Department of Environment and Conservation (Western Australia)

Department of Environment and Conservation
Agency overview
Generic (Western Australia) shoulder patch for Western Australia Department of Environment and Conservation staff uniform
Formed	1 July 2006
Preceding agencies	Department of Conservation and Land Management (CALM) Department of Environment (DoE)
Dissolved	30 June 2013
Superseding agency	Department of Parks and Wildlife (DPaW) and Department of Environment Regulation (DER)
Jurisdiction	Government of Western Australia
Agency executives	Mr Keiran McNamara †, Director General Mr Jim Sharp, Acting Director General
Parent agency	Department of Conservation and Land Management (CALM)
Child agency	Department of Parks and Wildlife
Website	dec.wa.gov.au

The Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) was a department of the Government of Western Australia that was responsible for implementing the state's conservation and environment legislation and regulations. It was formed on 1 July 2006 by the amalgamation of the Department of Environment (DoE) and the Department of Conservation and Land Management (CALM).

The DEC was separated on 30 June 2013 forming the Department of Parks and Wildlife (DPaW) and the Department of Environment Regulation (DER) which both commenced operations on 1 July 2013.

DPaW focuses on nature conservation and the community’s enjoyment and appreciation of Western Australia’s world-class network of national and marine parks.

DER focuses on environmental regulation, approvals and appeals processes, and pollution prevention.

Status (At 30 June 2013)^[1]

The department was managing more than 285,000 km², including more than nine per cent of WA's land area: its national parks, marine parks, conservation parks, regional parks, State forests and timber reserves, nature reserves, roadside reserves and marine nature reserves. It provided visitor and recreation facilities at a sustainable level for many of these.

It also supported or worked closely with the following authorities:

Environmental Protection Authority
Conservation Commission of WA
Keep Australia Beautiful Council
Marine Parks and Reserves Authority
Swan River Trust
Waste Authority.

The total reportable visitation to DEC-managed lands and waters during the 2012-13 financial year was 16.02 million with visitor satisfaction levels of 88%.

4,717 people were registered volunteers with the Department in 2012-13 that helped in a range of projects across the State with 564,350 hours contributed.

Western Australia Department of Environment and Conservatin National Park Rangers at Fern Pool, Karijini National Park, Pilbara in September 2012

The Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) was responsible from 2007 to 2013 for protecting and conserving the State of Western Australia’s environment, this includes managing:

State forests (1,304,442 ha),
99 national parks (6,246,692 ha),
16 conservation parks (847,578 ha),
13 marine parks (2,206,612 ha),
1 marine nature reserve (132,000 ha),
nature reserves (10,244,167 ha), and
other lands and waters throughout the state.

At 30 June 2013, the total area under Department of Environment and Conservation’s care was 28,531,987 ha.

The department’s key responsibilities also included roles in managing, regulating and assessing aspects of the use of the State’s natural resources and biodiversity, including the regulation of native vegetation clearing and pollution control. The department initiated 14 environmental prosecutions during 2012–13 , involving a broad range of charges including pollution, unauthorised clearing of native vegetation and illegal dumping. At 30 June 2013, eight environmental prosecutions remained before the courts. There were an additional 18 pending cases that, subject to the evidentiary standard being met, could result in prosecution or other sanction.

Western Australian DEC Air Tractor 602 water bomber, based in Albany on reloading at Esperance airport in November 2009

DEC Fire appliance truck Isuzu 750 Heavy Duty #100 'Esperance 3.4' at Cape Le Grand National Park prescribed burn in May 2009 (Western Australia).

There are a number of internationally recognised biodiversity hotspots within Western Australia and in particular in the South West of the State.

DEC was also responsible for the wildlife conservation project Western Shield.

The Department was also in charge of wildfire prevention and suppression on its land as well as fire prevention in Unallocated Crown Lands.

The indicative burn target for 2012–13 in the south-west forest regions was 200,000 hectares. In 2012–13, DEC achieved 23,468 hectares in the south-west forest regions, including about 6,410 hectares that were burnt for pine plantation protection.

The combination of unsuitable weather conditions, fuels remaining dry due to summer conditions extending into autumn, and enhanced requirements in prescribed burn planning and risk management as a result of the 2011 Margaret River bushfire contributed to a significant reduction of the area able to be prescribed burnt this year.

