Warwick Pearse and Ross McDonnell
Urgent, practical and hopeful: the NPA sets out how a reimagined National Parks Establishment Plan can protect and restore coastal, forest and fertile lands — fast, fairly and for the long term.
Recently, the NPA was asked to comment on a draft NPWS National Parks Establishment Plan (NPEP). Current and earlier plans have existed that give the community some guidance as to where and why reserve establishment occurs.
In response, two NPA committees (Landscape Conservation, and Park Management) met to formulate a response. Below we outline the key points.
Why this plan matters
We’re at a turning point for nature in NSW. Habitat loss, species decline and a changing climate mean the next NPEP can’t just tinker around the edges. The NPA welcomes the draft process, but the message is simple: business as usual won’t get us where we need to go. We need bold choices, faster action and long‑term commitment to build a resilient network of parks and protected places for people and wildlife. The new NPEP must respond to both the complexities of our state’s history and the urgency of securing a resilient, biodiverse future.
Think bigger than the usual map
The NPEP shouldn’t be limited to a narrow set of reserve categories. NPA recommends expanding the NPEP to cover all Crown land and state waters — that means State Forests, Travelling Stock Reserves (TSRs), drinking‑water catchments, intertidal areas and State Parks under the Crown Lands Act. A practical step is to extend park boundaries to mean low‑water along coasts, so the intertidal zone is clearly protected. That resolves confusion about who manages shorelines and helps protect beach‑nesting birds and reptiles.
Targets and timelines
Clear and honest international targets like 30 by 30 are useful, but they need to be translated into NSW realities. NPA suggests distinguishing the top‑tier statutory Protected Areas (the “gold standard”) from other conserved lands and setting NSW‑specific targets: a minimum 20% for terrestrial NPW Act‑gazetted areas (applied across bioregions and sub‑bioregions where possible), and 30% fully no‑take marine sanctuaries. Importantly there should not be vague end dates. A 10‑year planning horizon with annual milestones gives everyone a clear map of progress — and makes it harder to keep postponing action to 2050.
Be realistic about scaling up
Right now, NSW has just over 10% terrestrial reserves and under 7% marine sanctuary zones. Those figures didn’t appear overnight — they reflect 160 years of decisions from the 1866 declaration of the Jenolan Caves Reserve. Doubling or quadrupling protected areas by 2030 through the same slow processes won’t happen. The NPEP needs credible, faster pathways: large‑scale conversions of Crown tenures, smarter use of public land and targeted acquisitions.
Look for places that matter now and can recover
Too often selection is based on what vegetation looks like today. That misses a lot. Soils, seedbanks, hydrology, old hollow trees and coarse woody debris are critical — and many degraded sites have high potential to recover if they’re protected and given time. The plan should:
- value restoration potential as much as current cover;
- map and prioritise old trees and habitat features that are irreplaceable; and
- assess subsoil and hydrological condition, not just canopy maps. This opens options in fertile, productive lands that were largely cleared long ago but are crucial for biodiversity and connectivity.
NPA highlights some clear priorities:
- Wetlands: estuaries, mangroves, saltmarsh, floodplain wetlands and upland swamps — biodiversity hotspots, carbon stores and vital for water regulation.
- Old‑growth and long‑unburnt forests: protect remaining patches, map them finely and use fire management that preserves a mix of ages and structures.
- High‑productivity fertile lands and riparian corridors: historically cleared but essential for many species.
- Uncommon successional stages and rare post‑disturbance habitats.
- Connectivity: streams, rivers, stock routes, old rail corridors and even roadside verges can be stepping stones. Small connections add up.
The NPEP needs to design for climate resilience and anticipate shifting habitats. That means:
- protecting climate refugia (cool, complex terrain and moist areas);
- creating larger intact areas to buffer shocks; and
- keeping marine and estuarine planning flexible so zoning can adapt as boundaries move with sea‑level and temperature changes.
Make joint management the default
Joint management with First Nations should be the baseline, not an add‑on. That means returning title where appropriate with leaseback options, boards of management, funded co‑governance, and real resourcing for Indigenous ranger programs and First Nations businesses. Embedding First Nations leadership brings cultural knowledge, strengthens outcomes and creates social outcomes.
Funding, governance and tracking progress
Protection on paper is not enough — management must be funded. The NPEP should tie land declaration to guaranteed funding, staffing and management plans. Key measures should include:
- stable core funding scaled to the size and management needs of the estate;
- dedicated funds for joint management and Indigenous rangers; and
- transparent, annual reporting against clear milestones and ecological outcomes (not just hectares), with public data layers and IUCN‑aligned monitoring.
Use the Crown Estate and scale up restoration
If we want to move fast, look to the Crown Estate. Whole‑of‑tenure conversions (e.g., State Forests and TSRs with native vegetation) give scale. Where private‑land tools are used, pair them with acquisitions for the most critical fertile lands that can’t rely only on voluntary schemes. Prioritise restoration projects where success is likely — places where seedbanks persist, hydrology can be fixed, or natural regeneration will do much of the work.
Social impacts and community buy‑in
Big changes will have social and economic implications. The NPEP should include impact assessments for major establishment proposals and make clear what kinds of recreation are compatible in different reserve categories — this helps dispel myths about “locking up” land and helps build local support. Community engagement, honest communication and tangible benefits for local people and First Nations are essential.
A final thought
Urgency without panic. Incremental changes won’t cut it. We need ambition, speed and a willingness to make difficult choices — guided by science, Indigenous knowledge and community input. Protecting what’s left is vital, but so is restoring what’s recoverable and reconnecting the landscape so species can move and adapt. NPA offers to work with government to turn this urgent need into practical, well‑resourced action.