Outcome 1: Biodiversity and Ecosystems
The conservation and protection of Australia’s terrestrial and marine biodiversity and
ecosystems through supporting research, developing information, supporting natural resource
management and establishing and managing Commonwealth protected areas.
Main responsibilities for this outcome
Programme 1.1: Sustainable Management of Natural Resources and the Environment
Invasive species policy, listing of key threatening processes
and threat abatement planning.
Wildlife, Heritage and Marine
Division
Sustainable fisheries assessments.
Progressing design and implementation of the National
Landcare Programme, the Green Army Programme and Reef
2050 Plan.
Biodiversity Conservation
Division
Implementing national strategies for biodiversity conservation.
Implementing programmes for the protection of the Great
Barrier Reef.
Administering commitments under the Caring for our Country
initiative: Sustainable Environment Stream.
Managing Commonwealth marine and terrestrial reserves.
Parks Australia
Managing the Australian Biological Resources Study.
Developing Australian Government policy on management of
Australia’s genetic resources.
Programme 1.2: Environmental Information and Research
Administering the National Environmental Research Program.
Progressing the National Plan for Environmental Information
initiative.
Progressing the Government’s anti-whaling agenda.
Sustainability, Policy and
Analysis Division
Policy and Communications
Division
Programme 1.3 Objective: Carbon Pollution Reduction—Land Sector Initiatives
Administering commitments under the Land Sector Package.
Biodiversity Conservation
Division
Programme 1.1: Sustainable Management of Natural Resources and the Environment
Objectives

Support work to advance efforts to build resilience in marine, aquatic and terrestrial
ecosystems and biodiversity through supporting efforts to prevent and abate threats to
biodiversity and supporting the ecologically sustainable use of marine resources.

Progress the Government’s landcare reform agenda to deliver practical environmental
outcomes at the local level, including developing a National Landcare Programme to
replace the Caring for our Country initiative.

Design and implement key Government election commitments, including the Green
Army and the Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan (Reef 2050 Plan).

Continue to administer commitments under the Caring for our Country Sustainable
Environment Stream to promote an environment that is healthy, better protected, well
managed and resilient and provides essential ecosystem services in a changing
climate.

Conserve Australia’s biodiversity within the Commonwealth reserve estate. The
Director of National Parks is responsible for the management of an estate of marine
and terrestrial protected areas that are Commonwealth reserves under the
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and prepares a
separate annual report on its management.

Establish and manage a regulatory framework that maximises social, economic and
environmental returns from investment in biodiscovery in Australia.
Programme 1.2: Environmental Information and Research
Objectives

Deliver applied public-good focused environmental research to support evidencebased decision-making by environmental managers and policy makers.

Build Australia’s taxonomic knowledge and capacity through the documentation and
dissemination of information on the taxonomy and biogeography of Australia’s biota,
and provide scientifically verified species information for biosecurity and environmental
decision-making.

Collaborate with the Bureau of Meteorology to improve the quality and availability of
environmental information by:

-
coordinating and prioritising environmental information activity
-
developing nationally consistent, authoritative information on key environmental
assets for decision makers
-
developing a plan for an enduring national capacity that builds on these
foundations
Actively engage in international efforts towards permanently ending all forms of
commercial whaling, including so-called ‘scientific’ whaling.
Programme 1.3: Carbon Pollution Reduction—Land Sector Initiatives
Objective
Continue to administer commitments under selected Land Sector Package measures: the
Biodiversity Fund and Stream 1 of the Natural Resource Management Planning for Climate
Change Fund.
Results for deliverables and key performance indicators
Programme 1.1: Sustainable Management of Natural Resources and the Environment
Deliverables
2013–14 results
Caring for our Country Initiative: Sustainable Environment Stream
Policy guidance documents
for 2014–15 produced and
communicated to the public.
From 2014–15 the National Landcare Programme will be the
Australian Government’s key natural resource management
initiative. Public consultations on the design and delivery of
the National Landcare Programme will be undertaken before
programme guidelines are released in the 2014–15 financial
year.
A Monitoring Evaluation
Reporting and Improvement
Plan that defines monitoring
and evaluation methodologies
and key performance
indicators for the Initiative.
A Monitoring and Reporting Plan has been developed to help
guide funding recipients in meeting their responsibilities. The
plan details key performance indicators for each of the
investment strategic outcome areas.
Funding and support for projects that deliver against the strategic objectives and fiveyear outcomes.
Maintenance of ecosystem
services, including ecological
and cultural values, now and
into the future:
Delivery is ongoing with a refocus to the National Landcare
Programme from 2014–15.
Target Area Grants supported 29 projects to deliver the
strategic objectives of maintaining ecosystem services. These
projects are ongoing and initial environmental achievement
data is expected for the 2015–16 annual report.

