Protected areas
Protected areas set aside for conservation play a unique role in protecting biodiversity as well as natural and cultural heritage.
Parks and reserves in NSW protect the state’s range of habitats and ecosystems, plant and animal species, significant geological features and landforms. They also provide shelter for the largest and most diverse collection of cultural heritage on public land. Finally, they conserve areas important to people, such as places of scenic beauty, landscapes and natural features of significance, wilderness areas, wild rivers, water catchments, popular places for nature-based recreation, and icons and sites of national significance.
DECC is responsible for protecting the state’s natural and cultural heritage through the establishment and management of national parks and reserves by:
- establishing strategic priorities for additions to the park system
- assessing, acquiring and gazetting lands for inclusion in the park system
- managing the pressures on national parks and reserves, including fire, pest animals and weeds
- providing opportunities for people to visit and enjoy the park system while minimising their impact on conservation
- researching, monitoring and evaluating the success of conservation activities
- protecting objects, places and sites of Aboriginal and historic heritage significance within the park system
- involving communities in park management, including forming co-management partnerships with Aboriginal communities.
DECC also manages aquatic reserves and supports the Marine Parks Authority in the management of marine parks.
Find out more about the following protected area topics
- Some protected areas can cope fairly easily with different types of human activities while others are more fragile. Read about the different types of parks in NSW, and the types of activities that are available in them.
- You can download copies of reserve management documents, including draft and completed park management plans and fire management plans.
- See DECC reserve management policies, including mountain biking, photography, soil conservation, firewood, visitor safety and other park management issues.
- DECC is working with communities across NSW to establish Aboriginal co-management of parks. Find out about current co-management activities and agreements under negotiation.
- Get a list of all the new parks and additions to existing reserves established over the last 12 months
- DECC keeps a register of information on all leases, easements and rights of way granted on national parks and reserves under the National Parks and Wildlife Act.