We manage more than 890 protected areas in NSW, covering over 7.5 million hectares of land. This represents more than 9.5 per cent of the land area in the state. This includes national parks, nature reserves, flora reserves, World Heritage areas, rainforests, beaches, alpine areas and sites of great cultural and historic significance. Management of these areas involves a wide range of responsibilities, including plant and animal conservation, fire management, sustainable tourism and visitation, research, education, volunteering programs and more.
NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) produces plans of management which outline the values of NSW national parks – including biodiversity and Aboriginal culture - and how they’ll be managed. These plans of management are used in conjunction with fire management strategies to protect conservation areas.
Australia is home to more than 1 million species of Australian animals and Australian native plants, with more than 1,000 of these listed as being at threat of extinction. NPWS works to collect data to identify the distribution of threatened species and focus conservation efforts in areas of need.
NSW National Parks (NPWS) adopts a strategic approach to managing fires in parks and reserves including research, planning, hazard reduction, rapid response firefighting crews and community alerts.
NPWS education programs give students the opportunity to explore NSW national parks and learn about nature, conservation, Aboriginal culture and historic heritage. These syllabus-linked environmental programs are available for primary, secondary and tertiary students. Programs can be delivered at your school through online resources or via school excursions in NSW national parks.
Join us for volunteering opportunities in NSW national parks. Help us protect Australian animals, birds and native plants, and meet new people.
Our national parks are important places for conservation and the community. NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is committed to providing park experiences that support local communities, and conserve our cultural and natural heritage. Many of our tour providers are ECO-certified by Ecotourism Australia and can be found on the Green Travel Guide. Look for the NSW National Parks logo on this website.
NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is creating new nature-based experiences for you to enjoy. We're also upgrading tracks, facilities and infrastructure in many of our most popular parks. This is the largest investment in visitor infrastructure in NPWS history.