Business Environment Strategy

Introduction:

Lane Cove River Tourist Park is a unique business unit within the NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change (National Parks and Wildlife Division). LCRTP is a large recreational tourist park located only 10km from the Sydney CBD, and contains almost 300 caravan, campervan and tent sites, as well as 28 self-contained guest cabins with all facilities. The park accommodates over 130,000 visitors every year. It is the only National Park Tourist Park in the locality of a major city anywhere in the world.

Lane Cove River Tourist Park operates on its’ business merits and is viewed as a financially self sustaining business unit. The park operates under public sector guidelines and legislation.

To that end, park management has set extremely high whole of business environmental outcomes, and has incorporated those outcomes into the overall park marketing strategy. The whole of business environment strategy is what really makes the park unique.

Core Concepts of the Plan:
The Environmental Plan has been designed to cover every aspect of the operation of the business and is developed around eight (8) key components:

Community and Business Education
Carbon Reduction and eradication of carbon footprint
Water management
Habitat creation and biodiversity
Recycle, reuse and waste minimise
Pest and weed abatement and management
Investment in our people;
Sustainable Eco Tourism – models, partners and recognition

Every key component is carefully managed and delivered under a plan of management. Each plan has key performance indicators set as part of the plan implementation strategy in order to monitor the progress of each implementation stage. The KPI system used places an environmental dollar value on each initiative, and that dollar value is translated to the overall budget. Environmental initiatives are then costed against budget as with any other expense item. Each part of the plan also has a marketing point of difference that is then used to create awareness and support for the park and the environment. The plan not only sets out to achieve high-end environmental outcomes, but also serves to continue promotion of the park to generate more funds to continue funding of the plan.

Overview of Components:

Community Education and Business Education
Desired Outcomes:
Environmental awareness for children
Active participation in environmental protection, and awareness by families and local communities
Provision of individual/industry specific green marketing models, and action plans for business
Ongoing community/business reduction in greenhouse emissions, water savings, and promotion of flora and fauna.

Projects developed and being implemented to achieve the outcomes:
Developed a series of children’s colouring competitions published in local papers, with stickers reflecting the theme to be given to every entry
Developed a children’s puzzle book in partnership with a local magazine publisher that highlights wildlife issues
Production of a weekly/monthly advertorial/free newspaper column that highlights a specific aspect of the environment
Provision of FREE talks to industry/community groups on environmental sustainability
Development of the "Green Parks" Initiative for caravan parks (national)
Ongoing news releases and working relationship with local press to ensure our message is promoted
Heavy investment in "on-line" environmental education through our website. Includes our environmental achievements and plans for the future, as well as interactive PDFs on native plants and animals
FREE night-time wildlife spotting and education tours, and free information on carbon reduction to visitors.


Carbon Reduction and eradication of carbon footprint
Desired Outcomes:
Elimination of our own carbon footprint – carbon neutrality;
Support of alternate energy sources and use of those sources on site;
Promotion of alternate energy sources to our guests and the general public;
Projects developed and being implemented to achieve the outcomes:
The only NSW State Government unit to use 100% accredited Green Energy;
Implementation of solar stations on park to generate renewable solar energy;
Development and promotion of our own in-house carbon offset program;
Use of electric vehicles (recharged by solar) to minimise carbon vehicle emissions;
Tree planting program (500 per year);
Replacement of our entire incandescent light globe stock (3000) with energy efficient globes;
Switching all of our hot water to natural gas;
Energy saving devices to eliminate energy from stand-by equipment introduced into guest cabins;
Energy efficient design and refurbishment of on park buildings;
We have reduced our carbon emissions on site by over 3500 tonnes annually, and estimate we have impacted on carbon reduction


Water management
Desired Outcomes:
Reduce on park water usage from mains by 50%
Recycle storm water for reuse in gardens and toilet flushing;
Harvest rainwater for conservation projects;
Incorporate water harvesting into habitat creation (ie wetlands, frog habitat);
Minimise reliance on water from mains supply;
Educate the public on water saving techniques.

Projects developed and being implemented to achieve the outcomes:
Developed a five year water strategy with the first two years implemented and include:
Gutter preparation of buildings to harness rainwater;
Commissioned first series of rainwater harvesting tanks and connected to internal water grid;
Commissioned first water tank to flush amenities #1 building toilets
Estimated annual harvest volume = 920,000 litres (current)
Replaced all shower heads and taps with a minimum rated 7.5 litres per minute water saver;
Banned vehicle washing on park;
Developed an environmental habitat creation plan for a self sustaining wetlands to assist in the saving of the endangered red crowned toadlet;
Purchased a cover for the park swimming pool;
Notices in all showers educating guests on water usage and saving techniques.


