NSW National Parks and Wildlife (NPWS), Blue Mountains City Council (BMCC) and the Blue Mountains World Heritage Institute (BMWHI) have been committed to the protection and management of the natural and cultural heritage values of the Greater Blue Mountains Area (GBMA) since the site’s inscription as a World Heritage site in the year 2000.
Each organisation brings a different perspective, skills and practical resources in the management of the region and are committed to designing a truly sustainable future for its residents, Aboriginal peoples, visitors and those reliant on its environmental services. It is treasured for its natural beauty, natural resources, enduring cultural connections and its provision of watershed services for the largest city in Australia and was recognised internationally as a World heritage Area on the basis of its Outstanding Universal Value (OUV).
The three key agencies are deeply committed to protecting the GBMA, with an approach that involves continuous learning about the natural and cultural values of the region, while recognising the importance of striking a strategic balance between meeting the needs of a growing human population and safeguarding the environment. We acknowledge the Aboriginal peoples' continued connection to country.
In the face of major challenges due to the increasing threats of climate change and biodiversity loss, we are also reminded of its endemic wildlife, Indigenous cultural sites and ongoing connections and its contribution to carbon capture, water cycles and planetary health.
We recognise the key challenges including safeguarding the unique natural and cultural values of the area together with sustainable tourism and sensitive urban development, ensuring clean fresh water for the growing Sydney population, and accommodating a major east-west traffic corridor that connects Sydney with agricultural and regional centres.
Formal collaborations between BMCC, NPWS and BMWHI began in 2004 when the Institute was established with BMCC and NPWS as founding members along with several universities and other state agencies. For almost 20 years, joint research and related activities have been developed through the collaboration. In 2021, the organisations agreed there was a need to work more strategically and collaboratively, to increase their joint focus on research that informs management of the region, to encourage community engagement that fosters intergenerational stewardship and education that enables understanding of the unique values and challenges of the region.
This growing collaboration aims to optimise existing and future efforts to protect, manage, and appreciate the GBMA, and to demonstrate impact through measurable outcomes based on protecting the OUV. This includes focussing on current issues while anticipating future needs and threats. It also means setting up systems that drive reliable interagency engagement and innovation in problem solving and research and an attentive ‘eye on the horizon’.
We are committed to working together, recognising the need to jointly develop the work in stages, building strength to strength and adapting systems as needed along the way. This will require clear articulation of shared values and a shared agenda, development of a platform for knowledge sharing and communication, identification of priority actions and common measures of impact and success.
These topics were addressed in earnest at a joint workshop in April 2023. The focus on strengthening the collaboration based on alignment of existing programs and directing and securing resources targeted at priorities. From this, the collaboration can develop pilot programs to test shared impact measurements and build supportive communication systems.