Biodiversity Strategy
Building Nature’s Resilience: A Biodiversity Strategy for Queensland (PDF, 1.3M)* is a whole-of-state blueprint aimed at ensuring the conservation of the state’s special natural areas and diverse wildlife for future generations.
The strategy places nature’s resilience—the ability of a species or ecosystem to recover from the impacts of stressors and threats like climate change—at the centre of the state’s conservation efforts.
The primary goals of the strategy are to reverse the decline in biodiversity and increase the resilience of species, ecosystems and ecological processes against threats such as climate change.
To achieve these goals, the strategy focuses on three priority objectives:
- building protected areas by expanding, strengthening and managing national and marine parks as well as World Heritage and other protected areas
- conserving species by securing priority species, protecting iconic species, keeping common species common and recognising the importance of healthy ecosystems and habitat
- managing the extent, condition and connectivity of ecosystems and habitat by protecting and improving habitat, managing biosecurity risks and integrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander management.
In order to deliver a whole-of-landscape approach, the strategy aims to:
- combine efforts—by recognising the key players in biodiversity conservation and building partnerships to achieve it
- adaptively manage—by collaborating to identify the best scientific evidence and advice, and applying this to the planning and management of Queensland’s natural systems across sectors.
The strategy’s governance framework provides the foundation for adaptive management and coordination and cooperation across government, industry and the community. A key element of this framework is the Joint Ministerial Advisory Committee which will oversee the implementation of actions under the strategy. It will include informed non-government representatives from peak organisations as well as the Ministers with responsibility for Environment, Resource Management, Planning and Primary Industries.
Consultation
More than 200 submissions were received on the draft strategy during the consultation period held between 19 December 2010 and 8 April 2011. The submissions provided strong support for the strategy’s development and its whole-of-government focus on ecological resilience. A consultation report outlining how submissions were considered will be made available soon.
The strategy is accompanied by Protected Areas for the Future: Cornerstones for Terrestrial Biodiversity Conservation which provides a deeper look into how an expanded protected area system will be developed.
Where we are now
Queensland’s biodiversity is in decline and now is the time to act.
The combined pressures of an increasing population, expanding development and climate change (among other human and natural threats) is taking its toll on Queensland’s natural systems. The need to conserve and manage the state’s biodiversity is very real, and Queensland is well placed to act.
Queensland still retains relatively high levels of biodiversity compared to most other Australian states and other countries, giving cause to be optimistic about the future. As custodians of some of the world’s most important and irreplaceable natural treasures, the state also has a responsibility to manage these in trust for future generations.
The state already boasts strong awareness and participation rates in land and catchment care as well as natural resource management in its communities. Underpinning these foundations is a solid framework for legislation, plans and policies guiding biodiversity efforts.
As Queensland's population continues to grow, so too do the associated pressures on it's unique natural environment. Current threats to Queensland’s biodiversity are likely to be compounded by climate change, requiring a renewed emphasis on planning for, and achieving, sustainable development throughout the state.
Building resilience in natural systems enables them to withstand these threats and stressors. Without resilience, ecosystems can cross a critical threshold, or tipping point — a point of no return — at which the ecosystem permanently changes to a new state. The flow-on impacts are felt throughout the ecosystem’s habitats and species and across the land- and seascapes. At this point, connections are broken, species become extinct and biodiversity in natural systems declines.
If Queensland acts now, and acts together, the decline in the state’s biodiversity can be reversed.
Where we want to be
Main Range National Park Photo by Kate Harrison
The strategy frames the delivery of a whole-of-landscape approach across the state, and across sectors, irrespective of tenure.
Conserving biodiversity in Queensland rests on achieving one overarching goal—resilience.
The resilience of areas of land and sea in resisting the many threats and pressures facing natural systems is essential to conserving biodiversity and allowing nature to recover.
The latest international and national scientific consensus is that focussing on the whole landscape will improve ecosystem resilience and protect biodiversity.
A whole-of-landscape approach means that land, water, and living resources, whether on public or private land, are managed in a way that promotes conservation while allowing for sustainable natural resource use.
This approach recognises the interdependence of the many habitats and ecosystems within the areas of land and sea, while also maximising the preservation of species and habitats at a finer scale.
In this model of biodiversity conservation, the emphasis is on building the capacity of the community, industry and individual manager of land and sea environments to integrate and co-ordinate responses. These responses are necessary across both publicly and privately owned land and marine environments.
Knowing the tipping points, protecting healthy ecosystems while repairing fragmented ecosystems, and building resilience across the landscape are critical factors if biodiversity is to be conserved.
How we will get there
By combining efforts, building resilient ecosystems and managing adaptively the state can deliver a more cohesive and concerted effort that brings the necessary change for biodiversity in Queensland.
Acknowledging the importance of a network of partnerships is central to a combined effort approach. From joint monitoring projects and combined scientific research, to the transfer of Traditional Owners’ knowledge for the improvement of land management practices for landowners—partnerships will be central to the state's success in conserving biodiversity. Individual actions and philanthropic activities are also vital.
Building resilient ecosystems by growing protected area cornerstones, conserving individual species and managing the extent and condition of the landscape allows connectivity to be built across areas of land and sea. Reconnecting vital habitats and ecosystems and restoring biodiversity to healthy levels will give natural systems the resilience they need to withstand the threats and stressors ahead.
Managing adaptively means that approaches to managing natural systems are constantly improved and re-assessed based on the latest advice, data and scientific evidence. By continually gathering knowledge of how ecosystems and species function, and the status of current and potential threats such as climate change, management responses can be adapted to suit. This is a process that depends on regular planning and review of performance indicators and objectives, and acknowledges the constantly changing environment as well as high levels of uncertainty.
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Last updated 17 November 2011