Norfolk Island National Park and Norfolk Island Botanic Garden
Management Plan 2008-2018

Explanatory Statement

Section 366 (1) of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) requires the Director of National Parks (the Director) to prepare management plans for each Commonwealth reserve.

The purpose of the Norfolk Island National Park and Norfolk Island Botanic Garden Management Plan 2008-2018 is to describe the philosophy and direction of management for the Park for the next ten years in accordance with the EPBC Act.  The Plan enables management to proceed in an orderly way; it helps reconcile competing interests and identifies priorities for the allocation of available resources.

Background

Norfolk Island National Park covers 650 hectares in two sections. The Mount Pitt Section, which encompasses the slopes of Mount Pitt and Mount Bates on Norfolk Island, covers 460 hectares. The other section of the National Park comprises 190 hectares on neighbouring Phillip Island. The Norfolk Island Botanic Garden covers 5.5 hectares and is located near the Mount Pitt Section of the Park.

The Mount Pitt Section of the Park and the Botanic Garden were first established by the Norfolk Island National Park and Norfolk Island Botanic Garden Act 1984 (NI) when it came into force on 12 February 1985. These areas were subsequently declared a national park and botanic garden under the National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 1975 (Cwlth) by proclamation under that Act on 31 January 1986 following a request of the Norfolk Island Legislative Assembly. The Phillip Island Section of the Park was proclaimed under the Commonwealth Act on 24 January 1996.

In July 2000 the (Commonwealth) Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) came into force and replaced a number of Acts relevant to the management of the Park and Garden including the National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 1975. Since 16 July 2000, the Park and the Botanic Garden have been managed under the EPBC Act.

The natural values of the Park and Botanic Garden come from being part of the Territory of Norfolk Island. Set in the south-west Pacific Ocean, the Territory provides a link between tropical and temperate oceanic island environments. The remote location, coupled with colonisation by plants and animals dispersed over vast distances of ocean, means that the Territory of Norfolk Island is important for its values as habitat for endemic species, habitat and breeding areas for species with limited distribution and migratory species including large colonies of breeding seabirds, and for its unique vegetation assemblages.

The Park and Botanic Garden values include historic cultural heritage values. The area which is now the Mount Pitt Section of the Park has been the site of a number of significant events in the human history of the island, including its discovery and settlement by Europeans and its defence during the Second World War. Both the Park and Botanic Garden include artefacts relating to the Second World War.

The purpose for which the Botanic Garden was declared is consistent with the characteristics for World Conservation Union (IUCN) protected area management category IV, habitat/species management area.

The Park is divided by this Plan into two zones—the Forestry Area to be managed as IUCN category VI, managed resource protected area, reflecting the purposes for which the area is used; and the balance of the Mount Pitt Section of the Park and Phillip Island are managed as IUCN category II, national park.

Structure and content of the management plan

The Norfolk Island National Park and Norfolk Island Botanic Garden Management Plan consists of two parts.  Part 1 explains the context for managing the Park, including the legal context.  Part 2 sets out how the Park will be managed.  It has been structured according to the Parks Australia Planning and Performance Assessment Framework.  The purpose of the Framework is to achieve consistency and comprehensiveness in the management and conservation within and between reserves.  Copies of the Framework are available from the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts on request.

Given the close proximity of the Park and Botanic Garden, the similar nature of the threats they face, and the management goals and strategies required, a combined management plan for the two Commonwealth reserves has been prepared.

The Management Plan includes five of the Framework’s seven Key Result Areas:

• Key Result Area 1 (KRA1): Natural Heritage Management
• Key Result Area 2 (KRA2): Cultural Heritage Management
• Key Result Area 4 (KRA4): Visitor Management and Park Use
• Key Result Area 5 (KRA5): Stakeholders and Partnerships
• Key Result Area 6 (KRA6): Business Management

NOTE: Key Result Areas 3 (Joint Management) and 7 (Biodiversity Knowledge Management) are not relevant to this Management Plan.

Within the Management Plan, each chapter covers the protection and management of the various aspects of the Park’s values and uses:

•      Background
•      Introductory provisions
•      IUCN category and zoning
•      Natural heritage management
•      Cultural heritage management
•      Visitor management and use of the Park and Botanic Garden
•      Stakeholders and partnerships
•      Business management

Most sections within the Management Plan’s chapters are structured in the following way:

• Our am (describes the desired result of Park management activity)
• Measuring how well we are meeting our aim
• Background (explains why the section is needed)
• Issues (indicating the key factors to consider)
• What we are going to do

-       Policies

-       Actions

Consultation

On 15 March 2006, consistent with s. 368 (1) (a) of the EPBC Act, a notice was published in the Australian Government Gazette, the Australian newspaper, the Norfolk Islander local newspaper and placed on the Department of the Environment and Water Resources website, inviting comments on the proposal to prepare a draft management plan.  A Have Your Say brochure was also circulated to stimulate awareness of the planning process and the opportunity to contribute to the Plan.  This initial comment period closed on 28 April 2006 and eight public submissions were received.

Following consideration of these submissions, the Director then prepared a draft plan in accordance with s.368 (1) (b) of the EPBC Act, which was released for public comment on 1 August 2007 until 3 September 2007. 

Invitations to comment were published in the Australia Government Gazette, the Australian newspaper, the Norfolk Islander local newspaper, the Norfolk Window on the World newsletter and on the Department’s website. Draft Plans were sent to stakeholders with an invitation to comment (including those who provided comments towards the preparation of the draft Plan).  Draft Plans were made available from the Park Headquarters, from the Department’s website and through the Department’s Community Information Unit.

Meetings with the Administration of Norfolk Island, the Norfolk Island National Park and Botanic Garden Advisory Committee and with interested parties occurred on Island during the comment period to discuss the Draft Plan.

There were three written submissions and two verbal submissions in accordance with s.368 (1) (e) of the EPBC Act. The Director considered the submissions and changed some aspects of the Plan in response to this advice.

Commencement date of legislative instrument

This instrument is a legislative instrument for the purposes of the Legislative Instruments Act 2003. The plan was made on 4 January 2008, the day it was approved by the Minister, pursuant to section 370 of the EPBC Act, and commenced the day after registration on the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments