Biodiversity Network

The Biodiversity Network was launched on 13 February 2023.

Conservation must occur across all tenures

The Conservation Council’s Biodiversity Working Group and Friends of Grasslands have proposed that a Biodiversity Network is established to protect remnants of natural value that are not reserved, whereby these remnants, together with those in reserve, will be unified into a single legal and management framework. The proposal is consistent with the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN’s) Protected Area Network category, ‘other effective area-based conservation measures’ (OECMs).^[1]

The Biodiversity Network will facilitate best practice conservation on and off reserve

In a collaborative arrangement between government, landholders, first nation representatives, community and scientific organisations:

1. Map and describe conservation areas outside the reserve system;
2. Provide protection to conservation areas through incorporating remnants into adjacent reserves or creating conservation areas on leased and unleased land outside the reserve system which are exempt from development but may be used for other compatible land uses;
3. Implement coordinated, consistent and best practice ecological management across land tenures; and
4. Improve engagement, cooperation and support between land managers, community, special interest groups and associated management and research professions.

Progress update

Actions implemented by FOG/CC as at the end of 2023 include:

• During 2023 the proposal was presented to a number of government and community organisations and to members of the Legislative Assembly.
• Initial mapping of conservation sites known by FOG has been provided to help guide better management on TCCS land, and to guide biodiversity outcomes through the Urban Tree Planting Program. More input will be requested by conservation groups and individuals. Draft criteria have been developed to determine what sites should be identified as conservation areas, for further discussion.
• Input has been provided relevant consultations for implementation of the network particularly through the Planning Bill review and the Territory Plan and District Strategies and in other submissions or workshops.
• The first stakeholder meeting with government (EPSDD and TCCS) and community representatives was held in December to establish a working group and sub-groups were established to look at protection mechanisms and management options.

Further information

For further information contact sarah.sharp@fog.org.au.

[1] IUCN, Recognising and reporting on other area-based effective conservation measures. Protected Area Technical Report Series No. 3, 2019