National parks and other protected areas are the nations primary means of ensuring our core natural places are safeguarded for generations to come. Yet, with only 9% of our state conserved, many significant areas remain unprotected, leaving our natural heritage and its biodiversity facing a range of growing threats. These threats include habitat destruction, climate change, invasive species, mining and gas extraction, pollution, residential, industrial and agricultural development, and population growth.
NPA plays a crucial role in ensuring that our national parks are protected in perpetuity:
- We campaign for the protection of natural areas as new national parks and marine sanctuaries.
- We monitor the management of our national parks and make suggestions and proposals to ensure best park management.
- We advocate for our national parks and the National Parks and Wildlife Service.
- We educate decision makers and the public about the importance of preserving our national parks.
- We help to convince members of parliament to uphold the laws that protect our national parks and to support new legislation that addresses threats to these parks.
- We fight attempts to weaken these laws in the courts and the court of public opinion.
- We assess the health of the parks and park management to better inform our advocacy work.
- We run the largest activities program in the state, with over 1,000 bushwalks led by an extraordinary team of knowledgeable and skilled volunteer leaders every year.
- We offer many in-field activities for our supporters to participate in that have an influence on conservation outcomes across NSW.
- We coordinate bush regeneration and clean-up events to enable people to learn more about, and enjoy NSW’s beautiful natural places and the threats they face.