Publications related to land & forests
BioBlitz 2007 Westonia
The 2007 Westonia BioBlitz was conducted in the Westonia Town Common - a magnificent patch of bush that surrounds the Westonia townsite - on the 15th and 16th of September, 2007. The BioBlitz was organised by WWF through its Threatened Species Network (TSN) program as a special event during Australia's annual Biodiversity Month.
Woodland Watch Newsletter - Issue 1
The first edition of the Woodland Watch Newsletter for the Northern Agricultural Region. Much of our character-defining woodlands have been cleared since the Wheatbelt was first settled and landholders who are willing to better manage these remnants, are important to the future of this landscape.
Healthy Ecosystems and the role of covenants
WWF-Australia has been delivering the terrestrial component of the Avon Catchment Council’s Healthy Ecosystems project in the Avon River Basin since 2005, having been largely modelled on WWF’s earlier Avon-based Woodland Watch project. The project is aimed at engaging landowners and land managers with remaining areas of priority ecosystems on their properties which include eucalypt woodlands, to implement long-term conservation measures such as Voluntary Management Agreements (VMAs) and voluntary Conservation Covenants.
Five Things You Can Do For Your Bushland
Five Things You Can Do For Your Bushland
Five Things Your Bushland Can Do For You
Five Things Your Bushland Can Do For You
Native Vegetation Regional Pilot Projects Initiative Final Report
BAPC: Balancing Agricultural Production and Conservation in Wetlands of the Gingin Shire, Western Australia
BAPC Wetlands was a field-based project which explored innovative ways to engage agricultural landholders in conserving the high-value remnant wetlands on their properties.
Ensuring the ecological sustainability of pastoral lands in the Northern Territory in a changing climate
The pastoral estate accounts for over 600 000km2 (46%) of the Northern Territory. The Northern Territory Pastoral Land Act 1992 is the principal legislation for natural resource management on the pastoral estate, and is therefore one of the most critical pieces of legislation governing natural resources in the Northern Territory.
This fact sheet is a summary of WWF-Australia's (WWF) recommended changes to the legislation that it believes would result in improvements to the ecological sustainability of the pastoral estate, for the benefit of biodiversity, building resilience to climate change, and ultimately to the increased profitability to land managers. WWF considers that the recommendations outlined below are both affordable and workable within the Northern Territory's geographic context. The recommendations have been grouped under five broad themes.
AFTN Newsletter - Issue 8, 2008
The Australia Forest and Trade Network (AFTN) newsletter provides regular updates on developments in forest certification and the supply, specification and use of certified forest products.
Assessment of the Direct and Indirect Risks from Human Induced Climate Change to Key Ecosystems in Northern Australia
The focus in this report on Northern Australia is appropriate in an era where climate change is now accepted as a reality, but is leading some to advocate greater exploitation of the Australian tropical environment. This attention on Northern Australia is both an opportunity and a threat. Any move to further “develop” the north must be balanced by careful consideration of the natural balance of nature and how this may be disturbed by human actions.
Building Nature's Safety Net 2008
Building Nature's Safety Net 2008 is the second comprehensive review of Australia's protected areas.
It determines whether the growth of Australia's land protected areas is on track to meet biodiversity protection targets adopted by Australian, State and Territory governments in 2005.
Action Plan to Conserve the Daly River as a Living River
WWF has developed an 11-point, 22-page plan for conserving the Daly River as a Living River, in partnership with the Environment Centre NT (ECNT). With major pressure mounting for agricultural development in the catchment, implementing this action plan would ensure the Daly River is conserved as a Living River.
Community volunteers fighting a loosing battle against ecological bulldozer
The Australian Association of Bush Regenerators today launched an alarming report that highlights the loosing battle that bush regenerators are fighting against a flood of escaped garden plants that are smothering eastern Australia’s remaining natural areas.
AFTN Newsletter - Issue 6, 2007
The Australia Forest and Trade Network (AFTN) newsletter provides regular updates on developments in forest certification and the supply, specification and use of certified forest products.
AFTN Newsletter - Issue 7, 2007
The Australia Forest and Trade Network (AFTN) newsletter provides regular updates on developments in forest certification and the supply, specification and use of certified forest products.
Weed Proofing Australia: A Way forward on invasive garden plants
This paper was presented as part of seminar programme for nursery and landscape industry leaders and Australian media specialists that was convened by the Cooperative Research Centre of Australian Weed Management.
