The Department of Environment and Conservation’s (DEC) Albany Coastal Reserves Management Plan will cover 25,000 square kilometres of unallocated Crown land and unmanaged reserves from Wilson Inlet to the Pallinup River.

DEC has been liaising with the public, community groups and organisations, including meetings and a series of workshops last week.

Areas including West Cape Howe and the Stirling Range will be covered in the plan.

“As national parks and conservation areas become more popular in the region, they need to be better managed to ensure their protection,” she said.

“This area is a biodiversity hotspot and we need the plan to conserve it for the future.”

Ms Eber said one example was that 250,000 visitors were reported to visit The Gap in Torndirrup National Park in a year.

She said threats to both flora and fauna included feral animals, dieback, wildfires and weed infestation.

After the public consultation process has finished, a draft plan would be completed and handed to Environment Minister Donna Faragher, hopefully by March 2010.

It will then be distributed to the public for comment.

Ms Eber said the process would give people an opportunity to take part in the development of the management plan which would cover issues including recreation facilities, nature conservation and fire management.

The City of Albany is involved with its reserves integrated into the plan.

Overall about 63 parks and reserves are included.

Public meetings were held last week at Bornholm, Albany and Manypeaks.

To register as a stakeholder contact sue.eber@dec.wa.gov.au or DEC, 120 Albany Highway