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Land Management

Strategy

Engagement Pack

This engagement pack has been prepared to support staff, organisations and communities host conversations about the Land Management Strategy.

The purpose of the engagement pack is to give you a good understanding of the project, tips for organising conversations, and a workbook for recording the conversation. In this pack you will find:

Information about the project Frequently Asked Questions The draft Aspiration and

Guiding Principles Social media and newsletter

promotion templates Instructions for holding a

conversation A conversation workbook.

The Land Management Strategy

At Parks Victoria, it is our responsibility to ensure our parks are healthy and resilient for current and future generations.

To help us achieve this, and to respond to key challenges - including climate change, population growth and changing community needs - Parks Victoria is developing a state-wide Land Management Strategy (LMS) to guide future planning across the parks estate.

The LMS will set out long term directions, strategies and priorities to guide the protection, management and use of the parks’ estate over the next ten years.

This is the first time Parks Victoria has embarked on developing a state-wide land management strategy. The development of the LMS is a key direction of the Parks Victoria Act (2018). The LMS will cover all terrestrial and marine parks and reserves managed by Parks Victoria.

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Be part of shaping the health of our parks estate for the benefit of future

Victorians.

1. About this pack

Contents (continued)

Parks Victoria manages parks on behalf of the Victorian community, therefore it is important to hear feedback from

community members on the draft Aspiration and Guiding Principles.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Land Management Strategy?The Land Management Strategy (LMS) is a state-wide document that will set out general long term directions, strategies and priorities for the protection, management and use of Parks Victoria managed land. It will provide a clear aspiration and guidance for future park management across Victoria and will be reviewed every 10 years.

Why do we need to develop the LMS?Parks Victoria is developing the LMS to help manage and respond to the complex social, cultural and environmental changes we all face together. Some of these changes include:

1. Increasing demand for diverse visitor experiences

2. A growing and changing population

3. Changes in our environment and climate, with a rise in very hot days, fires and flash flooding placing pressure on our parks.

The development of the LMS is also a key direction of the Parks Victoria Act (2018).

What will the LMS cover?The LMS will consider all parks and reserves in Victoria that are managed by Parks Victoria. The LMS will not consider ports that are covered by the Ports Act (1995).

How will the LMS be used?The Strategy will provide a clear aspiration to support future park management across Victoria. It will set out long term directions, strategies and priorities to guide the protection, management and use of the parks’ estate.

The LMS will be primarily for internal use and will be used by staff as the key strategic document to guide park management and to inform decision-making for the future management of our parks.

What is the timing for the development of the LMS?

Parks Victoria began planning for the development of the LMS in early 2019. The aspiration and



principles will be developed over the course of the year. A draft plan is expected to be released for consultation in Mid 2020. The final plan is due in late 2020.

Why is community engagement important for the development of the LMS?Parks Victoria manages parks and reserves on behalf of the whole Victorian community. Therefore, it is important that everyone has the chance to provide feedback and input into the Strategy’s Aspiration and Principles.

How can I be involved?You can provide your input on the LMS at several stages of the development through Engage Vic – www.engage.vic.gov.au/lms

Visit Engage Vic to:

share your feedback on the draft Aspiration and Guiding Principles (August – September 2019)

review the draft Strategy (mid 2020)


http://www.engage.vic.gov.au/lms


Social media and newsletter promotion templatesUse the text below your social media and newsletter promotion

Parks Victoria embarked on developing a state-wide Land Management Strategy for the park estate. The Strategy will ‘set out the general long term directions, strategies and priorities for the protection, management and use of Parks Victoria managed land’, for at least a 10-year period.

The Strategy will cover all of the Parks Victoria estate; four million hectares across 3,000 land and marine parks across the state – which accounts for 18 per cent of Victoria’s land and 70 per cent of its coastline.

Be part of shaping the health of our parks estate for the benefit of future Victorians by providing feedback on the draf Aspirations and Guiding Principles.

You can provide your feedback online at www.engage.vic.gov.au/lms until midnight Sunday 29 September.

Instructions for hosting your own conversationWe encourage you to host a conversation about the Land Management Strategy with your community and members. This will ensure that your groups

views and ideas are captured as part of the engagement process. Follow the instructions below and use the workbook in this document to help you plan and host a LMS conversation.

1. Anyone is welcome to provide their input into how the parks estate is protected and managed

2. We recommend meeting people face-to-face and keeping the conversations between one and five people.

3. We recommend allowing at least 15-20 minutes to have this conversation.We are looking for responses to the questions in the workbook (in this document) so please make sure you talk through these questions. You can provide additional feedback and commentary at the end.

4. Record the conversation in the workbook provided or through the survey online at www.engage.vic.gov.au/lms (they ask the same questions). If the information is not recorded, we cannot include it in the findings report.

