The Conservation Commission of Western Australia (Conservation Commission) is an independent statutory authority that was established by Parliament in November 2000 under the CALM Act 1984.
All the State’s national parks, conservation parks, nature reserves, state forests and timber reserves are vested in the Conservation Commission. Its mission is to conserve the State’s biological diversity and ensure the conservation estate is managed in an ecologically sustainable manner.
The Department of Environment and Conservation manages the land on behalf of the Conservation Commission. The Forest Products Commission was established in 2000 to carry out commercial production, allocation and sale of products from the State’s native forests.
A complementary body, the Marine Parks and Reserves Authority, is responsible for the care and control of marine reserves and relevant land vested in it.
Membership
The Conservation Commission has nine members appointed by the Governor on the recommendation of the Minister for Environment. Members are appointed on the basis of their knowledge and experience in:
- Biological diversity conservation;
- Environmental management (including managing the natural environment for recreational purposes); and
- The sustainable use of natural resources.
One member must be a person who has knowledge of and experience in Aboriginal culture and Aboriginal heritage matters relevant to the function of the Conservation Commission, and is able to make a contribution to its functions.
The Conservation Commission meets monthly and considers strategic planning, changes to the conservation estate and estate issues, applications for leases, licences, permits and mining tenements, management planning, performance assessments and policy.
Operational relationship between the Conservation Commission and the Department of Environment and Conservation (The Department)
The Department provides:
- the Conservation Commission with such assistance as it may reasonably require to perform its functions; and
- the Conservation Commission with any staff and facilities that it may reasonably require to perform its functions.
