Protected areas
Protect, repair and manage the environment
Metric
Proportion of land and water areas dedicated to the long-term conservation of nature, its ecosystems and cultural values
Why this matters
The National Reserve System is a network of protected areas dedicated to conserving our biodiversity and protecting our ecosystems. They provide opportunity for Australians to connect with nature – a critical part of our national identity, and an essential part of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture.
Marine protected areas are recognised as one of the best ways to conserve and protect biodiversity in our oceans. Australia has a world leading National Representative System of Marine Protected Areas, which contributes to the long-term viability of the marine environment.
Progress
In 2022:
- almost half (45%) of Australia's oceans are Marine Protected Areas, up from approximately 7% in 2002.
- one fifth of Australia's landmass was in Terrestrial Protected Areas (22%), double what it was 2002 (10%).
- the increase in the proportion of Australia's protected landmass was driven by the increase in Indigenous Protected Areas (11%, up from 2% in 2002). These are areas managed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups in accordance with Traditional Owners objectives.
- Data was sourced via the Collaborative Australian Protected Areas Database (CAPAD) for each year referenced above.
- Marine Protected Area values for 2004 and 2014 have not been included as they may be over-estimates resulting from areas being classified under more than one protection category. Data for Marine Protected Areas for 2006 was unavailable.