Poisonous and Invasive Plants in Australia: enabling consumers to buy safe plants
A new WWF report has found that Australian plant nurseries and gardens are home to an alarming number of plants that are poisonous to humans and animals - small children and pets are especially at risk. The report highlights that close to half of these plants are also 'weedy' or invasive, hence if they escape from gardens into the environment they are likely to become a problem for the environment and agricultural industries as well as posing an even broader risk to human and animal health and safety. The report calls for 'truth in labeling' of garden plants through the development of a national plant labeling code that parallels other retail industry codes of practice. Consumers can take action by sending a letter to the Federal Minister.
Assessing the impacts of climate change on Northern Australia (Synopsis)
A new report commissioned by WWF has found that Northern Australia's iconic landscapes, such as its tropical rivers and coastal wetlands, are at risk from climate change. The report highlights the need to build climate resilience across Northern Australia by reducing threats such as major wildfires and land clearing. The report also highlights the damage to some ecosystems that may occur as governments and industries rush to find more water, land and energy resources in the north as a response to climate change impacts in the south.
Read the full report.
Protected Areas: buffering nature against climate change
Proceedings of a symposium with Australia's top scientists and parks experts exploring how best to protect Australia's natural areas and stop a potential wave of extinctions of native wildlife across the country due to climate change. Includes fifteen review papers and a foreword by eminent conservation biologist Tom Lovejoy.
Impacts of landclearing
Hundreds of millions of mammals, birds and reptiles have died or will die as a result of the clearing of native vegetation in New South Wales approved between 1998 and 2005, a new WWF report has found.
Conservancies, rural landholders and indigenous communities
This fact sheet explores the growing non-government contribution to the National Reserve System, the national system of terrestrial protected areas which serves as the "safety net" for our diverse native animals and plants and their wild homes.
AFTN Newsletter - Issue 5, 2007
The Australia Forest and Trade Network (AFTN) newsletter provides regular updates on developments in forest certification and the supply, specification and use of certified forest products.
AFTN Newsletter - Issue 4, 2006
The Australia Forest and Trade Network (AFTN) newsletter provides regular updates on developments in forest certification and the supply, specification and use of certified forest products.
Top 10 reserves of the first decade of the National Reserve System
These factsheets present the essential information out of the Building Nature's Safety Net report on each state's report card and on each of the Top 10 reserves. They include an explanation of the report card scores for each bioregion in the state and list key fauna, flora and ecosystems protected in each of the Top 10 reserves.
Building Nature's Safety Net
Building Nature's Safety Net is the first comprehensive review of Australia's land protected area system.
It determines whether the growth of Australia's land protected areas is on track to meet biodiversity protection targets adopted by Australian, State and Territory governments in 2005.
Southwest Australia Ecoregion - Jewel of the Australian Continent
Australia's only global biodiversity hotspot, the Southwest Australia Ecoregion, is one of the most naturally diverse areas on Earth. A number of organisations and government agencies have come together to develop a conservation strategy that will provide a vision for conservation across this large region. This booklet outlines the significance of the ecoregion and details a path forward for its conservation.
AFTN Newsletter - Issue 3, 2006
The Australia Forest and Trade Network (AFTN) newsletter provides regular updates on developments in forest certification and the supply, specification and use of certified forest products.
AFTN Newsletter - Issue 2, 2006
The Australia Forest and Trade Network (AFTN) newsletter provides regular updates on developments in forest certification and the supply, specification and use of certified forest products.
Woodland Watch Social Impacts Evaluation - Summary
This report summarises the results of our social evaluation of the Woodland Watch project. The full report will be available soon.
AFTN Newsletter - Issue 1, 2006
This is the first issue of the Australia Forest and Trade Network (AFTN) newsletter, which provides regular updates on developments in forest certification and the supply, specification and use of certified forest products.
Woodland Watch Annual Flora Surveys 2000-2004
Conducting flora surveys in priority woodland communities was an important activity of the Woodland Watch flora survey. By noting the floristic and site assessment data, property owners could learn about and utilise advice on how best to manage and protect their remnant vegetation with a range of management practices with the support of conservation support schemes such as covenants.
Woodland Watch flora surveys, the accompanying site assessments, and site reports built capacity among private and non-state bush managers.
WWF Highlights for 2005
Over the past six months, we have witnessed millions of hectares of biologically diverse areas protected - both on land and at sea. Find out more about these and other important results of WWF's international work.