conserve and protect
species and ecosystems

restore and maintain
urban waterways and
coastal environments

build natural resource
management community
skills, knowledge and
engagement
The Reef Programme is delivering contracts to support the
resilience of the Great Barrier Reef, including through:

research into the resilience of coral reefs

address threats to the
Great Barrier Reef

Crown of thorns starfish control

assistance for commercial
fishers to adjust to the

support for the Gladstone Health-Harbour Partnership
Fifty-three regional bodies have been contracted to deliver on
these outcomes. These contracts are ongoing and
environmental achievement data is expected in future
financial years.
changes brought about by
the establishment of the
new Commonwealth
marine reserves.

water quality improvement projects

land and sea country indigenous partnerships

water quality monitoring and reporting.
The development of assistance measures for commercial
fishers to adjust to the changes brought about by the
establishment of the new Commonwealth marine reserves
was placed on hold while a review of future marine reserves
management arrangements is undertaken.
Enhanced capacity of
Indigenous communities to
conserve and protect natural
resources:

build Indigenous people’s
capacity for natural
resource management,
including through
continued investment in
the Working on Country
initiative

enable the continued use,
support and reinvigoration
of traditional ecological
knowledge to underpin
biodiversity conservation.
Responsibility for administering the Working on Country
initiative and Indigenous Protected Areas programme
transferred to the Department of the Prime Minister and
Cabinet under the machinery-of-government changes in
September 2013.
Green Army Programme
Green Army Programme
Guidelines, describing the
design and delivery of the
programme are produced.
Green Army Programme Guidelines 2014–2017 were
developed and released to the public on 31 March 2014.
A tender process to assess
and select suitable service
providers is undertaken.
A request for tender process for the appointment of service
providers opened on 31 March 2014 and closed on 7 May
2014.
Tenders were assessed as per the Green Army Programme
2014–2017 Request for Tender Evaluation Guidelines.
A project selection process
will be conducted to assess
and select suitable Green
Army projects for Rounds 1
and 2.
Green Army Project Guidelines Round 1 were released to the
public on 9 April 2014. Applications for Round 1 closed on
9 May 2014.
Project applications were assessed as per the Application
Assessment Plan: The Department of the Environment.
Green Army Project Selection—Round One.
Further rounds are under consideration.
Other initiatives
Continuing to implement
Australia’s Biodiversity
Conservation Strategy 2010–
2030.
A wide range of Government activities including the National
Landcare Programme and Working on Country contribute to
the implementation of Australia’s Biodiversity Conservation
Strategy.
Recent achievements include:

funding of projects under natural resource management
programmes to conserve, protect and restore the
Australian environment by making it healthier, better
protected, well managed and resilient

