Management Strategies for Maintaining

Healthy Natural Environments

Unit 4: AOS 2
Management strategies
A range of measures can be applied to achieve and maintain
healthy natural environments.
Management strategies can be undertaken by both public and
private land owners.
Natural environments need to be carefully managed and
maintained sustainably in order for individuals and society to
benefit from the resources, scientific and health benefits they
provide.
Management Plans
What is a Management Plan?
Aims to minimise and control the impacts on the
environment that occur as a result of the different uses of the
area.
A means to set agreed upon guidelines and directions for how
an area can be used and managed.
What is a Management Plan?
All National Parks, State Parks and Forests have a
management plan.
Many areas that are valued for their natural qualities have a
management plan.
What is in a Management Plan?
A descriptive overview of the area concerned which
includes:
- Location (supported by maps)
- Characteristics of the environment. (supported by pictures,
figures, lists etc)
- Overview of user groups, including past and present.
(supported by pictures, figures, lists etc)
What is in a Management Plan?
- Who has management responsibilities
- Overview of the values of the area.
- Strategies for management of an area, by attempting to meet
the needs for recreation, conservation and commercial
activities.
What needs to be Managed?
A management plan will outline the strategies which need to
be employed to control the commercial and recreational
users of the area, but also outline how the opportunities for
these activities can be maximised in order to minimise the
impact on the environment.
Resources in developing a
Management Plan
Personal Observation, photography, sketches
Surveys
Previously gained information. Council websites, Parks
Victoria Info. Etc.
Field Naturalists survey results, publications.
Management strategies that
emerge from management plans.
The creation of steps to control track erosion
Fences are erected to prevent further loss of vegetation
Signs leading to sites encourage individuals to adopt
minimum impact strategies
The Creation of National Parks is another action that can
be taken to minimise impact due to interaction with the
natural environment. The management directions and work
of the rangers within parks has a clear role to play in
minimising the impact of the differing interactions which
occur.
Management strategies that
emerge from management plans
A boardwalk crossing a creek is one means of controlling
the impact of walkers on waterways within a natural
environment
Treated pine poles act as silt tracks preventing track erosion
occurring on popular walking tracks
The development of catch limits and size restrictions
within the commercial and recreational fishing sector
provides a further example of measures that can be taken to
minimise impacts on the natural environment. These
restrictions have been implemented as a result of research
into dwindling fish catches and concerns regarding the
impact of these activities on our fish stocks
Management strategies that
emerge from management plans
Zoning off areas
Feral animal and weeds eradication programs
Scientific Study, gain evidence about the environment and
learn about possible solutions
Developing wildlife corridors between pockets of
remnant vegetation
Translocation or reintroduction of species into areas
where they use to occur
Ecotourism
Community education
Management strategies that
emerge from management plans
Minimum impact codes have been developed in an effort
to provide clear and consistent practices related to ensuring
that minimal impact occurs from individuals participation in
recreation based activities that occur in outdoor
environments. There are codes present for recreation
activities such as bushwalking, rock climbing, four wheel
driving, mountain biking, cross country skiing and horse
riding to identify but a few.

http://www.bushwalkingwa.org.au/docs/Federation%20Mi
nimum%20Impact%20bushwalking%20Code1.pdf
The Skills you need to develop:
You need to be able to indentify management strategies from
your camp experiences.
You need to be able to describe the management strategy.
You need to be able to evaluate the effectiveness of the
strategy. (Positives and negatives)

Here is an example of a major management strategy.

Parks and Reserve system
The creation of state-wide parks and reserves system is an
example of effective management strategies.
Every National Park and State Park that is created must have
an individual management plan developed that outlines the
way it will be managed and maintained.
These plans outline strategies to achieve the balance between
the different user groups of particular natural environments.
One way to demand for these conflicting users/demans of
the environemnt is through the use of zones in State and
National Park.
Zones are created to account for the different demands.
Zones: can be created with the
particular aims-
Recreation/Development zones:
Primarily focusing on high recreation use and the management
of areas with high visitor. These areas often have marked
tracks, signs, car parks, information centres, camp grounds,
water and toilet facilities...
Conservation/Recreation Zones:
Focus on both conservation and lower impact dispersed
recreational activities. Less facilities-with some marked
walking tracks and fewer camping grounds.
Zones: (continued)
Conservation zone:
Provide limited recreational options with a major focus being
on the protection of flora and fauna, natural history...
Wilderness zones:
Focus on keeping the area undisturbed for the continuation of
natural process and recognising the intrinsic value of the area.
Recreation can still take place, yet no modification of the
environment is made to cater for their needs.
Reference Zones:
Often smaller areas within a park with mostly undisturbed land
or vegetation available for study or to make comparisons for
data collection.
Effectiveness of the parks and
reserves system.
Can be difficult to manage the number of different demands
and priorities places on it by the range of different users and
their views.
Finding the balance between conservation and providing
opportunities for recreation and commercial activities within
the park.
Conflicts between recreation and conservation users.