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Natural Areas

natural area with native Australian indigenous vegetation

A natural area is defined as “any area with predominantly intact native indigenous vegetation cover and containing suitable habitat for its dependent fauna”.

Bushwalking NSW’s policy for natural areas is for responsible bodies

  • To protect, rehabilitate and manage natural areas to ensure the long term sustainability of their native biodiversity.
  • To provide a range of opportunities for self reliant recreation in natural areas.
  • To encourage activities by land managers and all visitors/users of natural areas to conform to Bushwalking NSW’s policies.

The policy lays down a number of principles covering use of various types of natural areas, with particular reference to recreational activities in those areas. For details of the Natural Areas Policy, please refer to the full policy.

Bushwalking NSW considers that any development in National Parks must

  • Seek to improve the environment and ecological values of the National Park where possible, or reduce the impact of existing human activities
  • Be low key and sensitive to surroundings
  • Promote sustainable visitation and awareness of the natural surrounds
  • Promote sustainable and low-impact activities such as bushwalking

For details of the Development in National Parks Policy refer to the full policy