The average area of burning achieved over the past 10 years has been about 163,019 hectares per annum.

A further 6,023,884 hectares was burnt in the Kimberley, Pilbara, Goldfields, Midwest, Wheatbelt and South Coast regions. The burns were carried out on DEC-managed lands as well as on unallocated Crown lands and unmanaged reserves within these regions.

DEC staff attended and monitored 676 bushfires throughout the state in 2012–13, which burnt about 5,477,394 hectares. The causes of these fires were:

lightning—28 per cent (above the 10-year average of about 24 per cent)
deliberately lit or arson-caused fires—37 per cent (below the 10-year average of about 43 per cent)
accidental fires—16 per cent
escapes from private burns—4 per cent
escapes from DEC burns—0 per cent
other causes—4 per cent
unknown—11 per cent.

Some of the most severe bushfires the Department had to suppress, in chronological order, have included:

Fire	Location	Area burned (1 ha ≈ 2.5 acres)	Date	Human fatalities	Livestock death/Properties damaged
Dwellingup bushfire	Western Australia	12,000 ha	4 February 2007	0	16
Boorabbin National Park bushfire	Western Australia	40,000 ha	30 December 2007	3	Powerlines and Great Eastern Highway, forced to close for 2 weeks
Toodyay bushfire	Western Australia	3,000+ ha	29 December 2009	0	38
Lake Clifton bushfire	Western Australia	2,000+ ha	11 January 2011	0	10 homes destroyed
Roleystone Kelmscott bushfire	Western Australia	1,500+ ha	6–8 February 2011	0	72 homes destroyed, 32 damaged, Buckingham Bridge on Brookton Highway collapsed and closed for 3 weeks whilst a temporary bridge was constructed and opened a month after the fires
Margaret River bushfire	Western Australia	4,000 ha	24 November 2011	0	34 homes destroyed including the historic Wallcliffe House^[2]
Carnarvon bushfire complex	Western Australia	800,000 ha +	27 December 2011 - 3 February 2012	0	11 pastoral stations (fences, watering systems, water points, stock feed).

Preceding agencies

National Parks (and the earlier forms) in Western Australia were under:^[3]

Department of Lands and Surveys: 1 January 1890 - (partly split) 31 December 1895
Wood and Forests Department: 1 January 1896 – 31 December 1918
Forests Department: 1 January 1919 – 21 March 1985
State Gardens Board: 15 December 1920 – 30 April 1957 (Parks and Reserves Act 1895)
National Parks Board: 1 May 1957 – 30 July 1977
Department of Fisheries and Fauna: 1 October 1964 – 31 December 1973
National Parks Authority: 1 August 1977 – 15 April 1985 National Parks Authority (National Parks Authority Act 1976)
Wildlife section of the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife: 1 January 1974 – 21 March 1985 Department of Fisheries and Wildlife
Department of Environment: 1 July 2004 - 30 June 2006
Department of Conservation and Land Management (CALM): 22 March 1985 – 30 June 2006 (Conservation and Land Management Act 1984)

Uniforms and equipment

The Department of Environment and Conservation had 3 types of uniforms:^[4]

a standard khaki and bottle green uniform with appropriate badging is supplied to and worn by staff whose duties include the monitoring of legislative compliance (National Park Rangers, Conservation and Land Management Officers, Forest Officers, Wildlife Officers and Authorised CALM Officers under Bush Fire Act),
a work wear (khaki and bottle green only with generic badge) for those that work in the field and personal protective equipment or clothing (Proban treated green vest and overpants, bottle green and yellow high visibility cotton shirt, Kevlar helmet with goggles, gloves and fire boots) for staff who are involved in fire management activities,
a corporate apparel worn by employees who are in regular contact with the public or members of other departments (blue shirt, navy blue trousers).