5. Answers to many of the questions people will ask can be found in the Frequently Asked Questions. If there is a question you cannot find an answer to please email us at [email protected]

6. Before you submit your feedback, look over your workbook notes and tidy up anything that would be hard to interpret – finish


mailto:[email protected]





incomplete sentences or flesh out ideas that you quickly noted during the conversation.

7. If you recorded your conversation in the workbook, please submit it via email [email protected] or mail:

c/o Josh Chikuse

Level 10, 535 Bourke Street, Melbourne VIC 3000

Please submit all feedback by Sunday 29 of September 2019





Draft Aspiration and Guiding Principles

The draft Aspiration and Guiding Principles which will form the foundation of the Land Management Strategy are below. Take a look and discuss them with your community and members.

“Victoria’s parks are resilient, inclusive and valued; conserving nature and cultural heritage; supporting Traditional Owner aspirations; and contributing to healthy communities.”

Guiding Principles

Maintain and strengthen the parks estate Statement of PrincipleLand will be managed in accordance with the purpose for which it is reserved and to protect its environmental, cultural and social values. All actions should enhance the park estate, be purposeful and embrace design for all. Park management will reflect best practice, and parks will be fit for their identified purpose and function.

Principle Intent

Parks and reserves are established under relevant legislation for particular purposes, including the protection of many and diverse

values, and will be managed for those purposes.

The physical connections between parks and other land tenures that provide connected recreation experiences, cultural landscapes and habitat corridors need to be recognised. Connectivity will be improved in parks and with surrounding landscapes and seascapes in collaboration with Traditional Owners and other land managers, non-government organisations and the community.

Prepare for the future Statement of PrinciplePark plans and management will prepare for, and respond to emerging environmental and social issues and anticipate how the park estate will be in the future. This includes responding to forecasted changes resulting from climate change, changing recreational patterns and recognising that more parks and reserves will be transferred to Aboriginal title and be managed according to joint management plans.

Principle Intent

Effective planning anticipates what the future holds and allows for action accordingly.

There will be more formal agreements with Traditional Owners to recognise their rights and connection to country, including by granting Aboriginal title over public land. This change must be planned for and actively supported.



Adapting to the environmental, social and economic changes brought about by climate change will need to be considered, including increased threats from extreme weather on environmental, cultural and visitor experience values. Where areas are undergoing transformation as a consequence of climate change, management will be adjusted to achieve the best environmental outcomes.

The visitor experience will be considered in all aspects of planning, with assets and park settings fit for purpose to meet service commitments and to manage the visitor impact on the estate now and into the future. This includes consideration of increased visitation, changed visitor expectations and new or emerging uses of technology for and by visitors and management of Victoria’s significant historic places.

Connect with communityStatement of PrincipleParks will be inclusive destinations that provide for a range of visitor experiences and access for all. The community will have a variety of ways to engage with, connect to, understand and be active in the parks estate. Parks will be recognised and appreciated not only for their environmental, cultural and landscape values, but also for the services that provide broader community benefits including health and wellbeing, sense of community, clean water, climate regulation, coastal

protection and pollination services. Traditional Owner connections to Country will be respected and supported.

Principle Intent

There are diverse ways that the community can enjoy and benefit from the parks estate, through the spectrum of recreation activities, events, tourism activities, education programs and volunteering. Park visitors gain a deeper connection and even a lifelong appreciation of the importance of parks through interpretive and educational experiences.

Diverse and ongoing social and cultural connections to parks will be recognised. Aboriginal and post-contact heritage will be respected through actions that protect sensitive and significant places and recognise stories and intangible values, and the community will have the opportunity to learn about these cultural and historical connections with the landscape. Appropriate use of the park estate encourages the connection between people and nature that in turn can provide health and wellbeing benefits.

Use knowledge and evidence-based management Statement of PrincipleDecisions will be supported by science, knowledge, understanding of risks and community values. Evidence-based management that utilises the best available science and



knowledge will be used to deal with uncertainty and drive adaptive management.

Principle Intent

Adaptive management will be supported by clear outcomes and risk-based priorities for park management to address the highest threats to the most important values. Research and evaluation in the parks estate will focus on addressing critical information gaps in understanding environmental and social values and benefits of park as well as quantifying management effectiveness and outcomes. Outcomes will be adjusted based on the evidence by measuring the effectiveness of the actions delivered. Land management will be based as far as possible on the latest research and knowledge.

Traditional Owner knowledge will be used to guide management and be integrated into planning and science. Traditional Owner land management practices and customary uses will be recognised as integral components of knowledge systems.

Protect natural and cultural values Statement of PrincipleThe ecological and cultural integrity of the parks estate will be strengthened by being protected and actively conserved to become sustainable and resilient to adapt or recover from the disturbance of major threats. Principle Intent

The structure and function of ecosystems is fundamental to natural values and the ecosystem services provided by parks. The resilience of parks is maintained and improved when ecosystem processes and threats and managed at the landscape scale.

