Roles and responsibilities

This section provides an overview of monitoring, evaluation and reporting responsibilities for forested areas within the RFA regions. Further detail of responsibilities for specific RFA MER Plan activities are provided in each Focus Area.

The NSW Forest Management Framework (Section 7) outlines the responsibilities of key NSW government agencies involved in managing forests throughout NSW, including within the RFA regions. These are summarised below.

NSW Government agencies and organisations responsible for forest management and monitoring in RFA regions

Cluster - Regional NSW

Agency/Organisation	Responsibilities for forest management	Responsibilities for forest MER in RFA regions
Department of Primary Industries - Forestry (under the Department of Regional NSW)	Lead forestry and related industry policy Provide forest science and research services Regulate and authorise plantations on public and private land Update the NSW Forest Management Framework	Lead renewals of Regional Forest Agreements on behalf of the NSW government, including associated stakeholder and public consultation Review and update the NSW Forest Management Framework – notify Commonwealth of proposed changes Prepare compendium of NSW Forest research for five-yearly review Coordinate NSW contributions to Australia’s State of the Forest Report (five-yearly)
Department of Primary Industries – Fisheries (under the Department of Regional NSW)	Regulate forestry operations under the Fisheries Management Act 1994 (implemented via the Coastal IFOA) NSW Fisheries Scientific Committee	Assess status of species, communities, populations and habitat, and listing under FM Act
Local Land Services (under the Department of Regional NSW)	Approvals and advice for land management and vegetation clearing on private land Approvals and advice for private native forestry	Monitor and report on vegetation clearing on private land Monitor and report on private native forestry activities
Forestry Corporation of NSW	Land manager of Crown-timber land, including State forest, timber reserves and flora reserves Forestry operations on Crown-timber land in compliance with IFOAs Sell timber and other log products Establish and maintain plantations Implement pest plant and animal control programs Fire-fighting authority Issue forest permits for other uses (e.g. grazing, bee keeping, tourism operations, firewood collection, film making, collection of other forest products (e.g. brushwood etc)	Monitor and report on activities, forest assets and wood products sold from the Crown-timber land native forest estate in accordance with the RFA and Coastal IFOA requirements Monitor and report on activities, forest assets and wood products sold from the softwood and hardwood plantations managed by FCNSW within RFA regions Statutory reporting on wildfires and hazard reduction under RF Act Specific monitoring programs include for example: fauna and flora species under Species Management Plans or other IFOA requirements, water quality and quantity monitoring, feral animals, burning studies, growth and yield inventory plots and broad area imputation etc

