It's been a tough few months for parts of Tasmania's protected wilderness and the future also looks bleak according to the federal budget, which has copped criticism from some sectors of the island state.
Tasmania's Wilderness World Heritage Area has staved off a push by state and federal governments for selective timber harvesting, but it was savaged by summer bushfires and is now due to drop off the national funding agenda.
Tuesday's budget shows a flatlining allocation for management of the 1.6 million-hectare area, which represents a fifth of the island state and is protected by a division of the United Nations.
"(The federal government) have an obligation to fund the protection of Tasmania's wilderness not just for Tasmania, not just for Australia, but for the global community," Tasmanian Greens leader Cassy O'Connor said.
After receiving more than $5 million in 2015-16, management funding for the area will be wound back to zero by 2018-19 and beyond.
More than 20,000ha of the protected area was burnt over summer and decreased funding will mean an inability to carry out adequate fire mitigation or respond to the outbreak of future bushfires, Ms O'Connor said.
"This is a time at which the Commonwealth and state governments should be increasing funding to the World Heritage Area, not cutting it."
Tasmanian parks and environment minister Matthew Groom rejected claims the area had been forgotten.
"There is a strong ongoing commitment to the World Heritage Area, including funding by the Commonwealth government," he said, citing budget allocations of $8.7 million for 2015-16 and two subsequent years.
But Ms O'Connor said the lost funding was just one example in a budget which lacked vision.
In state parliament on Wednesday Premier Will Hodgman faced criticism for failing to secure more dollars from Canberra, but the Liberal leader defended his federal colleagues.
"Fundamentally this is a good budget for Tasmania, it's a plan for economic growth, it supports small business and when you consider that Tasmania's economy is fuelled by the small business sector then this is going to have a significant benefit," he said.
There is money for roadworks as part of a $200 million infrastructure package and Tasmania will share in a $2.9 billion national fund for public hospitals over the next three years.
Australia's only federally funded hospital, Tasmania's northern Mersey, didn't get a budget mention past the current deal which expires in mid-2017.
There was no word of the $150 million co-contribution needed by the University of Tasmania for a new northern campus, generating jobs, boosting education opportunities and attracting international students - a spend Labor has already promised.
Mr Hodgman supports the project and believes the upcoming election campaign may bring good news.
"Over the coming weeks, eight or so of them, there will be election commitments made as well and I'm sure there will be further positive announcements," the premier said.
Budget spending on Tasmania's health and education represents "real money" as opposed to un-funded promises made by the past Labor government, Tasmania's administration said.
