Department of Environment and Conservation
Encyclopedia
The Department of Environment and Conservation is a department of the Government of Western Australia
that is responsible for implementing the state's conservation and environment legislation and regulations. It was formed on 1 July 2006 by the amalgamation of the Department of Environment and the Department of Conservation and Land Management (CALM).
s, marine park
s, conservation park
s, regional parks, State forests and timber reserves, nature reserves, and marine nature reserves. It provides visitor and recreation facilities at a sustainable level for many of these.
It also supports or works closely with the following authorities: -
DEC is also responsible for the wildlife conservation project Western Shield
.
Government of Western Australia
The formation of the Government of Western Australia is prescribed in its Constitution, which dates from 1890, although it has been amended many times since then...
that is responsible for implementing the state's conservation and environment legislation and regulations. It was formed on 1 July 2006 by the amalgamation of the Department of Environment and the Department of Conservation and Land Management (CALM).
Current Status
The department manages more than 240,000 km², including more than nine per cent of WA's land area: its national parkNational park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
s, marine park
Marine park
A marine park is a park consisting of an area of sea sometimes protected for recreational use, but more often set aside to preserve a specific habitat and ensure the ecosystem is sustained for the organisms that exist there...
s, conservation park
Conservation park
Conservation park is a type of specially protected status for land held by the Crown for conservation purposes.In New Zealand this land is administered by the Department of Conservation and was set up under the Conservation Act 1987. As of 31 March 2005, New Zealand's Conservation parks consisted...
s, regional parks, State forests and timber reserves, nature reserves, and marine nature reserves. It provides visitor and recreation facilities at a sustainable level for many of these.
It also supports or works closely with the following authorities: -
- Environmental Protection AuthorityEnvironmental Protection Authority of Western AustraliaThe Environmental Protection Authority of Western Australia is a statutory authority within the Government of Western Australia and is the primary provider of independent environmental advice to the government. It was established on 1 January 1972...
- Conservation Commission of WA
- Keep Australia Beautiful Council
- Marine Parks and Reserves Authority
- Swan River Trust
- Waste Authority.
DEC is also responsible for the wildlife conservation project Western Shield
Western Shield
Western Shield, managed by Western Australia's Department of Environment and Conservation, is a nature conservation program, safeguarding Western Australia's native animals and rescuing them from extinction...
.
Preceding agencies
- National Parks (and the earlier forms) in Western Australia were under :-
- State Gardens Board: 15 Dec 1920 - 30 Apr 1957 (Parks and Reserves Act 1895)
- National Parks Board of Western Australia: 1 May 1957 - 30 Jul 1977
- National Parks Authority: 1 Aug 1977 (National Parks Authority Act 1976)
- National Parks and Nature Conservation Authority: 16 Apr 1985 - 30 Oct 2000
- Department of Conservation and Land Management (CALM): 22 Mar 1985 - 30 Jun 2006 (Conservation and Land Management Act 1984)