contributing to the achievement of Australia’s Biodiversity
Conservation Strategy Target 2. Since 2007 the number
of Indigenous rangers has increased from 100 to 680, and
is on track to reach a target of 730 rangers by 2015.
Implementing the National
Wildlife Corridors Plan and
associated management
arrangements.
Discontinued as a result of changing Government priorities.
Contributing towards
implementation of the
Reconciliation Action Plan
(2013–15) and development
of an Indigenous Engagement
Guidelines package.
The Department’s Reconciliation Action Plan was updated to
reflect departmental changes. It continues our commitment to
valuing the experience, perspectives and cultures of
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in protecting
and enhancing Australia’s environment.
New programmes, such as the 20 Million Trees Programme,
will support the planting of native trees and associated
understorey species to re-establish green corridors and urban
forests.
www.environment.gov.au/resource/reconciliation-action-plan
An innovative ‘continuing the conversation’ series was
launched in May 2014 to explore how the Department is
continuing to improve staff awareness about Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander people in our work and to encourage
staff to actively contribute to reconciliation as part of their
corporate duties.
The Indigenous Engagement Guidelines package was
launched in May 2014. It is a resource for all departmental
staff to inform the preparation of Indigenous engagement
strategies within policy and programme areas.
Establishing a nationally
consistent and effective legal
framework for managing
access to genetic resources
to facilitate research and
development while protecting
The Department continued to work with state and territory
jurisdictions and key stakeholders to promote nationally
consistent practice, policy and legislation that facilitates
access to genetic resources and provides legal certainty for
researchers and innovators.
biodiversity from overexploitation.
Assessing individual
Australian fisheries including
against the Guidelines for the
Ecologically Sustainable
Management of Fisheries.
Twenty fisheries and three small-scale operations were
assessed. Three of these were considered by the Minister
and the remainder under delegation. Four of the assessments
completed included determination of non-detriment findings
for the export of species listed under the Convention on
International Trade in Endangered Species.
Developing, implementing
and reviewing threat
abatement plans and threat
abatement advice for key
threatening processes.
The Minister announced the appointment of Gregory Andrews
as Australia’s first Threatened Species Commissioner on 2
July 2014. The commissioner role brings a new national focus
to conservation efforts and is helping to address the growing
number of native flora and fauna facing extinction.
In January 2014 the Minister made a threat abatement plan
for disease in natural ecosystems caused by Phytophthora
cinnamomi.
A draft variation of the threat abatement plan for infection of
amphibians with chytrid fungus resulting in chytridiomycosis
was released for public comment from 21 May 2014 until 21
August 2014.
Three statutory reviews were completed of threat abatement
for:

competition and land degradation by rabbits

competition and land degradation by unmanaged goats

predation by European red fox (Vulpes vulpes).
Statutory reviews were initiated for two threat abatement
plans:

the impacts of marine debris on vertebrate marine life
(2009)

the impacts of exotic rodents on biodiversity on Australian
offshore islands of less than 100 000 hectares (2009).
The reviews were made available to the public on the
Department’s website.
www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/threatabatement-plans/approved
Contributing to a process to
ensure:


additional areas of
Tasmanian public native
forest with high
conservation values are
further protected through
inclusion in formal
legislated reserves
Discontinued as a result of changing Government priorities.
The Australian and Tasmanian governments have agreed to
terminate the National Partnership Agreement on the
Implementation of the Tasmanian Forests Intergovernmental
Agreement.
Responsibility for the lead on Tasmanian forest issues has
been transferred to the Department of Agriculture.
the Tasmanian forest
industry has a sustainable
and guaranteed wood
supply.
Key performance indicators
2013–14 results
Caring for our Country Initiative: Sustainable Environment Stream
By 2014–15, all Caring for our
Country Initiative funding
rounds have been
implemented.
Funding rounds for the following components of the
Sustainable Environment Stream of Caring for our Country
were undertaken:

