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.
You can help conserve wildlife, and at the same time protect the production values of your land, by managing bush remnants for conservation. You can also increase the conservation value of the local area by creating new wildlife habitats on your property.
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.
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.
The scheme can help you to create a healthy ecosystem on your property and move towards sustainable land use.
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:
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.