Land Management Tenders: A new way of Landcare
The Liverpool Plains Management Committee partnered with WWF-Australia to trial the auction of Land Management Tenders to deliver both conservation and production benefits. This report summarises the auction process and results achieved.
Private Bush Management in the Western Australian Wheatbelt - Scientific, Conservation and Social Outcomes
Fact sheet highlighting WWF-Australia's Woodland Watch program, including perspectives from landholders taking part in the initiative.
Woodland Watch Conservation Outcomes: 2000-2005
Conservation outcomes for the Woodland Watch program, undertaken between 2000 and 2005, ranged from new information being taken on board by land managers in managing their bush, to changes in attitude and behaviour.
Reaching agreement is one thing, realising on-ground management change is another. Moving land managers through the voluntary management agreement spectrum from gentlemens' handshakes to long-term legal conservation covenants, takes time.
With over 150 land managers engaged, Woodland Watch has brokered many land manager agreements that aim to protect thousands of hectares of Wheatbelt woodlands.
Native vegetation regulation: financial impact and policy issues
NSW and Queensland recently passed legislation banning the clearing of remnant native vegetation. This review identifies significant flaws in four economic studies used to support claims that the legislation imposes significant financial costs on rural landholders.
Auction for Landscape Recovery
This report summarises the results of a conservation auction conducted in the North-east of the Western Australian wheatbelt and outlines lessons learned from the project.
Lake McDermott BioBlitz Report
The 2002 Lake McDermott BioBlitz was a community-based, collaborative, 24-hour biological survey of the Lake McDermott Reserve in the Shire of Mount Marshall, Western Australia. This report outlines the findings and recommendations of the survey.
Moningarin BioBlitz Report
The 2003 Moningarin BioBlitz was a community-based, collaborative, 24-hour biological survey of the Moningarin Water and Recreation Reserve in the Shire of Koorda, Western Australia. This report outlines the findings and recommendations of the survey.
Kununoppin BioBlitz Report
The 2004 Kununoppin BioBlitz was the third community-based, collaborative, 24-hour biological survey in the Avon River Basin, undertaken in two shire-vested Reserves in the Shire of Trayning, Western Australia. This report outlines the findings and recommendations of the survey.
Wetland Watch Newsletter (Vol. 1)
Stories, news, events, tips for management and conserveration and funding opportunities for landowners on the Swan Coastal Plain who are part of the Wetland Watch program.
A Blueprint for the Forest Industry and Vegetation Management in Tasmania
For more than 20 years, forest practices in Tasmania have sparked heated debate on how we manage our natural resources in this country. Most Australians want to see realistic and fair solutions to the issue of Tasmania's forests.
The proposals outlined in this blueprint aimed to allow Tasmania to move on from the decades-long fight and embrace a future in which:
- Biodiversity is secured in Tasmania
- Landclearing ceases in Tasmania
- Forest companies and investors in job-intensive downstream processing facilities can plan with certainty
Treasures for Humanity
This policy proposal, prepared for the 2004 Queensland election, and endorsed by seven conservation, heritage and science organisations, sets out the case for Queensland to invest in 16 new national parks and expand four existing ones that would add about one million hectares, greatly increase the protection of threatened and poorly reserve ecosystems, and link to Queensland's new heritage trails.
A new model for landscape conservation in New South Wales
The second report developed by the WWF-Australia-convened Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists advocates radical and fundamental reform to halt further degradation to Australia's landscapes.
Impacts of Land Clearing on Australian Wildlife in Queensland
In Queensland between 1997 and 1999, around 100 million native mammals, birds and reptiles died each year as a result of broad-scale clearing of remnant vegetation.
Blueprint for a Living Continent
A group of Australia's leading environmental scientists who have adopted the collective name of 'the Wentworth Group', are advocating radical and fundamental reform to halt further degradation of Australia's landscapes.
High Conservation Value Forests
This paper outlines WWF-Australia's position in relation to the protection and management of high conservation value forests (HCVF).
FSC Certification in Australia
This paper outlines why WWF-Australia considers certification an important forest management tool and supports the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) as the only credible, globally applicable forest certification scheme.
Managing Native Grassland: A guide to management for conservation, production and landscape protection
Considerable variety is found among the native grasslands of temperate south-eastern Australia, however, many of the ecological concepts and management requirements are common to all.
Regional Vegetation Management Plans: A model
A step-by-step guide that assists communities developing regional vegetation management plans or reviewing existing ones.
