establishes a legally binding framework for access to genetic resources for biotechnology research and development and other research activities. It also provides a framework for sharing any benefits from using genetic resources or associated traditional knowledge. The department has assumed responsibility from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for overseeing the signing and ratification of the Nagoya Protocol.
  
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  Relationships with tourism industry groups, stakeholders, Indigenous communities, not-for-profit organisations and community groups, were developed and maintained to identify opportunities to promote:
  

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  Australia’s Commonwealth Parks and botanic gardens, the National Reserve System and Indigenous Protected Areas.
  
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  Australian champions for the Healthy Parks Healthy People campaign, which will be rolled out globally at the 2012 London Olympics and at the World Parks Congress in 2014.
  
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  The introduction of Parks Australia’s first e-ticketing system for Kakadu National Park. Money received through national park passes contributes directly to running costs and helps maintain the natural environment and tourism services.
  
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  The declaration of the Uunguu Indigenous Protected Area, including Wunambal Gaambera Aboriginal Corporation, Kimberley Land Council and Bush Heritage Australia.
  

Spinifex on laterite, Diamantina country. (Allan Fox)