Premier David Crisafulli has announced a plan to expand Queensland’s protected natural areas and improve land management with the help of 150 new rangers.
The ABC reports, initiative will see 8,700 hectares added to national parks and conservation areas, with about a quarter of that land designated as nature refuges under agreements with private landholders.
While the additions represent a small fraction of Queensland’s vast 172 million hectares, Mr Crisafulli said the move marks a meaningful start toward better environmental protection. “If we can increase the threshold of protected areas, it sends a strong message about how much we value the environment,” he said.
The government has pledged to protect more land in a single term than the previous administration did over the past decade. Alongside the new rangers, increased funding will be directed to groups already working to manage Queensland’s natural resources.
The announcement, however, has drawn criticism from environmentalists, coming just days after the government opened tenders for nine new gas exploration areas. Dave Copeman from the Queensland Conservation Council called the move “devastating,” noting that only 8.59% of the state is currently protected—far from the 17% target outlined in the government’s own conservation strategy.