WCC 2016 Res 031 - Activity Report

#NatureForAll - NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service continues to run an environmental education program through our Discovery ranger program, connect people with nature through events and activities on park. Led by expert rangers our excursions give students, hands-on, real life experiences as they learn about environmental conservation, aboriginal culture and heritage across sites in NSW.
In 2018/19 the Discovery program hosted 1,136 schools with over 62,000 participants.

The NSW government has secured $150 million commitment to improve walking tracks, trails and other visitor infrastructure over the coming years to provide improve access to our national parks by local communities and tourists.

Healthy Parks Healthy People - NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service continues to highlight the important benefits of spending time in nature to improved health and well-being outcomes through partnerships with health initiatives e.g. Western Sydney Diabetes Alliance, Healthy Eating Active Living Senior Officers Group. NSW also supported and helped to facilitate the Australian Committee IUCN symposium on Healthy People in a Healthy Environment.

IUCN Green List of Protected and Conserved Areas - NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service continues to support, promote and implement the IUCN Green List program and has renominated its three Green List sites, assisted other states in Australia to nominate sites and presented on the Green List and management effectiveness to Taiwan university and park managers who visited Australia in 2019. Dr Joanne Wilson continues to be a member of the Green List Standards Committee.

NSW State of the Parks - NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service undertook a management effectiveness assessment of all national parks and reserves in NSW (>850 parks) through the State of the Parks Assessment. This assessment is undertake every 3-5 years.