2017-02-13 General Committee Meeting Agenda

GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA   13 FEBRUARY 2017




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GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                                                        13 FEBRUARY 2017

      1.    Expanding and better managing the protected area system
                         e                                      e

      In 1908, Tamborine National Park (Witches Falls section) became Queensland’s first protected area. Since that time,
      Queensland’s land-based protected area system has grown to almost 8% of the state, and covers both public and private
      lands, such as national parks and nature refuges. Growing Queensland’s protected area system to meet the United Nations
      Convention on Biological Diversity 17% terrestrial area target (Convention target) will require coordinated actions across both
      public and private sectors. This strategy aims to identify and coordinate a range of actions that will shape the Queensland
      Government’s approach to protected areas.
      Coordinating public and private efforts in                     Cape York Peninsula Tenure Resolution Program
      protected areas                                               The Queensland Government is continuing to fund the Cape
      The Queensland Government recognises the importance           York Peninsula Tenure Resolution Program. This program
      of engaging the community in conservation and has              has the dual purpose of returning both ownership and ;
      established the Environment Roundtable, which includes         management of land on Cape York Peninsula to Aboriginal
      representation from major environmental stakeholder groups    _‘/faditional Owners. Areas of high conservation significance
      and associations, to provide a regular forum for discussinga _ Will be protected in jointly managed national parks (Cape
      range of environmental issues.                                York Peninsula Aboriginal Land — CYPAL) and nature refuges.
         .                             .           .                The program also converts existing national parks to jointly
      While protected area management issues are discussed at        managed national parks (CYPAL).
      these roundtables, there is a further need for a dedicated
      group to coordinate strategic protected area outcomes across   ~—W/hat is a national park (CYPAL)?
      the public and private sectors. An informal protected area    A national park (CYPAL) is a special category of protected
      coordination group will be established to bring together the  area which is unique to the Cape York Peninsula region. The
     major conservation land owners, managers and investors to       underlying tenure is Aboriginal freehold land, with the title
      coordinate and cooperate on the acquisition, management        held by an Aboriginal land trust or corporation. Following
      and resourcing of protected areas.                            the transfer of land to an Aboriginal land trust or Aboriginal
      The sharing of knowledge and expertise in protected area      corporation, an Indigenous Management Agreement
      management across the public and private sectors will build    (IMA) is signed by the Queensland Government and the
      a better protected area system and improve management          relevant trust/corporation. The IMA directs the area’s future
      outcomes for these areas.                                      management as a national park (CYPAL).
                                                                    Thus far the Cape York Peninsula Tenure Resolution Program
         ACTION UNDERWAY                                             has facilitated the dedication of 22 national parks (CYPAL)
         A1.  Establish an informal coordination group of major      (covering almost 2 million hectares) and 17 nature refuges
              conservation land owners, managers and/or              (covering approximately 560,o00ha) on Cape York Peninsula.
              investors to facilitate coordinated protected area    The program is working toward converting existing national
              management and investment                              parks and several resources reserves in the Cape York
                                                                     Peninsula region to national parks (CYPAL).
      Traditional Owner participation and recognition
      Engaging with Traditional Owners                                 ACTION UNDERWAY .              .
      The Queensland Government is conscious of, and respects         AS.    Continue pose eis Teebons anes to
      the rights, responsibilities, knowledge and aspirations of,            dedicate and manage land as national parks
      Indigenous people as custodians of their land and sea country          (CYPAL)
      and as skilled partners in the management of the protected
      area system. This is reflected in the object of the Nature
      Conservation Act 1992 (the Act). The Act was amended in 2016
      to reinstate the conservation of nature as its main purpose,
      while continuing to recognise the involvement of Indigenous
      people in the management of protected areas in which they
      have an interest under Aboriginal tradition or Island custom.
      The participation of Indigenous and local communities is
      also recognised in the Convention target. Traditional Owners
      contribute to the management of national parks in a number
      of ways, including joint management of national parks on
      Cape York Peninsula and North Stradbroke Island, and in
      some circumstances through the use of voluntary agreements
      such as Memorandums of Understanding and Indigenous
      Land Use Agreements.

         ACTION UNDERWAY
         A2.  Continue to innovate and build on the success
              of existing initiatives being implemented by
              government that engage Traditional Owners in
              protected area management                                                 Draft Queensland Protected Area Strategy | 7

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