National Parks and Wildlife Service (New South Wales)


The National Parks and Wildlife Service is a directorate of the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment formerly the Office of Environment and Heritage which was the main government conservation agency in New South Wales, Australia.
The NSW NPWS was established in 1967 when the Fauna Protection Panel and Reserves Branch of the Lands Department were amalgamated under Lands Minister Hon. Tom Lewis AO. Lewis also establish the charity, National Parks Foundation to assist the NPWS raise funds for conservation. The first Director of the NPWS was Sam P. Weems of the US National Park Service.
Duties performed by the NSW NPWS include:
  1. Wildlife Conservation
  2. Statistical Analysis of Species in Protected Areas
  3. Mapping of protected zones
  4. Combat of salinity and soil erosion
  5. Upkeep of Fire Trails
  6. Fire Management, including Hazard Reduction Burning
  7. Assistance to the New South Wales Rural Fire Service