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Issue: Landscapes - Government action on landscape protection

This is an issue under the Biodiversity theme of the Data Reporting System.

Why we need to know about this issue

The complexity and uncertainty of landscape management requires government level leadership through policy design and delivery, financial assistance and by providing access to expert scientific and technical advice. Government support enables the community to take action on environmental issues. It is critical that government action be targeted to maximise effectiveness in achieving environmental outcomes, and evaluated in terms of those outcomes.

Indicators

• BD-17 Institutional response to loss of native vegetation 
  An inventory of institutional responses to vegetation loss is a direct indicator for government action on landscape protection.
• BD-19 Extent and comprehensiveness of terrestrial protected areas 
  Australia has adopted the World Conservation Union’s definition of a protected area, which includes six categories of reserves. The primary objective of a protected area is conservation of biological diversity. Effective protection generally means that the area is protected by legislation in the case of public land or by a covenant or conservation agreement for privately owned or indigenous land.
  Governments of Australia have established a comprehensive, adequate and representative system of protected areas and developed guidelines for their selection, establishment and management.
  The Collaborative Australian Protected Areas Dataset is being developed for all terrestrial and marine protected areas. The data set is compiled from data supplied by the relevant Australian state and territory government conservation and resource management agencies.
  Extent provides a direct measure of the area under protection and comprehensiveness gives some idea of the range of species protected within these areas.
• BD-24 Government investments to protect biodiversity for public good purposes 
  An inventory of government funded incentives schemes provides contextual data for later evaluation of the effectiveness of government interventions.
• NCH-01 Process of listing, area and distribution of identified natural heritage places 
  The process of listing of natural heritage places is an example of how governments take action on landscape protection.
• NCH-05 Physical condition and integrity of a sample of natural heritage places 
  Condition of natural heritage places may be more broadly indicative of the effectiveness of Government action on landscape protection.
• NCH-09 Funding provided to heritage and other agencies for natural heritage places 
  Funding for natural heritage places is one example of Government action on landscape protection.
• NCH-13 Changes in heritage legislation 
  Changes in natural heritage legislation is one example of Government action on landscape protection.
• CO-34 Number and extent of Marine Protected Areas 
  Changes in area under protection is an indicator for government action on this issue.
• LD-27 Area and proportion of agricultural land under various aspects of "best practice" 
  Changes in area under best practice would be in part an indicator for government action on this issue.
• LD-28 Percentage and area of farms with planted trees 
  Changes in number or area of farms with planted trees would be in part an indicator for government action on this issue.
• LD-29 Area and proportion of forest under "best practice" 
  Changes in area of forest under best practice would be in part an indicator for government action on this issue.
• LD-30 National area under plantation forestry 
  Changes in area under tree plantation could be in part an indicator for government action on this issue.
• LD-38 Regions with investments having a major focus on salinity 
  Efforts to slow the rate of dryland salinisation are being tackled by major intergovernmental initiatives.
• AAT-13 Number and area of protected areas 
  The number and spatial extent of areas afforded special protection, including in the AAT, is an indication of the commitment to environmental protection.

Related issues

• Natural and Cultural Heritage - Responses to conserve heritage - Funding for heritage 
• Natural and Cultural Heritage - Responses to conserve heritage - Heritage legislation 
• Land - Societal responses - Protected terrestrial areas 
• Land - Societal responses - Responses to vegetation loss, carbon loss, species loss and species change