Nature Protection
As the 'Bush Capital' Canberra is home to some of the most amazing wildlife and landscapes in Australia. But the global crises of biodiversity loss, climate change, and pollution means that we have more to lose than ever before
Join Us in Working to Protect Our Beautiful Home
Over 100 Australian species are now listed as either extinct or extinct in the wild. Across the country, there are more non-native plants than native ones. Rivers, the lifeblood of inland landscapes like Canberra are drying up, and land is being cleared at alarming rates.
The ACT is not immune to this. Approximately 6.2% of Canberra’s mature trees have been removed in the past 5 years; our beloved faunal emblem, the Gang-gang Cockatoo is endangered; and our natural areas are at increasing risk of pest plants and animals.
CCACT Nature Policy Statements
The Biodiversity Working Group
The CCACT Biodiversity Working Group is chaired by Hugh Coppell and meets on the fourth Tuesday of the month at 5.30pm. The Biodiversity Working Group is open to anyone interested in biodiversity including member groups, staff and board members. To become involved please fill in the get involved form.
Latest News
Australian Labor Government approves northern airport road, destroying vital habitat of Canberra’s very own lizard
Last week, The Australian Labor Government gave the Canberra Airport the go-ahead to build it's northern airport road, destroying vital habitat of Canberra's very own lizard, the critically endangered Canberra Grassland Earless Dragon. The Government communicated the...
The Australian Government allows Canberra Airport Group to slay Canberra’s critically endangered Grassland Earless Dragon
Today, the Conservation Council ACT Region (the Council) and local environmental groups condemn the Federal Labor Government’s decision, last Wednesday, to allow Capital Airport Group (CAG) to destroy vital habitat of Canberra’s very own lizard, the critically...
Rebutting claims by Capital Airport Group regarding matters ecological at the Canberra Airport
On 8 July 2025, Mr Stephen Byron, the CEO of Canberra Airport Group (CAG), made several claims on ABC Radio about matters ecological (Footnote 1). He said the area of Natural Temperate Grassland (NTG) which CAG is preparing to dig up and move into a seed bank, which...
Canberra community groups decry Capital Airport Group’s absurd attempt to “move” large grassland habitat of the critically endangered Canberra Grassland Earless Dragon
Friends of Grasslands (FOG) and Conservation Council ACT Region (the Council) are today raising the alarm on the Capital Airport Group’s (CAG) imminent plans to “move” Natural Temperate Grassland that is the final remaining quality habitat for the critically...
Conservation Council Gives New Environment Minister First Task To Protect Our Environment
The Conservation Council ACT Region has congratulated Murray Watt on being appointed the new minister for environment and water today. We have encouraged Watt to step up and start acting soon - saying that his first act should be to protect Canberra’s Grassland...
Conservation Council ACT and Friends of Grasslands welcome ACT funding for Canberra Grassland Earless Dragon
The Conservation Council ACT and Friends of Grasslands have welcomed a boost in funding to stop the extinction of the Canberra Grassland Earless Dragon, announced today by ACT Environment Minister Suzanne Orr. With this funding secured, they reiterated their calls for...