World Heritage Grants

Reef Recovery

Regional Delivery

Community Environment Grants

Target Area Grants

Working on Country

Indigenous Protected Areas.
From 2014–15 the National Landcare Programme will be the
Australian Government’s key natural resource management
initiative. Public consultations on the design and delivery of
the National Landcare Programme will be undertaken before
programme guidelines are released in the 2014–15 financial
year.
By 2015–16, project
proponents have commenced
data collection, as per agreed
methodologies.
Data collection has commenced as per agreed
methodologies. Public reporting of this data will begin in the
2015–16 Annual Report.
Working on Country program
By June 2014, a national
target of over 715 Indigenous
rangers will be employed,
with an overall target of 730
by June 2015.
As a result of machinery-of-government changes in
September 2013, the Department’s Indigenous functions were
transferred to the Department of the Prime Minister and
Cabinet.
Green Army Programme
Completion of initial
programme design, with the
programme ready for delivery
from
1 July 2014.
Programme design completed, with programme guidelines for
service providers released on 31 March 2014 and project
guidelines for Round 1 projects released on 9 April 2014.
Engagement of one or more
service providers to recruit
and deploy Green Army
teams from
1 July 2014.
Five service providers were selected to recruit and deploy
Green Army teams.
Selection of up to 250
projects, via competitive
assessment rounds (Rounds
1 and 2), for Green Army
team deployment from July 1
2014.
210 applications containing approximately 442 projects were
received and assessed through Round 1.
Deeds of standing offer are in place with service providers.
246 projects were approved for Green Army deployment from
2 August 2014.
Other initiatives
Selected indicators and
baseline measurements
established by June 2014 to
support implementation and
reporting on national
biodiversity and native
vegetation strategies.
Indicators and baseline measurements to align the
implementation and reporting of Australia’s Biodiversity
Conservation Strategy 2010–2030, Australia’s Strategy for the
National Reserve System 2009–2030 and Australia’s Native
Vegetation Framework 2012 are being considered.
The National Wildlife
Corridors declaration process
is established by June 2014.
Discontinued as a result of changing Government priorities.
Model developed for the
implementation of the Nagoya
Protocol within Australia to
support domestic and
international consultation or
possible ratification by the
end of 2013.
A model was developed and used as the basis for
international and domestic consultation to inform a future
decision on ratification.
These strategies are under review and mechanisms for
implementation are being considered.
Advice prepared on the
protection and conservation
of species and key
threatening processes
according to statutory
requirements.
Refer to page 26 for initiated and completed reviews.
Funding allocated to the
Tasmanian Forest Agreement
is spent in accordance with
the National Partnership
Agreement on the
Implementation of the
Tasmanian Forests
Intergovernmental
Agreement.
No longer being pursued.
The Australian and Tasmanian Governments have agreed to
terminate the National Partnership Agreement.
All milestone payments for work delivered up to May 2014
were made in accordance with the National Partnership
Agreement.
Responsibility for the lead on Tasmanian forest issues has
been transferred to the Department of Agriculture.
Programme 1.2: Environmental Information and Research
Deliverables
2013–14 results
Through the National
Environmental Research
Program (NERP), delivering
‘public good’ focused
environmental research
designed to support
evidence-based decision
making by environmental
managers and policy makers.
The NERP continued to support environmental decisionmaking with research across 139 projects, funded mainly
through five multi-institutional research hubs. Supported
through the NERP, 568 researchers delivered applied
research to support environmental management and
produced more than 200 research articles, papers and notes
printed in peer-reviewed research journals, books or other
publications.
Developing, in collaboration
with the Bureau of
Meteorology, a national plan
for consolidating and
coordinating Australian
Government activity in critical
environmental information.
The Department provided strategic policy advice that enabled
the Bureau of Meteorology to deliver on the National Plan for
Environmental Information initiative projects in line with open
information and environmental information reform principles.
The National Environmental Science Programme (NESP) was
announced in May as part of the 2014–15 Budget. This
programme is the amalgamation of the National
Environmental Research Program (NERP) and the Australian
Climate Change Science Program.
Policy priorities were further developed to underpin long-term
and enduring environmental information policy reform.
The Department engaged with environmental information
stakeholders in the reform process through consultation
across the Australian Government.
As a technical partner, the Department also continued working
with the Bureau of Meteorology to develop a functional
environmental information system—a key National Plan
project being realised through the development of the National
Environment Information Infrastructure.
Continuing collaboration with
like-minded countries to
achieve reform of the
International Whaling
Commission (IWC) through
conservation and governance
reform initiatives agreed by
the IWC.
Australia worked closely with other IWC member countries to
shift the emphasis of the IWC towards being a conservationorientated body over the two-year intersessional period
