ALCA supports the direction, but the Strategy needs stronger accountability, clearer implementation pathways, and secure long term funding to ensure it delivers real and lasting outcomes for threatened species.
Background
The Tasmanian Government has released a draft Tasmanian Threatened Species Strategy 2026, seeking feedback on its direction and content. This is the first major update to Tasmania’s threatened species strategy since 2000.
The new draft is a clear improvement on the previous strategy. It introduces a long term vision, a stronger focus on prioritisation, and explicit recognition that protecting threatened species requires collaboration across government, communities, and private landholders.
However, the strategy remains extremely high level. It lacks detail on how priorities will be turned into action, how progress will be measured, and how long term funding and accountability will be ensured. Without these elements, there is a risk that the strategy sets direction but will not translate to meaningful change on the ground.
A critical moment for Tasmania’s threatened species
Tasmania is home to many unique species and ecosystems, but increasing pressures - including climate change, invasive species, land use change and ongoing habitat loss - are driving rapid biodiversity decline. Around 650 plant and animal species are now listed as threatened, and the latest State of the Environment report shows a sharp rise in endangered and vulnerable species, with terrestrial species increasing most rapidly.
Against this backdrop, governments, landholders, and conservation organisations need clarity and confidence that threatened species policies will lead to real outcomes. ALCA notes that past approaches have struggled to bridge the gap between intent and implementation, often due to short term funding, unclear priorities, and weak accountability.
This strategy update arrives at a critical moment. Australia has committed to halt extinctions and protect 30% of land by 2030. Tasmania’s strategy needs to align with these commitments and provide a stable framework that enables long term investment and collaboration - particularly on private land, which plays a major role in species recovery.
Recommendations
ALCA supports the overall direction of the draft strategy, including the recognition of the importance of prioritisation and working in partnership to improve conservation outcomes. However, we recommend strengthening it in several key ways:
Clarify the path from strategy to action
A clear pathway showing how the strategy will lead to prioritisation, implementation, review, and adaptation over time. This includes clarifying who is responsible for delivering and reporting on outcomes.
Strengthen accountability and measurement
Including measurable targets, indicators, and transparent reporting. Clear definitions of “what success looks like” would make it easier to track progress, learn from what works, and hold decision makers accountable.
Bridge key gaps in scope
Explicitly include Threatened Ecological Communities and culturally significant species, and give greater recognition to Indigenous knowledge and leadership in conservation.
Commit to long term funding and leadership
Inadequate, short term funding has been a major barrier to threatened species conservation. The Tasmanian Government must play a clear leadership role as a long term investor, not rely on shifting costs to NGOs, landholders, and philanthropy.
Better integrate conservation into laws and planning systems
More clearly integrate with planning, approvals, and compliance under existing legislation so that threatened species considerations are consistently applied across Tasmania.
Strengthen focus on threat management
The submission calls for clearer attention to managing priority threats - such as invasive species and climate impacts - at the scale needed to support recovery.
Header image: Eleanor Hetharia
