Caring for our Country - National Reserve System
The National Reserve System - Australia's network of parks, reserves and other protected areas - is a vital component of our national effort to conserve our native plants and animals. Building Australia's National Reserve System is one of six priorities for national investment under Caring for our Country.
The National Reserve System currently contains more than 9000 protected areas.
Applications for funding for 2008-2009 have closed. Future opportunities for funding to contribute to the National Reserve System will be included in the annual Caring for our Country Business Plan.
Who can apply?
Government, non-government and community organisations will be invited later in 2008 to apply for funding for subsequent years to
- buy high priority land to be turned into a protected area
- establish a private protected area on high priority land they already own
- develop cooperative arrangements between Indigenous groups and nature conservation agencies for the management of protected areas
Under Caring for our Country, the National Reserve System provides up to two-thirds of the purchase price for a property and a partner organisation contributes the rest. The partner then owns the property and manages it for conservation.
National Priorities
Priority will be given to underrepresented biogeographic regions with a particular focus on regions with very low levels of protection (less than 10 %) such as the arid lands of central Australia and the Mitchell grass country of north-west Queensland.
What are the requirements for inclusion in the National Reserve System?
To be eligible for inclusion in the National Reserve System the land must be designated a protected area with effective legal guarantee of its perpetual conservation. It must also be capable of listing under at least one of the six internationally recognised categories (IUCN categories) for classifying protected areas.
The property must also contribute to the comprehensiveness, representativeness and adequacy of the National Reserve System.
For more information on development of the National Reserve System see
- Scientific framework for selection of areas to be included in the National Reserve System
- Directions for the National Reserve System
- Guidelines for establishing the National Reserve System
Recognition of Caring for our Country funding
All projects funded in full or part by the initiative must acknowledge Caring for our Country in all promotional activities.
Questions?
Email: nrs@environment.gov.au
Phone: 1800 552 008
Other sources of funding
Key
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