Editing Georges River National Park (section)

== Management Strategies ==

* '''Park management''' – The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Act, 1974 evokes that all 870 National Parks and reserves located in NSW,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Our Parks|url=https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/conservation-and-heritage/our-parks}}</ref> should have a plan of management to sustain the natural ecology of the parks for future generations. Georges River National Park plan of management, 1994,<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|title=Georges River National Park Plan of Management|url=https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/research-and-publications/publications-search/georges-river-national-park-plan-of-management|website=National Parks NSW}}</ref> objectively aims too; protect and preserve the natural beauty of the park, whilst conserving wildlife, and historical Aboriginal sites. Encouraging appropriate recreational activities and aiding in visitor education. Actions taken to adhere to these goals are; erosion and weed control on areas surrounding Henry Lawson drive, rehabilitation of disturbed areas, increased research and surveys of the area, accounting for introduced flora and fauna species and their eventual eradication, with the re-introduction of endemic species. Furthermore, swimming in the national park was a popular past time activity, but due to shark attacks swimmers were confined to netted areas, and with the increase in pollution in 1960 all swimming in the national park was prohibited. The plan of management does not permit for the re-opening of netted swimming areas out of fears the water is still far too polluted, 90% due to stormwater run off.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Georges River Pollution|url=https://georgesriver.org.au/learn-about-the-river/georges-river-pollution|website=Georges River Keeper}}</ref> The Georges River Keeper program are seeking to clean the river system, collecting on average 100 tonnes of litter, compromising of 68,000 plastic bottles, annually. Since the establishment of the Georges River Keeper program, they have witnessed a significant decrease in river pollution from 2015 to 2017, evident in their annual report.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Riverkeeper Program Report Card 2015–2016 & 2016–2017|url=https://georgesriver.org.au/sites/default/files/resources/2019-12/riverkeeper_program_report_card_2015-2016_-_2016-2017.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200321063320/https://georgesriver.org.au/sites/default/files/resources/2019-12/riverkeeper_program_report_card_2015-2016_-_2016-2017.pdf |archive-date=2020-03-21 |url-status=live}}</ref> The NSW National Parks Wildlife Service seek to re-open netted swimming areas, however far more rehabilitation needs to be conducted.
* '''Fire management''' – The National Parks and Wildlife Act, 1974 also states that all National Parks in NSW should have a plan of management for natural disasters such as Bushfires. In 1985 80% of the Georges River National Park burnt due to a wild fire, therefore establishing the park as a threatened fire area.<ref name=":3" /> Since then strict park fire management strategies have been emplaced, most recently the, Georges River Park Fire Management Strategy, 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Georges River National Park Fire Management Strategy 2018|url=https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/research-and-publications/publications-search/georges-river-national-park-fire-management-strategy|website=NSW Government}}</ref> This document is a legal requirement, that outlines operational guidelines for prescribed burning and wildfires. The fire management plan list operations to combat wildfires, such as; Aerial water bombing, Aerial Ignition, Back burning, Containment Lines, Fire Suppression Chemicals, Earth moving equipment, Visitor Management in case of fire, and Rehabilitation methods for burnt areas. The plan additionally maps out the current vegetation status of the whole National Park bush lands. Listing the areas as other vulnerable, frequently burnt, long unburnt or unknown. The management strategy also names and highlights threatened Fauna, which fire services should be aware, for example the [[Little eagle|Hieraaetus morphnoides]] (little eagle), and [[Powerful owl|Ninox strenua]] (Powerful Owl), as well as their habitats (hollow bearing trees).