Land for Wildlife
Land for Wildlife is a program sponsored by the Department of Sustainability and Environment in the state of Victoria, Australia. It was established in November 1981 to support private landholders and managers who voluntarily provide and enhance habitat for native wildlife on their properties within the state. Many non-landholder volunteers also participate in the scheme, which is coordinated by departmental extension officers. By doing so they are contributing to the maintenance and restoration of native biodiversity. The scheme was largely instigated by Ellen McCulloch and Reg Johnson, two prominent members of the community group Bird Observation & Conservation Australia (then the Bird Observers Club), with which it continues to have a cooperative relationship.
Benefits of full registration of a property in the scheme include on-site visits to provide advice and answer questions about how to manage the land to contribute to biodiversity conservation, participation in field and neighbourhood days, open-properties and information sessions, a regular newsletter, specialist information and a Land for Wildlife sign. It does not alter the legal status of a property in any way and landholders may withdraw from the scheme at any time.
As of 2010 there were over 5,900 participating properties, with about 15,000 people involved in the program. The area of wildlife habitat being managed on the properties totals more than 560 km, and includes grasslands, heaths, woodlands, forests and freshwater wetlands.
External links
References
Notes
Sources
- Anon (2006). "Vale to Ellen McCulloch OAM, birdwatcher, conservationist and Land for Wildlife crusader". Land for Wildlife News 5 (10): 9. http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/CA256F310024B628/0/400D01C7AAB073D3CA257434000E6E98/$File/LFW+Vol+5+Number+10.pdf.
- "Land for Wildlife". Department of Sustainability and Environment, Victoria. Reviewed 2010-02-11. http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/DSE/nrenpa.nsf/LinkView/34933B99F789EF0E4A25677800115944BA15AEEDADB3CA6C4A2567D600824A6C. Retrieved 2011-05-14.
Retrieved from : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_for_Wildlife
