Land for Wildlife

Land for Wildlife is a voluntary scheme to encourage and assist private landholders to provide habitats for wildlife on their property.

Land for Wildlife at a glance:

• It's free
  There are no fees. The scheme recognises the significant contribution made by landholders.
• It's completely voluntary
  Landholders make a personal commitment to the scheme. They can withdraw at any time they want to.
• There are no legal binds
  Land for Wildlife status does not alter the legal status of the property in any way. It does not provide any right of public access or exclude multiple land use over the area.
• It's inclusive
  There is no limit on size or primary land use, which could include:
  • farms and bush blocks
  • local council reserves and roadsides
  • school grounds and golf courses.

What can you do?

Western Australia has changed greatly since European settlement. An unbroken expanse of bushland has been replaced with a mosaic of farmland, towns, industries, roads and railways, with remnants of native vegetation left among them in various shapes and sizes.

These remnants hold the key to the local survival of many wildlife species.

Wildlife habitat on private land can:

• contribute to the long-term survival of native plants and animals.
• play a major role in sustainable agriculture. For example, remnant vegetation:
  • helps control wind and water erosion
  • assist in the management of salinity
  • provides shade and shelter
  • helps in maintaining natural means of controlling pests.
• provide stepping stones or corridors to link the landscape into a network that allows wildlife movement and genetic exchange between other bushland remnants or conservation reserves.

Other benefits

Professional advice:

The Land for Wildlife coordinator can offer you advice, such as:

• how to integrate wildlife habitat with other uses of private land to the benefit of the landholder and wildlife
• how to manage remnant bushland and the area's wildlife
• the ecological role and requirements of native plants and animals
• how to include wildlife aspects into revegetation schemes and landcare
• information about other forms of assistance and incentives that are available.

Networks and information exchange:

• Land for Wildlife can offer you contact with like-minded landholders, and a chance to share ideas and experiences.
• Additional information through regular newsletters and publications.
• Land for Wildlife fits in with other landcare activities, whether it be protecting a wetland or granite outcrop, creating a shelter belt, rehabilitating saltland or even alley farming.
• Check out Wildcare courses to find out more about caring for sick and injured animals.

Regional partners - NRM groups

In May 2016, the Department of Parks and Wildlife entered a Partnership Agreement with Natural Resource Management Western Australia to work together to provide biodiversity conservation support to Land for Wildlife members. Natural resource management (NRM) is about managing nature-based resources, such as water, soil, plants and animals, to ensure quality of life for both present and future generations. It looks at the sustainable use of these environmental resources and their long-term profitable management, as well as maintaining strength and resilience in the communities using those resources. There are seven regional NRM groups in Western Australia:

• Northern Agricultural Catchment Council
• Peel-Harvey Catchment Council
• Perth NRM
• Rangelands NRM WA
• South Coast NRM
• South West Catchment Council
• Wheatbelt NRM

They can offer additional advice on land management issues and access to grant funding, as well as other possibilities defined by each group's focus and capacity, such as workshops or field days. Information about private bushland which is managed for conservation, such as through Land for Wildlife, can assist these groups to plan landscape-scale wildlife conservation, including revegetating corridors for wildlife movement, or targeting projects in areas with high conservation value areas.

Enquiries and further information:

Land for Wildlife Coordinator
Species and Communities Branch
Locked Bag 104
Bentley Delivery Centre WA 6983
Phone: (08) 9219 9527
Fax: (08) 9334 0199
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

https://www.facebook.com/LandForWildlife