Indigenous peoples have been stewards of Australia’s lands for tens-of-thousands-of-years. That is why partnerships with Indigenous communities are so important. Many of Australia’s most iconic, intact and biodiverse landscapes are owned and managed by Indigenous communities, including much of the Kimberely, Top End, Cape York and inland deserts. Of the 19.7% of Australia’s protected land, Indigenous Protected Areas (IPAs) make up 8.6% of that total area. It brings the site one step closer to joining the famous club across the world, which includes places such as Machu Picchu, Yosemite National Park and the Galapagos Islands.ĭid you know? Lands managed by Indigenous people have very high levels of biodiversity Achieving World Heritage status would ensure this site is recognised as a place of international significance.

To add an extra level of protection, Nilpena Station, along with other sites in the Flinders Ranges, has been placed on Australia's tentative list for World Heritage. Most notably, the property covers extremely important sites that contain the oldest fossilised animals on Earth! Nilpena Station contains significant biodiversity values including threatened ecosystems such as River Red Gum woodland and a number of threatened species including the critically endangered Thick-billed Grasswren. This 60,000 hectare former pastoral property is now connected to the neighbouring Ediacara Conservation Park with the 1.4 million-acre Lake Torrens National Park. It’s an internationally significant fossil site believed to be 550 million years old, and an area of high conservation value.

To help expand the national park footprint, The Nature Conservancy helped acquire and protect Nilpena Station in outback South Australia. Most parks are owned and managed by the States and Territories to look after national treasures such as Mount Kosciuszko in New South Wales, and the Daintree Rainforest in Queensland. Who wouldn’t love to see Australia’s world-famous platypus and koalas in the wild? Some feature spectacular rock formations, gorgeous beaches and a wondrous array of plants and animals. From mountains to deserts to rainforests, each park is unique. This needs to be a collective effort: governments, private landholders, environmental groups, communities and corporations all need to be part of the solution.ĭid you know? 4% of Australia’s protected land is made up of National ParksĪustralia is home to nearly 700 national parks. If we are to bring our threatened plants and animals back from the brink of extinction, restoring habitat and managing threats such as invasive species are also key.

Private protected areas owned by private land trusts (such as The Nature Conservancy).

National, State and Regional parks and reserves.

There are many different protection categories, often specific to whether the land is public, private or Indigenous. It’s not a lot given the size of Australia. Nearly 20% of Australia’s land is under protection. They also protect cultural values such as sacred Indigenous sites, and ecosystem services like storing carbon and mitigating extreme weather events. They are recognised, dedicated and managed through legal or other ways to achieve the long-term conservation of nature. Did you know? 19.7% of Australia’s land is protectedĪccording to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), a protected area is a clearly defined geographical space. That’s why habitat protection and management is an important way to support the recovery and survival of our threatened native animals and plants. Recent reports suggest that in Queensland alone, more than 1,500 football fields worth of native woodland and scrub is being cleared each-and-every-day.

How much do you know about habitat protection in Australia? What types of protection exists? And how does this support biodiversity?Īround Australia, critical habitats that support our precious plants and animals are under threat.

Chimpanzee native habitat