Behind the scenes with Queensland’s Rangers

Queensland is home to more than 1,000 parks and forests, covering over 54.6 million hectares of land and water. Managing such a vast and diverse estate is no small task, and that’s where Health Checks come in. They provide the essential, on-the-ground information Rangers need to make smart, science-backed decisions.

‘This key step shows us what’s working and what’s not. Without it, we’d be guessing if we were making a difference,’ Ranger Cassandra said.

Our key purpose is the conservation of Queensland protected areas, while also encouraging people to enjoy these environments responsibly. To do this well, we need to know what makes each place special, what threats each place face, and how its condition is changing over time.

Health Checks give Rangers that insight and help drive management actions.

‘Health Checks give us the tangible evidence we need to make wise funding investment decisions to ensure we contribute to conservation outcomes in real time,’ Ranger Cassandra said.

What happens during a Health Check?

Think of it as a careful visual survey of a chosen survey site within a park or forest.

Rangers don’t need fancy equipment or special training. Just some sharp eyes and local knowledge about their patch. They know what a healthy landscape should look like, which helps them spot when something’s not quite right, like an invasive weed creeping in, signs of erosion, or widening of walking tracks from visitor activity.

Health Checks usually happen once a year and to keep things consistent, Rangers follow detailed field guides. These guides lay out what to look for—known as indicators—and how to rate what they see. Each indicator is assessed and given a condition class:

• good,
• good with some concern,
• significant concern, or
• critical.

There are separate field guides for the different types of values assessed: natural, visitor, and post-contact cultural heritage values.

Each guide focuses on a specific set of indicators, covering a wide range of potential impacts, from fire and pest damage to human activity and erosion.

Together, these simple visual cues help Rangers build a clear picture of what’s happening on the ground.

While Health Checks might seem simple, the insights they provide are incredibly powerful.

Out in the field, Rangers often work together to assess what they see. They’ll walk and talk through the site, share observations, and come to a joint decision about how well the area’s key values are holding up. It’s a team effort grounded in local knowledge and deep care for Country.

After they agree on the condition, the results are recorded in a dedicated app which then feeds into a bigger picture assessment and shapes how the park or forest is managed in the future. Whether it’s tweaking a pest control program, adjusting fire strategies, or planning track upgrades to protect sensitive areas, Health Check data helps Rangers make smart decisions that truly make a difference.

Southeast Queensland Planning and Evaluation Senior Ranger Jacqueline said Health Checks are often a celebrated task for Rangers.

‘Being out there, in the fresh air, taking care of our environment, reminds us of the difference we’re making. It's one of the best parts of our job because it ties us directly to the land we are here to protect. By regularly checking in, Rangers can catch issues early and respond before small problems become big ones. Just as importantly, they can celebrate when areas are thriving, knowing their work is making a real, lasting impact.

This kind of ongoing care is what helps keep Queensland’s protected areas healthy—not just for today, but for the future. So, the next time you’re hiking through a forest or camping under the stars, spare a thought for the quiet, steady work that keeps these places wild, beautiful, and protected.