Habitat creation and biodiversity
Desired Outcomes:
Create a variety of habitat areas for native fauna species, particularly threatened species
Adopt management plans for specific wildlife projects, predominantly "at risk" species
Regenerate four types of threatened flora species within the park
Reduce the impact on park through development by 35%
Regenerate native forest lands in conjunction with visitors through conservation tourism initiatives
Educate the general public on local species of flora and fauna

Projects developed and being implemented to achieve the outcomes:
Developed four specific habitat areas throughout the park that are specific zones for reptilian and amphibian species
Developing regeneration of habitat section of the park for sugar gliders (glider grove) project
Created bandicoot "safe havens" within the park
Sponsored one of our staff members to monitor the local bandicoot numbers and populations
Sponsored an Australian National University research project into the local skink population
Current regeneration of "Darwinia Biflora" a local threatened plant species
Environmental site management styles – "Enviro Sites" being introduced into the park
On going tree planting and bush regeneration programs in conjunction with local community organisations


Recycle, reuse and waste minimise
Desired Outcomes:
Recycle all park paper waste
Reduce reliance on paper
Recycle Park Green waste
Recycle Park plastic and metal waste
Maintenance/Building reuse code of practice
Recycled inputs
Educate the public and guests on recycling

Projects developed and being implemented to achieve the outcomes:
Implemented eighteen (18) recycling stations around the park (paper, plastic, metals);
Implemented recycling bins and info sheets in guest cabins (28);
Changed bookings policy to not require deposits, thus saving on printed receipts;
Changed our purchasing policy to only use recycled paper goods (toilet paper, printed paper, etc);
Implemented an on-line booking system via our website that has drastically reduced our reliance on printed promotional material;
Developed our own internal code of practice in building and building maintenance to use recycled materials wherever possible;
Our office now functions in an environmentally friendly manner; pens, paper, toner cartridges, etc;
Green waste is now collectively recycled at our own on site compost centre;
Integrated our booking sheets to include a map, check in form, park rules, and information on one sheet, replacing three individual sheets.


Pest and weed abatement and management
Desired Outcomes:
Elimination of introduced weed species from our 6 hectares of National Park
Weed minimisation from our usage as a visitor area (introduced and foreign weeds brought into the park)
Elimination of non native pests that threaten our wildlife
Public education about eradication of local weed species and particularly threatening weed species.

Projects developed and being implemented to achieve the outcomes:
Implemented our own on site rabbit trapping and humane disposal of rabbit system undertaken by trained National Parks Officers
Ongoing pest identification and research of non native and feral pests
Financial and logistic support to the Lane Cove National Park fox and feral cat eradication project
Domestic pet dumping awareness campaign
Support and input into the development of an annual "carp fishing" competition to reduce carp in the Lane Cove River
Ongoing payments to local bush regeneration groups for weed control along our borders
Ongoing internal weed control program on park implemented by our field staff


Investment in our people
Desired Outcomes:
To have qualified people that are able to understand our environmental plan and implement our plan in accordance with our overall vision and mission;
To have the best skills set of; industry, busiess and environment;
To provide opportunities for our people through relevant programs of instruction

Projects developed and being implemented to achieve the outcomes:
All staff have undertaken a Certificate III course in Caravan Park Operations focusing on the environment;
Two staff are trained in National Parks and Wildlife Pest management (fox and rabbit baiting);
One of our staff has been trained in GIS animal tracking and recording technology;
All of our staff rotate into filed operations, specifically landcare, bush regeneration and native garden maintenance.


Sustainable Eco Tourism – models, partners and recognition
Desired Outcomes:
To be recognised as a leader in Eco Tourism
To gain industry recognition as an environmental leader with our industry
To partner with and support organisations that share our philosophy and vision on the environment
To develop a working, profitable eco tourism/environmental management plan that can be given to retail operators nationally and internationally
To promote the values of Eco Tourism and the environment to the general public.

Projects developed and being implemented to achieve the outcomes:
The only tourist park in Australia to be granted Advanced Eco tourism Accreditation status
One of the few tourist parks in NSW to have completed and achieved the CCIA Gold Gumnut award for Environmental excellence
Winner of the 2006 National Business Award for Environmental Awareness
Developing the Green Parks program to give away to park operators
Package includes logos
Funded advertising of the program in industry publications
Includes greenhouse reduction targets and
A green marketing plan.
Implementation of our environmental plan and green marketing plan have seen a gross business increase of 14% this year to date
Our environmental management and marketing programs and our desire for sustainable tourism are being used as a model for other industry ventures in conjunction with the University of NSW
Some in roads made into the free exporting of our plans to developing countries, ie China, India and Asia
Sponsorship of the NSW Science Teachers "Young Scientist" Awards
Partnerships with Easy Being Green, and the Sydney Metropolitan Land Council

Summary and Conclusion

Our environmental plan has been put together as a whole of business strategy that is designed to not only reduce our footprint, but to attempt to impact the thoughts and actions of as many people as we can.

Our entire team is dedicated to our course of action, and we are fast becoming a leader in our field. We feel we have one of the most comprehensive environmental management programs that takes into consideration all aspects of environmental management and through auditing our business, we believe we have created a model that can easily be adapted to any enterprise.

Our unique approach to using our green initiatives as a marketing tool is paying financial dividends that allow us to continue our investment into our program and funding expansions of our program. We are further making some inroads into changing the behaviour and bringing environmental awareness to local businesses, communities and families, not through fear of the future, but by education and practical means.

As an addition to the plan, the park is working on an Aboriginal and Heritage component of the plan to reintroduce Aboriginal history and culture into the local area.