Management

The Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions manages parks, reserves and forests across Western Australia. These are managed to protect plants, animals and ecosystems, working in partnership with Aboriginal people to conserve culture and heritage. We also connect people to natural areas, providing safe, environmentally-responsible and inspiring experiences for the thousands of people that visit each year.

We have a strong focus on protecting communities and assets from bushfire, responding quickly and effectively to bushfires on, or near, department-managed land and using prescribed burning to manage fuel loads and minimise bushfire risk.

We have a strong regional presence throughout the State and our staff are in regular contact with neighbours. The activities of the department and its neighbours can impact each other, so it is mutually beneficial to maintain respectful relations. Access our Good Neighbour Guideline for more information on how we approach this.

As of March 2022, the department manages around 31.6 million hectares of land and water. This includes 26.9 million hectares of land (109 national parks, 12 regional parks, State forest, reserves, and other land), and 4.7 million hectares of water (17 marine parks, one marine nature reserve and two marine management areas). The department is also responsible for fire preparedness, feral animals and declared weeds across approximately 91.4 million hectares of unallocated Crown land and unmanaged Crown reserves outside of Perth and townsites.

Socials

Management plans

The department is responsible for preparing and implementing management plans for marine and terrestrial parks and reserves in accordance with the Conservation and Land Management Act 1984.

Trails

Western Australia has an amazing range of landscapes and remarkable flora and fauna just waiting to be explored.

Whale carcass management

Whale carcass removal can be a challenging undertaking.

Aboriginal engagement

Working together on Country.

Hopeland bushfire, January 2020. Photo by Jayden Vitler/DBCA

Fire management

Parks and Wildlife Service at the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions is responsible for managing fire in forests, parks, nature reserves and other lands that it manages.

Forests

Western Australia has close to 18 million hectares of forests and woodlands.

Kangaroo management in Western Australia

Management plan, quotas and annual reports for kangaroo management in WA.

A scientist sitting in an arid landscape with surverying equipment to their right

Land use planning

Western Australia's land use planning system coordinates planning, land use and development through the review, approval and monitoring of planning schemes, policies, strategies, structure plans and subdivision and development applications.

Marine planning

Our marine areas are unique and many of them rival their terrestrial counterparts in scenic grandeur.

Muir's corella management in Western Australia

Muir’s corella, one of four corella species in the southern part of Western Australia, once inhabited most of the south-west of Western Australia from the Swan and Avon Rivers south to Broomehill and Augusta.

100 Year Forest. Photo by Michael Pez/DBCA

Parks

Western Australia’s conservation lands and waters extend over more than 31 million hectares.

Pilbara

The Pilbara is recognised as one of Australia’s biodiversity hotspots, and is an area of high conservation value with a largely intact ecosystem that can be protected, and potentially enhanced, through focused and directed land management.

Sandalwood

Santalum spicatum (Sandalwood) is Western Australia’s native aromatic sandalwood species that grows wild among vegetation of the Wheatbelt and rangelands.

Swan Canning Riverpark

The Swan Canning Riverpark and the rivers at its heart are the centrepiece of Perth.

Close up of a fox, cane toad and arum lily plant with a dieback infested landscape in the background

Threat management

Managing key invasive pest animals, weeds and plant diseases.

A flock of Carbaby's Cockatoos - large black birds with red feathers under their tails - flying across a blue sky

Threatened species and communities

The Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 provides for the listing of threatened native plants, animals and ecological communities that need protection.

Urban Nature

Providing technical advice and on-ground support for land managers working to protect, manage and restore bushlands and wetlands in the department's Swan Region and beyond.

The everchanging sand tombolo that separates Wedge Island Nature Reserve from the mainland, and South Wedge Beach from North Wedge Beach.

Wedge and Grey reserves

Wedge and Grey reserves on the Turquoise Coast.

Wetlands

Western Australia is home to many different varieties of wetlands, from tidal mangroves and billabongs, to salt lakes and fresh water springs.

Cathedral Gorge, Purnululu National Park Photo by Sean Scott Photography

World Heritage areas

World Heritage areas are the most exceptional and unique places on Earth.