Editing Conservation in Australia (section)

==Protected areas==
{{Main|Protected areas of Australia}}
There are numerous [[protected areas]] in all States and Territories that have been created to protect and preserve Australia's unique ecosystems. Protected areas include national parks and other reserves, as well as 64 wetlands which are registered under the [[Ramsar Convention]] and 16 [[World Heritage Site]]s. {{As of|2002}}, 10.8% ({{Cvt|774,619.51|km2|disp=or}}) of the total land area of Australia is within a protected area.<ref name="capas2002">Department of the Environment and Heritage. 2002. [http://www.deh.gov.au/parks/nrs/capad/2002/national/nat-type02.html Summary of Terrestrial Protected Areas in Australia by Type] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060913022415/http://www.deh.gov.au/parks/nrs/capad/2002/national/nat-type02.html |date=2006-09-13 }}<br></ref> Protected marine zones have been created in many areas to preserve marine biodiversity; as of 2002 they cover about 7% ({{Cvt|646,000|km2|disp=or}}) of Australia's marine jurisdiction.<ref name="nrsmpa">Department of the Environment and Heritage. 2002. [http://www.deh.gov.au/coasts/mpa/nrsmpa/about.html#status About the National Representative System of Marine Protected Areas (NRSMPA)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050718151128/http://www.deh.gov.au/coasts/mpa/nrsmpa/about.html#status |date=2005-07-18 }}</ref> In Australia [[forest cover]] is around 17% of the total land area, equivalent to 134,005,100 hectares (ha) of forest in 2020, up from 133,882,200 hectares (ha) in 1990. In 2020, naturally regenerating forest covered 131,614,800 hectares (ha) and planted forest covered 2,390,300 hectares (ha). Of the naturally regenerating forest 0% was reported to be [[primary forest]] (consisting of native tree species with no clearly visible indications of human activity) and around 18% of the forest area was found within protected areas. For the year 2015, 67% of the forest area was reported to be under [[State ownership|public ownership]], 32% [[Private property|private ownership]] and 1% with ownership listed as other or unknown.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://openknowledge.fao.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/a6e225da-4a31-4e06-818d-ca3aeadfd635/content |title=Terms and Definitions FRA 2025 Forest Resources Assessment, Working Paper 194 |publisher=Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations |year=2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Global Forest Resources Assessment 2020, Australia |url=https://fra-data.fao.org/assessments/fra/2020/AUS/home/overview |website=Food Agriculture Organization of the United Nations}}</ref> 
[[File:Hopetoun falls.jpg|thumb|right|250 px|Hopetoun Falls and other unique wilderness areas are protected within reserves and parks.]]
Protected areas of include those managed by the federal [[Department of the Environment and Energy]], and [[national park]]s and other protected areas managed by the states, Agencies responsible for protected areas include:

*[[Director of National Parks]]
*[[Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority]]
*[[New South Wales Department of Environment and Climate Change]]
*[[Parks Victoria]]
*[[Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service]]
*[[Department of Environment and Water (South Australia)|Department of Environment and Water]]  (South Australia)
*[[Department of Environment and Conservation (Western Australia)|Department of Environment and Conservation]] (Western Australia)
*[[Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service]]
*[[Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate|Chief Minister's Department]] (Australian Capital Territory)
*[[Parks and Wildlife Commission of the Northern Territory]]