Key outcomes
- 1,565 Land for Wildlife properties in the South West region
- Delivered 64 Land for Wildlife property reports within the last 5 years, covering 4,473ha of privately managed remnant vegetation.
- Provided funding to 41 property owners to undertake works in last 5 years
South West NRM is a regional partner to the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions’ Land for Wildlife program, which supports over 2,000 private landholders to manage native vegetation on their properties for biodiversity conservation.
With the extensive clearing and fragmentation of native bushland in the South West, protecting pockets of remnant habitat on private land is vital. It helps to build connectivity and complements the network of publicly-owned national parks and reserves.
The program is voluntary, free and has no legally binding requirements. It recognises the significant contribution made by landholders, and that the benefits of conservation extend beyond the property’s boundaries.
Benefits to landholders
When you register your interest to join the Land for Wildlife program, the Department of Biodiversity of Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) will contact South West NRM to assess whether we have resources available to conduct an assessment of your property. Please note that DBCA doesn’t provide funding for site assessments and as a not-for-profit, South West NRM is limited in how many assessments it can accommodate.
If accepted, a South West NRM ecologist will visit your property to assess its conservation values. We provide you with a report outlining how to best manage your property for biodiversity values. After your report is completed, your property will be officially registered as a Land for Wildlife property, and you’ll receive a sign to display on your front gate. South West NRM also works to secure funding to help you implement the works suggested in your Land for Wildlife report.
Eligibility
To join the Land for Wildlife program, you’ll generally need to have one or more hectares of largely intact native vegetation.
However, if you have between 0.5 to 1 hectare of land with high conservation values (e.g. intact understory and presence of threatened species) and are willing to actively manage or extend your bushland, you may be considered for the program.
Register your interest
Unfortunately we do not currently have funding available to assist with Land for Wildlife Projects. However we are always keen to hear from environmentally-aware landowners as we are regularly looking for project participants to work with us across our Environmental Conservation and Sustainable Agriculture focus areas. Please follow the below link to submit your details and area of interest.
Our project partners
