The Executive Director of Policy at the Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate (EPSDD) holds the office of the Conservator of Flora and Fauna.
Established by the Nature Conservation Act 2014 (NC Act), the Conservator has additional responsibilities under the Planning and Development Act 2007, the Fisheries Act 2000 and the Urban Forest Act 2023.
The Conservator acts on issues that affect the conservation matters embodied in the NC Act. This relates, in particular, to protecting native plants and animals including:
- the administration of a licensing system for the taking, keeping, selling, importing, exporting, disturbing, displaying and killing of native plants and animals
- approvals for the translocation of native flora and fauna in the ACT
- the Biodiversity Research and Monitoring Program (BRAMP)
- managing the nature reserve system and
- protecting and conserving threatened species and ecological communities