Threats

Across Australia, thousands of people are working to help battle the threats to our land. Scientists, farmers, conservationists, and volunteers are working together to ensure our threatened species flourish into the future.

But they can’t do it alone – we need these networks to grow to ensure the future of threatened species across Australia.

As an island continent, Australia has some of the most unique species in the world – although since European settlement, around 100 of these have become extinct.

Taking action to protect threatened species on our land involves more than just leaving an area to become wild – for native wildlife to flourish, we need to manage the land actively. Fencing, deterring feral animals, dealing with weeds, and managing fire and flood over huge areas are all significant challenges.

Credit: Edwina Cameron

Weeds

Many landholders are working hard to ensure our fragile native flora is protected from encroaching, invasive weeds. Weeds dominate landscapes and waterways, displacing native plants and the animals that survive on them.

Credit: Minden Pictures / Alamy Stock Photo

Pests

A wide range of strategies are used to help the native animals that are at risk from highly evolved predators like feral cats and foxes, and to tackle the challenges of other feral animals like deer and pigs that compete for food and territory or destroy habitat.

Climate Change

Climate change is one of the most pressing challenges facing our planet, but there remains cause for hope. In the wake of COP-26, there is growing recognition of the role that nature will play in solutions including the work of private land conservation.  

Landscape-scale conservation plays an important role in carbon sequestration as well as in supporting biodiversity. 

Credit: David Tipling Photo Library / Alamy Stock Photo

Fire

Fire is a natural part of our ecosystems, with many of our unique species relying on fire to survive. However, fire needs to be carefully managed to protect our wildlife. Climate change means extreme fire events are more common.

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