Cluster - Planning, Industry and Environment

Agency/Organisation	Responsibilities for forest management	Responsibilities for forest MER in RFA regions
Environment, Energy and Science group (under the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment)	Lead biodiversity and conservation policy Protect threatened species and communities Native vegetation mapping and compliance Environmental protection Responsible for State environmental planning policies (SEPPs) and related regulatory requirements Provide environmental and economic science and research services Support collating and sharing data, and monitoring and reporting on the status of biodiversity and the effectiveness of conservation actions Manage Ramsar wetland sites in the national park estate Implement Saving Our Species program Manage SEED portal – data accessibility	Monitor and report on the extent, condition and health of forests within the RFA regions Monitor Saving our Species program for flora and fauna Maintain NSW BioNet Assess status of species, communities, populations and habitat, and listing under BC Act Publish a Biodiversity Outlook Report on the results of the programs (including the method used for the collection, monitoring and assessment of the biodiversity information at statewide and bioregional scales) Report to the Australian Government on how the Ramsar Convention is being implemented in NSW Report to the Australian Government on world heritage outstanding universal values in world heritage properties
National Parks and Wildlife Service (under the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment)	Manage the NSW National Park estate, including World Heritage areas and Wetlands of International SignificanceLeads wildlife policy Produce, monitor and report on plans of management for parks and reserves and reserve fire management strategies Jointly manage some parks with local Aboriginal groups Investigate, protect and manage wilderness Manage WildCount	Monitor and report on activities and forest assets within the national reserve system and areas incorporating Matters of National Environmental Significance including outstanding universal values in world heritage properties
Environment Protection Authority	Primary environmental regulator Compliance of Crown forestry with IFOAs Compliance of private native forestry with PNF Code Develop environment protection policy and statutory instruments Policy role for forestry management – set IFOAs, burnt-area harvesting arrangements etc	Monitor and report on compliance of activities within public and private native forests Release the State of the Environment Report every 3 years Produce the Annual NSW Forestry Snapshot Report- Implementation of Integrated Forestry Operations Approvals Dual role with DPI under RFA review, reporting, and annual meetings Must report any amendments to the Coastal IFOA to the Australian Government within 14 days of public release Must report the release of Coastal IFOA annual reports to the Australian Government within 14 days of public release
Crown Lands	Administer Crown land tenures and reserves Manage some Crown land reserves Assess Aboriginal land claims under the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983 [NSW]
Biodiversity Conservation Trust	Manage investment in private land conservation program Approve and advice regarding private land conservation agreements Manage biodiversity offsets scheme	Monitor and report on biodiversity conservation activities on private land and some public land, including the CAR reserve system on private land
Natural Resources Commission	Provide independent advice to government on NRM matters, including forest management as requested	Under terms of reference, independently oversee the NSW Forest Monitoring and Improvement Program, Coastal IFOA monitoring program, koala research program and forest dieback research program

Cluster - Premier and Cabinet

Agency/Organisation	Responsibilities for forest management	Responsibilities for forest MER in RFA regions
Aboriginal Affairs NSW (under the Department of Premier and Cabinet)	Work with Aboriginal communities to promote social, economic and cultural wellbeing through opportunity, choice, healing, responsibility and empowerment	Research and report on the social, cultural and economic wellbeing of Aboriginal people Guide and advice during RFA review and renewal discussions
Heritage NSW (under the Department of Premier and Cabinet)	Manage some Crown reserves Manage Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal heritage Conserve heritage	Monitor and report on heritage assets within RFA regions Administer the Aboriginal Heritage Information Management System (AHIMS) database

Cluster - Stronger Communities

Agency/Organisation	Responsibilities for forest management	Responsibilities for forest MER in RFA regions
NSW Rural Fire Service	Plan and conduct hazard reduction burning Suppress wildfires	Monitor fuel loads Monitor extent and severity of wildfires and hazard reduction (BRIMS – Bushfire Risk Information Management System) Statutory reporting on wildfires and hazard reduction under RF Act

Responsibilities for all NSW agencies identified in the RFA MER Plan

Plan implementation

Implement the monitoring, evaluation and reporting program and projects identified under the Plan, including by collecting, procuring, analysing, storing and making available monitoring data, research and reports for RFA regions.

Reviews

Contribute to periodic and major reviews and develop public progress reports, including by reporting on the Sustainability Indicators (Montreal Process criteria and indicators).

Adaptive management

Contribute to any necessary adaptive management of the NSW Forest Management Framework and RFAs in response to relevant findings of the monitoring, evaluation and reporting program under the Plan, and the recommendations of the Steering Committee.

Stakeholder and community engagement

Participate in public consultation processes associated with the monitoring, evaluation and reporting program.

Other organisations involved in collecting, analysing or reporting data about NSW forests may be consulted or engaged to assist with delivery of the above responsibilities.

The NSW Forest Monitoring Steering Committee is responsible for overseeing reviews of the Plan. The Steering Committee is comprised of representatives from:

Natural Resources Commission (Chair)
Aboriginal Affairs NSW
Crown Lands
Department of Planning, Industry and Environment – Energy, Environment & Science Group
Department of Planning, Industry and Environment – National Parks & Wildlife Service
Department of Primary Industries
Environment Protection Authority
Forestry Corporation of NSW
Local Land Services
Independent experts in forest management, ecology, hydrology, socio-economic analysis and Aboriginal affairs.