Box poison - Photo © Wayne Gill

Land for Wildlife is a voluntary program to encourage and assist landholders to manage wildlife habitat on their property.

Land for Wildlife at a glance:

  • It's free
    There are no fees. The program recognises the significant contribution made by landholders, and that the benefits of conservation extend beyond the property’s boundaries.
  • It's completely voluntary
    Landholders choose to register with the program and 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.

The ‘land’ In Land for Wildlife refers to native remnant bushland that is able to support a diversity of native wildlife. The ‘wildlife’ in Land for Wildlife refers to all living components of the natural ecosystem – plants, animals and fungi, down to the organisms living in the soil. All of these components are vital to healthy functioning of the ecosystem.

  • Plants provide food, shelter and homes for a wide range of animals and fungi, and support the establishment of other plants
  • Animals provide pollination, seed dispersal and pest control for many plants, spore distribution for ground-based fungi, and food for other animals
  • Fungi support nutrient uptake by many plants; provide food for animals; and keep nutrient cycles going, helping to decompose dead plants and animals
  • Wildlife habitat also performs many other functions, including beneficial impacts on wind speed, soil moisture and permeability, air humidity, temperature and more.

LFW properties in WA: 2,000

LFW area managed by landholders for conservation: 1,048,737 hectares (As at 1 June 2022)

This is a significant contribution by landowners to the conservation of Western Australia’s wildlife, and is an important complement to National Parks and other reserves for the preservation of biodiversity – the genetic and species diversity of plants, animals, fungi and microorganisms and the ecosystems of which they are part. 

Regional partners - NRM groups

The Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions and NRM (Natural Resource Management) groups work together to deliver the Land for Wildlife program. Natural resource management 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:

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 where private bushland 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 values.

What can you do?

Western Australia has changed greatly since the arrival of Europeans. 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 may:
    • help control wind and water erosion
    • assist in the management of salinity
    • provide shade and shelter
    • help 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.

The Land for Wildlife program can help you to create a healthy ecosystem on your property and move towards sustainable land use. A range of primary land uses can accommodate Land for Wildlife areas, including farms, local council reserves, suitable residential or weekender blocks and whole bush blocks. Land for Wildlife fits in with many landcare activities including protecting a wetland or granite outcrop, creating a shelter belt, rehabilitating saltland or even alley farming.

If you have bought a property with a Land for Wildlife sign you can choose to continue that registration. Please register and mention the existing sign.

Criterion for new registrations - Size of bushland area

(1 hectare = 10,000 square metres (eg 100m x 100m, or 80m x 125m), or approximately 2.5 acres).

>1 hectare: We generally support and register properties with one or more hectares of largely intact native vegetation. Vegetation is made up of a group of native species that vary with location and landscape. A lot of bushland habitat value comes from the range of plants that are found at ground and mid-levels, in addition to the trees. Tees provide habitat for highly mobile species such as cockatoos or bats, but some other species will have difficulty accessing them without other associated plants for cover. Therefore, areas with several types of tree or large shrub remaining but where the understorey has been cleared are considered to be parkland cleared and may not be eligible for the program.

0.5-1 hectare: Properties with between 0.5-1ha of vegetation may be considered if conservation values are high and landholders are keen to actively manage or extend their bushland. The management required to maintain small areas of bushland in healthy condition is likely to be more intensive as additional threats apply. For example, introduction of weeds and disease is often associated with high levels of disturbance near the edges of bushland.

<0.5 hectare: We don’t register properties with less than half a hectare of bushland as Land for Wildlife, but these landholders are welcome to access online materials available to Land for Wildlife members such as the free-to-download Wildlife Notes.;

Revegetation: We are unable to assist with the extremely detailed support required to establish new areas of healthy vegetation on properties with little or no existing remnant vegetation.
Resources available include:
 - In regional areas, Natural Resource Management groups including landcare and catchment groups that exist in your area may be able to provide advice and sometimes have funding available that can assist.
 - In urban and peri-urban areas, Perth NRM's website ReWild Perth provides information targeted to properties in and around Perth and into the Peel region.
 - Wildflower Society of WA’s list of WA Native plant nurseries. Specialist native plant revegetation nurseries can often assist with species selection and planting advice for your situation. 

You can help conserve wildlife, and at the same time protect the production values of your land, by managing bush remnants for conservation.

Register today

Pygmy possum Wayne Gill
You could be helping to provide habitat for
pygmy possums - Photo © Wayne Gill

Enquiries and further information:

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

Articles in this category:

Title Modified Date
Publications Friday, 16 March 2018 15:28