Progress Report 2007-2008 - Department of Environment and ...

Criterion 6 – Socio-economic benefits
Visitation
MIG indicator 6.2.c: Number of visits per annum (UNE, LNE, Eden, Southern regions)
The total number of permits issued for activities in State forests decreased slightly this year when
compared with previously available (2004–2005) figures. On DECC estate in the regions, two parks
received more than 1 000 000 visitors and 26 received in excess of 100 000 visitors.
DECC PWG
Data discussion
In 2004–2005 and 2006–2007 this indicator was reported on for all regions using data from the SoP
qualitative assessment so as to align the two reporting processes. There was no SoP survey in the
2007–2008 reporting year. As a consequence, reporting on this indicator using SoP data did not occur
during the reporting period.
Under the NSW State Plan, DECC is working to increase visits to parks by 20% by 2016. It will do this
by developing programs that foster an appreciation of parks and provide access to recreational
opportunities.
In 2007–2008, DECC started developing branch visitation management plans (BVMPs) to guide the
growth and resourcing of visitation to parks across NSW. These plans were a key action specified
within Living Parks, the sustainable visitation strategy completed in 2005 and publicly launched in early
2006 (see Criterion 7: Park Management Framework and Planning, assessment and policy review for
more information on BVMPs). In the 2007–2008 reporting period, DECC also worked on a way to
improve recording of visitor numbers to provide better estimates in the future (page 84, Chapter 4:
Contribute to increased tourism, community wellbeing and regional development through parks and
reserves, DECC Annual Report 2007–08).
Also during the 2007–2008 reporting period, a pilot study was done to develop a method for collecting
statewide visitor numbers and estimating visitor satisfaction. Telephone surveyors asked respondents
about parks they had visited within the last four weeks. Interviewing began in early 2008 and will
continue throughout the 2008 calendar year to provide estimates of the number of visits to parks, visitor
satisfaction with park visits and the proportion of visitors participating in different activities (page 84,
Chapter 4: Contribute to increased tourism, community wellbeing and regional development through
parks and reserves, DECC Annual Report 2007–08).
DECC is implementing the Visitor Data System (VDS), a database used to store and analyse visitor
data. The system includes a traffic counter and results of a visitor survey. In 2007–08, the VDS was
upgraded to increase functionality and resolve a number of software issues (page 85, Chapter 4:
Contribute to increased tourism, community wellbeing and regional development through parks and
reserves, DECC Annual Report 2007–08).
NSW FOREST AGREEMENTS AND INTEGRATED FORESTRY OPERATIONS APPROVALS 49