Disclaimer: both Arakwal National Park (NP) and Cape Byron State Conservation Area (SCA) are part of a a single joint application to the IUCN Green List
Arakwal National Park (NP) and Cape Byron State Conservation Area (SCA) are located on the most eastern point of Australia near the busy tourist town of Byron Bay. The Arakwal people are recognised as native title holders and manage the reserves jointly with NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service under an Indigenous Land Use Agreement. The Arakwal people maintain very strong cultural associations with the landscape, plants, animals and waterways.
Despite their small size (298 ha combined), the parks support high biodiversity and tourism. Some species and habitats are found nowhere else in the world e.g. Byron Bay Graminoid Clay Heath and the Byron Bay orchid are protected and being restored using a cross-cultural conservation planning approach. In addition, Cape Byron SCA is an internationally renowned tourist destination that receives 2 million visitors. All funding generated is directed back to the management of the site.
Conservation
Good governance
Community benefits
Arakwal National Park (NP) and Cape Byron State Conservation Area (SCA) are located on the most eastern point of Australia near the busy tourist town of Byron Bay.
The Arakwal people are recognised as native title holders and manage the reserves jointly with NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service under an Indigenous Land Use Agreement. The Arakwal people maintain very strong cultural associations with the landscape, plants, animals and waterways.
Despite their small size (298 ha combined), the parks support high biodiversity. Some species and habitats are found nowhere else in the world e.g. Byron Bay Graminoid Clay Heath and the Byron Bay orchid are protected and being restored using a cross-cultural conservation planning approach.
In addition, Cape Byron SCA is an internationally renowned tourist destination that receives 2 million visitors. All funding generated is directed back to the management of the site.
Site visit report // EAGL meeting minutes
EAGL vote results Five of the eight EAGL members were present at the meeting and all agreed that Arakwal NP and Cape Byron SCA should be included on the IUCN Green List. The three other members all reviewed documentation and did not raise significant concerns.
EAGL summary statement:
The site visit and the discussions of the EAGL with local managers supported the very positive management and engagement of the areas with local indigenous people.
While the Plan of Management technically requires review, amendments to the plan, and more recent planning documents provide an adaptive management framework enabling responsiveness in decision making. In addition to the Plan of Management, State of Parks reporting is a triennial monitoring report, and an operational plan is prepared every year with tasks tracked quarterly.
Monitoring systems, performance measures and thresholds have been established for the major natural values, cultural and ecosystem service values. The thresholds are being met.
The EAGL agrees that the sites meet the thresholds for the conservation of natural values, ecosystem services and the cultural values. The EAGL also acknowledges the excellent work done by staff to develop appropriate thresholds and performance indicators for the natural values, ecosystem services and cultural values of the sites.
DECISION: The EAGL recognises that Arakwal NP and Cape Byron SCA were the first sites to be awarded the IUCN Green List status in 2014. Excellent management of the sites continues. In particular the EAGL recognises the importance and success of the joint management arrangements of Arakwal NP. The EAGL members approved by consensus to recommend the Arakwal NP and Cape Byron SCA for inclusion on the IUCN Green List.
Reviewer statement:
Site visit and review of site application by EAGL was extremely thorough and meets all of the required guidelines for submitting the PA to the Candidate Phase Committee decision.