Western Australian Department of Environment and Conservation shoulder's badges, 2009.
Western Australian Department of Environment and Conservation Autorised CALM Officer under Bushfire Act 1954 shoulder's badges, 2013.
Western Australian Department of Environment and Conservation shoulder's badges, 2012.
CALM Officer shoulder patch for Western Australia Department of Environment and Conservation staff field shirt, 2009.
CALM Officer shoulder patch for Western Australia Department of Environment and Conservation staff rain coat, 2009.
CALM Officer shoulder patch for Western Australia Department of Environment and Conservation staff work jumper, 2009.
Shoulder patch DEC Ranger Shirt IV-2009.
Shoulder patch DEC Ranger Polar fleece IV-2009.
Shoulder patch DEC Wildlife Officer Coat IV-2009.
Inspector shoulder patch for Western Australia Department of Environment and Conservation staff rain jacket, 2009.
Inspector shoulder badge for Western Australia Department of Environment and Conservation staff work shirt, 2009.
Inspector shoulder patch for Western Australia Department of Environment and Conservation staff work shirt, 2009.
Authorised CALM Officer under Bush Fire Act shoulder patch for Western Australia Department of Environment and Conservation staff fire shirt, 2013.
Fire management chest patch for Western Australia Department of Environment and Conservation staff fire shirt, 2012.
Authorised CALM Officer under Bush Fire Act shoulder patch for Western Australia Department of Environment and Conservation staff uniform work shirt, 2013.
Authorised CALM Officer under Bush Fire Act shoulder patch for Western Australia Department of Environment and Conservation staff fire Personal Protective Equipment vest, 2013.
Departmental logo chest patch for Western Australia Department of Environment and Conservation staff fire vest, 2013.
WA Dept of Environment & Conservation CALM Officer in field uniform at East Naernup Nature Reserve, December 2011.
CALM Officer in summer field uniform plotting Heritage Coastal Trail in Cape Le Grand National Park, Department of Environment and Conservation, January 2013.
WA DEC's Kevlar helmet Bush Ranger 5 with fire goggles, 2009.
WA Dept of Environment & Conservation Ranger in green 'frog' fire suit during a prescribed burn at Cape Le Grand National Park, June 2012.

Vehicles

The Department maintained and coordinated a range of specialist equipment and emergency response vehicles. This included pumpers, water bombers and tankers and other equipment relating to operations involving search and rescue and firefighting.

Department of Environment and Conservation's Heavy Duty fire appliance Isuzu 550 (HD119 - Cape Le Grand) at Esperance depot, September 2010.
WA DEC's Toyota Hilux 3.0 D4D Light Patrol used by Sector Commander (ESP4) on ESP003 Bushfire in Dundas Nature Reserve, December 2010.
Toyota Hilux with Flame-thrower at Eyre Highway buffer prescribed burn, Cocklebiddy, October 2010.
WA DEC's Toyota Landcruiser (FA2 - Fire Allowance officer in 2nd), Swan Coastal District, October 2013.
Toyota Landcruiser Prado for Operations Officer, Blackwood District, Busselton, August 2011.
WA DEC's Nissan Patrol sector commander 4WD, Esperance office, January 2011.
WA DEC's Mitsubishi Canter Tender Gang Truck, Esperance depot, November 2010.
WA Department of Environment and Conservation's IVECO Float (Plant P4 - Swan Coastal 55), Dwellingup, October 2013.
WA DEC's D6 Dozer (Plant P3 - Swan Coastal 53), Moore River National Park, October 2013.
WA DEC's Front end Loader (Plant P1 - Swan Coastal 50), Swan Coastal District, October 2013.
Western Australia Department of Environment and Conservation Grader opening a fireline by taking the fuel off the edge, followed by Heavy Duty fire appliance (HD156) in charge of its protection and avoiding hop overs. ESP001 bushfire at Mundrabilla, October 2011.
WA DEC's Toyota Coaster Fire Operations control van, Bunbury state facilities, August 2011.
WA DEC's Marmion Marine Park vessel V61 'LaKela', Hillary Harbour, December 2009.
A DEC American Champion Scout at Esperance Airport in November 2011. This aircraft was used for bushfire spotting or incident mapping.

Notes

↑ Department of Environment and Conservation, 2012-13 Yearbook (153 pages) and 2012-13 Annual report (149 pages).
↑ "Rain could help damp down WA bushfires". ABC News. 25 November 2011. Retrieved 22 October 2013.
↑ Information from the Aeon database at State Records Office of Western Australia
↑ The Department of Environment and Conservation Corporate Style Guide, August 2009.

External links

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