Rec The State Party should ensure Support The 2016 Management Plan 17 adequate resources for fire acknowledges that fire is one of On 9 March 2016 the research and management, so the major threats to the property’s Tasmanian Government as to better understand the role natural and cultural values and announced that it will invest of fire and to optimize its includes a number of measures to AUD$250,000 in a research management. continue resourcing fire research project that will examine the and management in the property impact of climate change in the (section 4.3, 5.2.1 and 8.1). property and strengthen fighting techniques specific to The Australian and Tasmanian managing wilderness areas. governments have resourced fire This project will be completed in research and management consultation with the Australian activities since the Tasmanian Government. Wilderness World Heritage Area was listed in 1982. The Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service has a recurrent Recent examples of resourcing fire management budget of on fire research and management AUD$1.8 million with include: AUD$650,000 allocated for The Tasmanian Government • ongoing fire management allocated AUD$4 million over four planning in the property. years from 2017 to implement Additional expenditure for fire recommendations of the suppression is directly funded by independent reviews of the 2016 the Tasmanian Government. fires in the property, including for Australia is a world leader in fire planning, rehabilitation and fire management and mitigation activities. techniques. Both Governments The Australian and Tasmanian • are committed to ongoing governments’ jointly funded the maintenance of this capability emergency response to and continual improvement managing the January 2016 through review and evaluation. bushfires in the property at a cost Further information is available in of AUD$11.5 million. section 2.4 of the 2016 State The Tasmanian Government • Party Report. provided AUD$250,000 in 2016 for a research project on the impact of climate change and opportunities to strengthen in the property. The project published its report in December 2016. In 2016 the Australian • Government provided AUD$100,000 to the University of Tasmania to improve understanding and management of fire in the property. This project is expected to be complete by mid-2018.
Rec 17 The State Party should ensure adequate resources for fire research and management, so as to better understand the role of fire and to optimize its management. Support On 9 March 2016 the Tasmanian Government announced that it will invest AUD$250,000 in a research project that will examine the impact of climate change in the property and strengthen techniques specific to managing wilderness areas. This project will be completed in consultation with the Australian Government. The Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service has a recurrent fire management budget of AUD$1.8 million with AUD$650,000 allocated for ongoing fire management planning in the property. Additional expenditure for fire suppression is directly funded by the Tasmanian Government. Australia is a world leader in fire management and fighting techniques. Both Governments are committed to ongoing maintenance of this capability and continual improvement through review and evaluation. Further information is available in section 2.4 of the 2016 State Party Report. The 2016 Management Plan acknowledges that fire is one of the major threats to the property’s natural and cultural values and includes a number of measures to continue resourcing fire research and management in the property (section 4.3, 5.2.1 and 8.1). The Australian and Tasmanian governments have resourced fire research and management activities since the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area was listed in 1982. Recent examples of resourcing on fire research and management include: • The Tasmanian Government allocated AUD$4 million over four years from 2017 to implement recommendations of the independent reviews of the 2016 fires in the property, including for planning, rehabilitation and fire mitigation activities. • The Australian and Tasmanian governments’ jointly funded the emergency response to managing the January 2016 bushfires in the property at a cost of AUD$11.5 million. • The Tasmanian Government provided AUD$250,000 in 2016 for a research project on the impact of climate change and opportunities to strengthen in the property. The project published its report in December 2016. • In 2016 the Australian Government provided AUD$100,000 to the University of Tasmania to improve understanding and management of fire in the property. This project is expected to be complete by mid-2018.
tas-state-party-report-2017.docx