In November 2009 the Natural Resource Management Ministerial Council (NRMMC) endorsed the draft document and released it for public comment in February 2010. Submissions closed in April 2010. Once finalised more specific guidelines will be developed to support the framework. Allegedly they will provide practical on-ground advice and best practice principles for native vegetation management.

This framework was built on the 1999 National Framework for the Management and Monitoring of Native Vegetation. However in spite of that framework, since 1999 native vegetation has become degraded and fragmented in many parts of Australia, Queensland in particular. Unsustainable clearing, diminishing water regimes, invasive plants, feral animals, as well as overgrazing have continued to put the integrity of our native vegetation at risk. This in turn jeopardises the future of our biodiversity.

Will this new 2010, more enlightened framework arrest the decline and, more importantly, reverse the trend? Based on past history associated with national strategies associated with the environment, a successful outcome is unlikely. However the NRMMC must be commended for making the effort.

Wildlife Queensland forwarded a brief submission on the consultation draft, emphasising the following points:

• Support for the proposed involvement of indigenous peoples in managing native vegetation, assuming appropriate consultation occurs and their aspirations given rightful consideration.
• Support for encouraging not-for-profit public organisations to enhance native vegetation management and protect biodiversity.
• Aspects needing enhancement include the vision, outcomes for several goals and the failure to recognise the damage feral animals do to native vegetation.
• The vision needs to be strengthened and the concept of native vegetation being valued by stakeholders clearly reflected.
• With regard to goals, an increase in the extent of native vegetation is commendable but not if there is any loss of the extent of endangered or of concern regional ecosystems.
• The use of offsets has major limitations.
• Concern about the emphasis on native vegetation benefits of carbon markets when a large degree of uncertainty about what will be counted and other definitional issues exist.
• No real commitment to funding and resources. Wildlife Queensland advocates an additional appendix to indicate resource implications and funds available. Without such information available we saw little value in commenting in detail on targets and actions.
• The multiplicity of differing legislation and definitions among the various jurisdictions is another challenge.

Wildlife Queensland hopes to be proven wrong but without committed resources and comparable legislation this framework will go the way of most other national strategies – a readable and commendable document that fails to deliver its primary goals. 

For more information on Wildlife Queensland's activities, call us on +61 7 3221 0194 or send us an email.