EMPLOYMENT

Census of Population and Housing

Data from the 2006 Census of Population and Housing, which provides details on people's main job, does not separately identify those working in organisations responsible for nature parks and reserves from those working in other recreational parks and gardens. The broad Nature reserves and conservation parks industry employed 6,143 people, of which 1,119 were Park rangers, 98 were Zookeepers and 41 were Urban and regional planners. A majority of people employed in this industry were in non-cultural occupations.

9.9 PERSONS EMPLOYED IN NATURE RESERVES AND CONSERVATION PARKS INDUSTRY(a)(b), By occupation - August 2006
		Number	%
Cultural occupations
	Park rangers	1 119	18.2
	Zookeepers	98	1.6
	Urban and regional planners	41	0.7
	Environmental managers	27	0.4
	Landscape architects	9	0.1
	Other cultural occupations	89	1.4
	Total cultural occupations	1 383	22.5
Other occupations(c)		4 760	77.5
Total occupations		6 143	100.0
(a) Cells in this table have been randomly adjusted to avoid the release of confidential data.
(b) In their main job in the week before Census Night.
(c) Includes not stated and inadequately described.
Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2006, data available on request.

Using Census data it is not possible to separate those working in zoological gardens from those working in botanic gardens. However, in the combined Zoos and botanic gardens industry, Zookeepers (483 people) were the most common cultural occupations. The majority of people (77%) working in this industry were employed in non-cultural occupations.

9.10 PERSONS EMPLOYED IN ZOOS AND BOTANIC GARDENS INDUSTRY(a)(b), By occupation - August 2006
		Number	%
Cultural occupations
	Zookeepers	483	18.8
	Park rangers	16	0.6
	Landscape architects	6	0.2
	Other cultural occupations(c)	90	3.5
	Total cultural occupations	595	23.1
Other occupations		1 976	76.9
Total occupations		2 571	100.0
(a) Cells in this table have been randomly adjusted to avoid the release of confidential data.
(b) In their main job in the week before Census Night.
(c) Includes not stated.
Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2006, data available on request.

Work Survey

More information on employment can be obtained from the 2007 survey of Work in Selected Culture and Leisure Activities which collected data on all involvement rather than just the paid employment in main job which is obtained from the Census. The survey found that 94,900 people had some involvement in the operations of national parks and reserves although only 29% received some form of payment. A large number of people also reported volunteering their time to work in botanic gardens. Of the estimated 28,200 people working in botanic gardens, 64% were paid for their involvement.

9.11 PERSONS WITH A WORK INVOLVEMENT IN NATIONAL PARKS, ZOOS AND BOTANIC GARDENS(a), By whether paid or unpaid - 2007
	Some paid involvement	Unpaid involvement only	Total	Percentage with some paid involvement
	'000	'000	'000	%
National parks and reserves	27.0	86.0	94.9	28.5
Zoological parks and aquariums	*8.9	*9.1	13.1	*67.9
Botanic gardens	*18.1	22.7	28.2	*64.2
* estimate has a relative standard error of 25% to 50% and should be used with caution
(a) In the 12 months before interview in April 2007.
Source: ABS, Work in Selected Culture and Leisure Activities, April 2007 (cat. no. 6281.0).

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