What is the process for reserving FPPF LAND and PTPZL in the TWWHA?
The Government intends to reserve the land in the TWWHA in two stages.
Stage One involves:
- determining appropriate reservation classes (incorporating feedback from public consultation).
- tabling a draft proclamation (which outlines the class of reserve of each parcel of FPPF LAND) in both Houses of Parliament for consideration and approval
- proclaiming the land as a reserve (if approved by both Houses of Parliament)
Stage Two involves:
- progressing the reservation of PTPZL once the area containing plantation forestry has been appropriately regenerated to native forest.
Do the reserves make the TWWHA bigger?
No. The areas proposed to be reserved are all within the existing TWWHA boundary and the size of the TWWHA will not change.
What will the reservation of this land mean and will the reservation of the land under the Nature Conservation Act change how the land can be used?
The use, management, and regulation of areas within the TWWHA Management Plan is partly determined by the reserve class and partly determined by the Management Zones.
The current assessment is that there is no foreseeable impact to current users of the land resulting from the reservation of FPPF land.
The TWWHA Management Plan came into effect in 2016 and included very clear policy statements regarding activities that are not allowed in the TWWHA. As outlined in the Plan, the Tasmanian Government has a policy position of not allowing commercial logging, including harvesting of special species timbers or mining within the TWWHA. This commitment is given effect through the Management Plan, the Strategic Management Statement and other statutory measures.
Where can I find information on the Management Zones?
Pages 58-93 of the
TWWHA Management Plan provides information on defining the Management Zones and how they apply including allowable activities within those zones.
How can I see where these parcels of land are located?
Why does the Government want to extend the Mole Creek National Park?
The Tasmanian Government recognises the outstanding values of the Mole Creek Karst National Park (MCKNP). The expansion will include an area of land known as Solomons Dome, which contains the catchment of the internationally significant Kubla Khan Cave. Also included is land that sits to the south of Solomons Dome and is sandwiched between three parcels of existing Mole Creek Karst National Park. This land contains a suite of karst landforms including rare cave formations not currently captured in the national park.
How did the Tasmanian Government decide on the reserve classes for the remaining FPPF land?
As provided for by the Nature Conservation Act 2002, land may be declared to be reserved land in the class of regional reserve or conservation area if it adjoins a regional reserve or conservation area, or if the land possesses the relevant values as specified in Schedule 1 of the Nature Conservation Act.
All but two of the FPPF land parcels adjoin either existing Conservation Areas or Regional Reserves. It is proposed that these parcels of land are incorporated as extensions to the existing adjoining reserves.
The remaining two parcels of land have been assessed according to their values and are proposed to be reserved in the appropriate reserve class (one conservation area and one regional reserve).
Reserving the remaining areas of FPPF Crown land as either conservation area or regional reserve is consistent with requirements of the Nature Conservation Act and the management objectives for the TWWHA.
Was the public consulted?
A public consultation period ran for eight weeks from February to April 2021.
Will the submissions from the public consultation be published?
All submissions that addressed the reserving the FPPF land in the TWWHA and a consultation report will be published on the Department’s website.
Will any of the land be returned to the Tasmanian Aboriginal people?
The Tasmanian Government is committed to land return and a meaningful dialogue with Tasmanian Aboriginal people. The process of land return is achieved through a separate mechanism and the reservation of the land will not preclude this.
Does this decision put an end to the Kooparoona naira National park proposed by the Aboriginal Land Council of Tasmania?
Whilst the land subject to this national park proposal have not been considered to contain the values of a national park, they have been declared a reserve tenure under the Nature Conservation Act. This designation does not prevent or preclude management by Tasmanian Aboriginal people.
What will the impact be for bee keepers?
There are three current apiary licences on FPPF Land in the TWWHA. The licenses will remain valid.
Bee keeping is allowed on parcels of land in the TWWHA zoned as recreational. In addition, all roads within the TWWHA are zoned recreational and this zone extends 50 metres either side of the centre line. The Government has committed to continue to work with bee keepers to improve current access, where appropriate.
How long will the process take before the FPPF land is officially reserved under the Nature Conservation Act 2002?
There is a sequence of statutory processes that must be completed, at which point motions will be moved in Parliament. These motions must be approved by both Houses, after which the Governor will be asked to approve the proclamations for the land to be reserved in the proposed reserve classes. The proclamations are then published in the Tasmanian Gazette, which finalises the reservation process. As reservation of the land is dependent on Parliamentary approval, it is not possible to say when the reservation process will be completed.