leading to the 2014 IWC meeting. This included implementing
conservation management plans to recover critically
endangered whale populations, supporting the IWC’s role in
promoting globally responsible and sustainable whale
watching, preparing for the second decadal review of the
Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary, and improving the costeffectiveness of operations of the IWC through the IWC
Bureau and the IWC Finance and Administration Committee.
Providing technical and policy
support for Australia’s legal
action in the International
Court of Justice to stop
Japanese so-called ‘scientific’
whaling in the Southern
Ocean.
The Australian Government welcomed the 31 March 2014
decision of the International Court of Justice, which found that
Japan’s whaling programme in the Southern Ocean is not for
purposes of scientific research and ordered that it cease. The
Court’s judgment found in favour of Australia and was the
successful culmination of the Department’s provision of policy,
technical and scientific advice to the Attorney-General’s
Department over the life of the court case.
Implementing the
International Whale and
Marine Mammal
Conservation Initiative.
The Department continued to implement the six-year
International Whale and Marine Mammal Conservation
Initiative, to bring an end to all forms of commercial whaling,
including ‘scientific’ whaling, and improve the conservation of
whales and marine mammals in our waters and around the
world. Australia also demonstrated to the world the benefits of
non-lethal whale research.
Deliverables
2013–14
Budget target
2013–14 results
Number of research projects co-funded with other
agencies.
102
108
Number of researchers supported under the National
Environmental Research Funding Program.1
376
568
Number of researchers supported under the Australian
Biological Resources Study national taxonomic
research grants programme.
64
106
Biodiversity research projects co-funded with other
agencies.
11
86
1
Actual numbers may differ as this does not account for all postdoctoral, PhD and Honours students and part-time
staff who will be engaged throughout the life of the programme.
Key performance indicators
2013–14 results
Research funded by the Department
(through the National Environmental
Research Program) and data and
information products resulting from
that research are made publicly
available under open access.
Performance reporting from research hubs is for a
calendar year. From July to December 2013, 97% of
research was publicly available. The programme
continues to require open access to all research
funded through the programme by hubs, making
research data and other outputs publicly available
through hub websites, blogs and online commentary
sites such as The Conversation, as well as through
video-hosting sites and in hard copy.
Policy and technical advice to the
Attorney-General’s Department is
effective, accurate and timely, in
supporting Australia’s case against
Japan’s program of so-called
‘scientific’ whaling in the Southern
Ocean.
The Department provided effective, accurate and
timely policy, technical and scientific advice to the
Attorney-General’s Department in support of
Australia’s case in the International Court of Justice.
In liaison with the Australian Antarctic
Division, the programme of non-lethal
whale and marine mammal research
clearly demonstrates to the
international community that all
necessary conservation management
questions can be addressed without
the use of lethal whale research
methods.
Australia worked through the Commission’s Scientific
Committee and directly with countries such as
Argentina, France, South Korea, New Zealand,
United Kingdom and United States to demonstrate
benefits of non-lethal whale research techniques.
Australia remained at the forefront of international
efforts to improve non-lethal research on whales and
lead whale conservation science and management in
the International Whaling Commission. Research
activities were funded under the Australian Marine
Mammal Centre programme in Australia’s waters, in
regional waters (Indian and Pacific Oceans) and in
the Southern Ocean, including the successful
Antarctic Blue Whale Project.
Key performance indicators
2013–14
Budget target
2013–14 results1
National Environmental Research Program (NERP)
research information products publicly available. (%)
95
97
Relative value of co-investment made by other
stakeholders to NERP research projects. (%)
50
50.2
Number of research articles, papers and notes printed in
peer reviewed research journals, books or other
publications.
20
216
Number of other stakeholder organisations/groups or
agencies engaged in the research process.
100
126
Number of research projects which involve researchers
50
61
from three or more institutions.
Number of early career researchers trained in taxonomy
and species discovery funded through the Australian
Biological Resources Study.
45
135
Taxa revised or newly described under the Australian
Biological Resources Study.
200
630
1
These metrics are based on the period 1 July to 31 December 2013. Standard reporting with the hubs is carried
out on a six-monthly basis, with the report for January to June 2014 coming in by 1 October 2014.
Programme 1.3: Carbon Pollution Reduction-—Land Sector Initiatives
Deliverables
2013–14 results
Biodiversity Fund
Monitoring Evaluation
Reporting and Improvement
Plan that defines monitoring
and evaluation methodologies
and key performance
indicators.
A Biodiversity Fund Programme Monitoring, Evaluation,
Reporting and Improvement Plan has been developed. The
plan establishes a set of key performance indicators and key
evaluation questions, and the basis for the design and
implementation of fit-for-purpose monitoring and evaluation
activities.
Supporting projects that:
A total of 22 major projects were supported to achieve these
objectives.


