Victorian Protected Areas Council
Granite Boulders, Wilsons Promontory National Park. Photo by Margaret O’Toole.
Connecting Park Managers - Protecting National Parks
Victoria’s national parks and other protected areas on public land form a world-class network of protected areas*, encompassing representative examples of many of the State’s diverse ecosystems and much of the biodiversity they contain. They safeguard many of the State’s flora and fauna species, preserve sites and features of indigenous and historical heritage, provide vital environmental services like carbon storage and water catchments, and offer nature-based recreation that supports local and regional visitor economies. They are valued as a living cultural landscape by Traditional Owners, with many now jointly managed.
Despite their significance, Victoria’s public land protected areas face ongoing management and resourcing challenges. Marking the 50th anniversary of the National Parks Act (1975), a group of retired protected area managers identified the need for a professional body to offer independent advice and advocate for improved resourcing and management of Victoria’s public land protected areas. They also identified the need for a professional body to connect and represent current and former protected area management staff and facilitate opportunities for former staff to stay connected and make ongoing contributions to public land protected area management.
The Victorian Protected Areas Council Inc. will engage with government and conservation agencies, Traditional Owner groups, non-government organisations, recreation bodies, and the media to promote the value and importance of protected areas and advocate for better resourcing, effective management, improved professional capability, and strategic additions to Victoria’s protected area estate.
** A protected area is a clearly defined geographical space recognised, dedicated and managed through legal means to achieve the long-term conservation of nature with associated ecosystem services and cultural values (adapted from International Union for Conservation of Nature 2008).
Vision for Victoria’s public land protected areas
By 2030, Victoria’s national parks and other public land protected areas, and the important natural and heritage values they protect, are healthy, well-resourced and effectively managed, and are widely appreciated and respectfully enjoyed by the community.
Purpose
To advocate for:
- The critical role of protected areas in conserving and protecting natural, cultural and visitor values and ecosystem services;
- Improved effectiveness of public land protected area management in Victoria; and
- Strategic additions to Victoria’s public land protected area network to ensure comprehensive, connected and adequate representation of the State’s natural areas, diverse ecosystems and biodiversity.
To be a professional association for Victorian public land protected area managers to:
- Support the professional development of current public land protected area professionals; and
- Provide a forum for former public land protected area professionals to stay connected and continue contributing to protected area management in Victoria.
Approach
Connecting: Create a network that brings together current, former and retired protected area managers to connect socially, share skills and exchange professional knowledge and experience.
Advocating: Provide an additional voice with an authoritative on-ground perspective to encourage and promote the effective management of Victoria’s protected areas and the strategic expansion of Victoria’s protected area estate.
Partnering: Leverage the experience of members to offer informed advice to other organisations on matters relevant to protected area management.
Membership
Membership is open to current, retired and former employees of Victorian public land protected area management organisations, who have an interest in improving how protected areas are valued and managed and who wish to connect with former colleagues or support current staff.