The Conservation Council’s Biodiversity Working Group and Friends of Grasslands (FOG) developed a proposal in early 2023 to establish a Biodiversity Network 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:
- Map and describe conservation areas outside the reserve system;
- 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 purposes (such as agricultural land uses or recreation);
- Implement coordinated, consistent and best practice ecological management across land tenures; and
- Improve engagement, cooperation and support between land managers, community, special interest groups and associated management and research professions.
Progress update, February 2025
The Conservation Council of the ACT and Region and Friends of Grasslands are working together to lobby for the completion of the implementation of the Biodiversity Network. During 2023 and 2024 every opportunity has been taken to promote the network. The concept has been favourably met, and many moves by government and the Legislative Assembly are likely to facilitate implementation of the network in terms of protection and management. We are optimistic that the network will be achieved.
Achievements to date:
- Inclusion of the Biodiversity Network in early drafts of Nature Conservation Strategy.
- Recognition of the term ‘Biodiversity Network’.
- Amalgamation of all public land managers into one unit.
- Near completion of survey of off-reserve conservation areas.
- Discussions about conservation options for leased conservation areas.
Further actions that FOG and the Conservation Council plan:
- Lobbying as part of the review of the Nature Conservation Strategy and the Nature Conservation Act review to ensure conservation areas are protected under legislation so
they are quarantined from destruction or modification. - Continue to lobby to ensure covenants on leased land are voluntary, and applied as an incentive, not a disincentive.
- Lobby to ensure amalgamation of land management on reserves and other public land will facilitate sharing of knowledge and ideally better management on conservation areas.
- Preparation of a simple map to demonstrate where off-reserve areas occur.
Contacts
For further information contact sarah.sharp@fog.org.au or director@conservationcouncil.org.au
[1]  IUCN, Recognising and reporting on other area-based effective conservation measures. Protected
Area Technical Report Series No. 3, 2019