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Assets of Intergenerational Significance (AIS)

Overview

Assets of Intergenerational Significance (AIS) are declared to bolster protections for an area with exceptional environmental or cultural values, like important habitat for the iconic Wollemi pine, koala and the greater bilby.

Our strongest protections for environmental and cultural values in NSW national parks

AIS areas have been declared to provide increased legal protections for the habitat of some of the most threatened and irreplaceable animals and plants in our parks. So far, we have:

279 AIS areas declared across

127 national parks and reserves in NSW, protecting key habitat for

108 threatened plant and animal species

Future AIS declarations may include significant wetlands or important cultural heritage values.

Interactive AIS map

Screenshot image of AIS map. Photo: DCCEEW
Screenshot image of AIS map. Photo: DCCEEW

Explore our interactive map of AIS sites in NSW national parks and reserves. Zoom and click the map to see AIS areas and the threatened animals and plants they protect.

Sensitive AIS sites are not displayed on the map. All AIS sites are shown on the AIS list, which you can search and filter.

The National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 was amended to allow the Minister for Environment to declare an area to be an AIS. Under the Amendment Act 2021, it's now an offence for person to interfere with, damage, harm or disturb an environmental or cultural value of any land declared as an AIS.

What does AIS mean for threatened species?

Practically, it means that the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) will have increased ability to prioritise management at these sites and identify emerging threats, so rapid interventions can take place.

We’ll prepare dedicated Conservation Action Plans (CAPs) for each AIS. Visit our AIS Conservation Action Plans webpage to check CAPs currently on exhibition and provide feedback. View adopted CAPs.

AIS will play a critical role in meeting our zero extinctions objective.

Meet some of our AIS-protected animals and plants

Female seed cone of the critically endangered Wollemi pine tree. Photo: Jaime Plaza © Botanic Gardens Trust
Female seed cone of the critically endangered Wollemi pine tree. Photo: Jaime Plaza © Botanic Gardens Trust
A greater bilby marsupial amongst the red sandy ground of far western NSW. Photo credit: Brad Leue/AWC ©: Brad Leue
A greater bilby marsupial amongst the red sandy ground of far western NSW. Photo credit: Brad Leue/AWC ©: Brad Leue
Front-on view of a spotted tree frog on a rock. Photo: Dave Hunter © Dave Hunter
Front-on view of a spotted tree frog on a rock. Photo: Dave Hunter © Dave Hunter
An adult Gould's petrel sits on leaf litter on the ground at Cabbage Tree Island. Photo: Nicolas Carlile © DCCEEW
An adult Gould's petrel sits on leaf litter on the ground at Cabbage Tree Island. Photo: Nicolas Carlile © DCCEEW
Profile view of a grey-headed flying-fox flying past eucalupt trees. Photo: Shane Ruming © Shane Ruming
Profile view of a grey-headed flying-fox flying past eucalupt trees. Photo: Shane Ruming © Shane Ruming
Close up of a regent honeyeater bird perched on a tree branch. Photo: Mick Roderick © Mick Roderick
Close up of a regent honeyeater bird perched on a tree branch. Photo: Mick Roderick © Mick Roderick
Close up of the head and chest of a grey grasswren with a fly on its its breast. Photo: Jeff Hardy/DPE © Jeff Hardy
Close up of the head and chest of a grey grasswren with a fly on its its breast. Photo: Jeff Hardy/DPE © Jeff Hardy
Three brush-tailed rock-wallabies blend into their rocky habitat in Oxley Wild Rivers National Park. Photo: Shane Ruming © Shane Ruming
Three brush-tailed rock-wallabies blend into their rocky habitat in Oxley Wild Rivers National Park. Photo: Shane Ruming © Shane Ruming
Profile view of an eastern bristlebird on the ground amongst grassy habitat, it's beak open during birdsong. Photo: Leo Berzins © Leo Berzins
Profile view of an eastern bristlebird on the ground amongst grassy habitat, it's beak open during birdsong. Photo: Leo Berzins © Leo Berzins
An adult Guthega skink walks along a granite rock, with alpine grass in the background. Photo credit: Mel Schroder © DPE
An adult Guthega skink walks along a granite rock, with alpine grass in the background. Photo credit: Mel Schroder © DPE
The sun shines through rainforest onto the leaves of an endangered nightcap oak. Photo: Justin Mallee ©: Justin Mallee
The sun shines through rainforest onto the leaves of an endangered nightcap oak. Photo: Justin Mallee ©: Justin Mallee
Profile view of a rufous scrub-bird (Atrichornis rufescens) standing on a mossy rock. Glen Trelfo © Glen Trelfo
Profile view of a rufous scrub-bird (Atrichornis rufescens) standing on a mossy rock. Glen Trelfo © Glen Trelfo
A Mount Kaputar skink suns itself on rocks in Mount Kaputar National Park. Photo: Jodi Rowley © Jodi Rowley
A Mount Kaputar skink suns itself on rocks in Mount Kaputar National Park. Photo: Jodi Rowley © Jodi Rowley
Profile view of a Fleay's barred frog on a rock surrounded by leaf litter. Photo: Peter Higgins © DPE
Profile view of a Fleay's barred frog on a rock surrounded by leaf litter. Photo: Peter Higgins © DPE
Koala. Photo: Lucy Morrell
Koala. Photo: Lucy Morrell

Why do we need AIS now?

The 2019-20 summer bushfires highlighted the need to improve ways to identify and protect environmental and cultural assets, well in advance of bushfire or other emergency events. Proactive intervention saved the Wollemi pine during the 2019-20 bushfires.

While all our national parks are valuable and deserve protection, it’s clear there are a number of irreplaceable environmental and cultural values in them that we must work even harder to protect.

Visit the Assets of Intergenerational Significance project page to find out more.

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