increase quantity and
resilience of biodiverse
ecosystems
32% of all projects include elements contributing to enhanced
landscape connectivity.
enhance landscape
connectivity.
Initial environmental achievement data will be reported in the
2015–16 Annual Report.
Stream 1 of the Regional Natural Resource Management Planning for Climate Change
Fund
Regional natural resource
management (NRM)
organisations are assisted
with funding to update
existing regional NRM plans
through activities appropriate
to the region’s circumstances
including:

community consultation

use of planning tools

adopting information
about anticipated climate
change impacts on
regions.
Fifty-three projects, totalling over $23.8 million, are under
way. Projects are over four years (2012–13 to 2015–16).
Indigenous Carbon Farming Fund
Supporting projects that
provide:

information for Indigenous
Australians to help
decision making on
whether or not to
participate in the carbon
market

business development
support and capacity
building to develop and
implement Indigenous
carbon businesses

legal and governance
support to develop
contractual and
governance
arrangements around
Indigenous carbon
businesses.
Key performance indicators
As a result of machinery-of-government changes in
September 2013, most of the Department’s Indigenous
functions were transferred to the Department of the Prime
Minister and Cabinet, including the Indigenous Carbon
Farming Fund Capacity Building and Business Support
Stream. Refer to page 141 for the 2013–14 results for
Indigenous Carbon Farming Fund Research and
Development Stream.
2013–14 results
Biodiversity Fund
Programme rounds have
been implemented to support
the aims of the Biodiversity
Fund.
Establishing, restoring and/or
protecting biodiverse carbon
stores by:

supporting revegetation

managing and protecting
existing biodiverse carbon
stores in high
conservation value areas

supporting actions that
prevent the spread of
invasive species across
The following three funding rounds were completed:

Biodiversity Fund Round Two

Northern Australia Targeted Investment

Investing in Tasmania’s Native Forests.
A total of 22 major projects were supported to achieve the
objectives.
All of these projects support at least one of the objectives.
32% of projects have elements supporting revegetation.
32% of projects have elements supporting the management
and protection of existing biodiverse carbon stores in high
conservation value areas.
50% of projects have elements supporting actions that
prevent the spread of invasive species across connected
landscapes.
connected landscapes.
Initial environmental achievement data will be reported in the
2015–16 Annual Report.
Project proponents have
commenced data collection,
as per agreed methodologies,
which has been used to
publicly report on programme
progress.
Data collection has commenced as per agreed
methodologies. Public reporting of this data will begin in the
2015–16 Annual Report.
Stream 1 of the Regional Natural Resource Management Planning for Climate Change
Fund
Principles for the Regional
Natural Resource
Management (NRM) Planning
for Climate Change Fund
developed to guide the
process of updating existing
regional NRM plans in a
nationally consistent way.
The principles were developed in consultation with
stakeholders and were included in the grant guidelines
released in December 2012.
Updated regional NRM plans
address the Principles for the
Regional NRM Planning for
Climate Change Fund.
In the second half of 2014, the Department will consider draft
updated regional NRM plans and their progress towards
addressing the principles.
Regional NRM plans across
Australia updated by the end
of the 2015–16 financial year.
Not applicable for 2013–14 reporting.
Regional NRM organisations
have improved capacity to
plan for climate change
adaptation and mitigation.
Not applicable for 2013–14 reporting.
Indigenous Carbon Farming Fund
Programme rounds continue
to be implemented to support
the aims of the Indigenous
Carbon Farming Fund for the
provision of:

knowledge and
information for Indigenous
Australians to help
decision-making on
whether or not to
participate in the carbon
market

business development
As a result of machinery-of-government changes in
September 2013, most of the Department’s Indigenous
functions were transferred to the Department of the Prime
Minister and Cabinet.
support and capacity
building to develop and
implement Indigenous
carbon businesses

legal and governance
support to develop
contractual and
governance
arrangements around
Indigenous carbon
businesses.