The core habitat areas for threatened species and ecological communities that parks protect will be improved through active management intervention. Reducing threats to the estate is a core management approach to maintain and improve the condition of the natural capital of the parks estate.

Aboriginal cultural heritage sites will be identified and protected. Where appropriate the community and visitors will be encouraged to understand and appreciate the tangible and intangible cultural values and significance of Country for Aboriginal people, and the importance of maintaining and improving the health of cultural landscapes.

Build Partnerships Statement of PrinciplePartnerships and community involvement that provide mutual benefits to the parks estate and the community will be sought and supported across landscapes. These are to provide mechanisms for effective management and realising emergent opportunities.

Principle Intent



Partnerships with other public land managers, neighbours and many other community, government and corporate organisations, can support more effective and efficient park management through knowledge sharing, better use of resources and proaspiration of value-added services.

Partnerships with Traditional Owners help improve the health of cultural landscapes, recognise their rights and empower their organisations, provide opportunities to incorporate traditional knowledge and practices, and strengthen connection to Country.

Agreements with service providers and licence holders will be developed that complement or add value to the park estate. Aboriginal commercial enterprises will be encouraged and supported.

Promote public safety and adopt a risk-based approachStatement of PrincipleThere is an element of risk in experiencing Victoria’s natural environment and the outdoors. Managing risk, including preparing for and managing fire and other threats, responding to emergencies, and appropriately managing risks to park visitors will be a key consideration in park management decision making.

Principle Intent

A safe environment is provided as far as practicable, while

recognising that risk and adventure is part of experiencing Victoria’s outdoors. The systematic application of communicating, consulting, establishing the context, and identifying, analysing, evaluating, treating, monitoring and reviewing risk will be used. Risk management will be integrated across tenures, including with the response to fire and other emergencies.

Decisions and actions will be based on sound risk management principles, consistent with the agency’s business objectives and which comply with statutory, legislative and regulatory responsibilities.

All reasonable efforts will be taken to keep visitors safe and provide information to visitors so that they can make informed decisions.

Apply rational decision making Statement of PrincipleAll strategic decision-making will be characterised by rationality and predictability using, where appropriate, structured decision support systems. Sound judgement will be used to consider all stakeholders involved. All decisions will be consistent with a risk-based approach to meeting the requirements of policies, plans, programmes and legislation.

Principle IntentDecisions that affect the parks estate and the community’s



connection with the estate will be taken to achieve outcomes consistent with the guiding principles and intent of legislation governing the management of the estate. Decisions in parks and reserves will consider benefits for conservation of the environment and cultural heritage, appreciation of park values, be necessary for the management of the park and show that risks to environmental, cultural and social values and public safety can be assessed and managed. Where trade-offs are unavoidable, decisions will be guided by these principles and made transparently.


Conversation workbook

How many people took part in the conversation? ________

What is your relationship to Victoria’s parks estate (you can choose more than one option)?

□ I visit Victoria’s parks regularly (twice or more a year)□ I volunteer to conserve Victoria’s parks□ I regularly participate in recreational activities in Victoria’s parks (for example bushwalking, camping,

mountain biking, rock climbing, water sports)□ I live near a Victorian park□ I own a business that operates in a Victorian park□ I am a Traditional Owner, or represent a Traditional Owner group□ I am an interested community member

What is your residential postcode?

Are you responding on behalf of an organisation?

□ Yes□ No

If yes, please write the name of the organisation here:

How do you rate the Aspiration Statement overall?

□ Strongly support□ Support□ Neither support nor oppose□ Slightly oppose□ Do not support at all

Do you have any comments on the Aspiration Statement?

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How do you rate the Guiding Principles overall? (please put a tick in the box)

Guiding Principle Strongly support

Support Neither support or oppose

Slightly oppose

Strongly oppose

1. Maintain and strengthen the parks estate

2. Prepare for the future

3. Connect with community

4. Use knowledge and evidence-based management

5. Protect natural and cultural values

6. Build Partnerships

7. Promote public safety and adopt a risk-based approach

8. Apply rational decision making

Do you have any comments on the Guiding Principles? If your comments relate to a specific principle, please indicate which principle you are commenting on (using the principle's corresponding number)

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If you would like to follow this project, please provide your email address

Your contact information is used to administer the public consultation process and will be separated from your submission. To view the privacy statement visit www.engage.vic.gov.au/land-management-strategy/privacy-statement.

□ Check this box to agree to the privacy statement □ Check this box if you do not want your submission to be published□ Check this box if you would you like to receive updates on the Land Management Strategy from Parks

Victoria

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http://www.engage.vic.gov.au/land-management-strategy/privacy-statement

http://www.engage.vic.gov.au/land-management-strategy/privacy-statement

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Authorised and published by Parks VictoriaLevel 10, 535 Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000Copyright © Parks Victoria 2008

Photography acknowledgementsChris PearsonCover imageMount Buffalo National Park

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