Our mission

• Manage Western Australia’s parks, forests and reserves to conserve wildlife, provide sustainable recreation and tourism opportunities, protect communities and assets from bushfire and achieve other land, forest and wildlife management objectives.
• Inspire and act for wildlife conservation.
• Conserve and enhance Kings Park and Botanic Garden and Bold Park with the community, and to conserve biological diversity generally.
• Grow visitor numbers and yield by providing best-in-class tourism products, experiences and service while enhancing Rottnest Island’s unique heritage and environment.
• Provide scientific excellence and deliver effective conservation of Western Australia’s biodiversity.

Our values

Our values describe our commitment to our visitors, colleagues, partners, volunteers and supporters. They are:

• Integrity, a commitment to knowing and doing what is right.
• Collaboration, a commitment to team, partnership and the support of others.
• Accountability, a commitment to being transparent, taking ownership and personal responsibility.
• Respect, a commitment to the respect of people, culture and place.
• Excellence, a commitment to quality, innovation and continuous improvement.

We observe the highest standards of integrity at all times and expect those doing business with us to do the same to help us deliver public value. We act in accordance with our corporate values, the Public Sector Code of Ethics and comply with any legislation, policies and procedures set for the public sector.

Our vision for services ​​delivered

Biodiversity and Conservation Science - Best practice biodiversity science and knowledge partnerships underpin conservation of Western Australia’s plants, animals, communities and ecosystems, and management of our lands and waters.

Botanic Gardens and Parks - To create and provide world recognised botanic gardens and parks and to inspire the conservation of biological diversity.

Parks and Wildlife ​​Service - The natural assets of Western Australia are conserved, protected and valued.

Perth Zoo - A world where diversity of species and habitats is secure.

Rottnest Island​​ - Rottnest Island is an internationally recognised, sustainable, must-visit tourism destination.

We work to conserve WA’s biodiversity, cultural and natural values. We also provide world-recognised nature-based tourism and recreation experiences for the community. We:

• manage WA’s parks, forests and reserves to achieve wildlife conservation
• provide sustainable recreation and tourism opportunities
• protect communities and assets from bushfire
• work to grow visitor numbers at Rottnest Island by providing best-in-class tourism experiences
• enhance Rottnest’s unique heritage and environment
• inspire and act for wildlife conservation at Perth Zoo
• work with the community to conserve and showcase our biological diversity at Kings Park and Botanic Garden and Bold Park
• provide support to the Conservation and Parks Commission and Swan River Trust

Scientific excellence underpins all we do. This ensures we deliver effective conservation of the State’s biodiversity.

• Annual estimates
  Annual estimates for DBCA.
• Annual reports
  Annual reports for the department, and statutory authorities.
• Administrative agreements
  Administrative agreement between the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DMIRS) and DBCA.
• Corporate policies
  Policy statements for DBCA.
• Diversity, access and inclusion
  Ensuring everyone is able to access, use and enjoy WA's natural areas and the facilities, services and programs provided by DBCA.

WA Government’s Parallel Decision-Making Policy

In alignment with the WA Government’s response to the Independent Review of WA Environmental Approvals Processes and Procedures, the WA Government is progressing legislative reforms to the Environmental Protection (EP) Act.

These reforms remove the previous restriction under section 41(3) and enable Decision Making Authorities (DMAs), which includes the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA), to make decisions in parallel to an environment assessment process under Part IV of the EP Act, for example licences to take protected flora and fauna for a biological assessment under the Biodiversity Conservation Regulations 2018 which can be parallel approved.

Importantly however, to ensure robust protections for the environment are maintained, the reforms make clear that no decision made in parallel to a Part IV assessment will have the effect of authorising a proposal to be implemented. Proponents will also still be legally prevented from implementing a proposal under s.41A of the EP Act.

Proponents will continue to be able to undertake minor or preliminary works, where they have obtained the consent of the Environmental Protection Authority.

Upon commencement of the legislative reforms, the Parallel Decision-Making Policy (link below) will help to guide DMAs in appropriately processing and issuing decisions in parallel to a Part IV assessment. 

Extensive consultation across government, including with DBCA, was undertaken to identify decisions that could be made while a proposal under Part IV the EP Act was being assessed.

This is just one of many initiatives that support a coordinated approach to delivering approvals reform in Western Australia.  

The link to the Policy can be found here: https://www.wa.gov.au/government/publications/parallel-decision-making-policy