Mangement

Marine Parks

Introduction

Marine parks conserve marine habitats and species for the benefit of this generation and future generations. They are recognised internationally as a conservation tool. Management is a process through which goals are achieved by using a combination of human and technical skills. (Worboys et al 2001). There are four basic management functions that assist in the management process: planning, organising, leading and controlling (Bartol et al 1998). The management of marine parks requires building effective partnerships between management authorities and communities. It is of the utmost importance that communities be motivated toward active involvement in all stages of MPA planning and operation (Clark, 1988). The following discussion allows the four management process of planning, organizing, leading and controlling, and provides examples of government, private and volunteer organizations using these processes effectively to achieve results.

Planning: The first Management Function

The first management process is planning. The planning stage of an organisation is crucial as it sets direction for their goals and objectives. It involves defining goals, establishing strategies and developing plans to co-ordinate activities. To set out a plan structure is required and there are three general stages in the planning process which help illustrate this. Strategic, tactical and operational.

Strategic

Firstly the strategic level of a plan sets out the overall direction of the company. This is well illustrated in The 25 Year Strategic Plan for the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area 1994-2019. There are many strategies which are planned for the park including:

- Conservation

- Resource management

- Education, Communication, Consultation and Commitment

- Research and monitoring

- Integrated planning

- Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Interests

- Management processes

- Legislation

(can go into detail for these, they were just taken from the contents page, I will forward the plan to you all as well)

Tactical

Furthermore, after an organisation outlines its objectives and strategies a more tactical approach can be sought out. The tactical level in planning sets direction for an issue or region. This is demonstrated in The Great Barrier Reef system as the heritage area is broken up into region. One particular region of the Great Barrier Reef which exemplify’s this level of planning is the Townsville and