Objectives

Conservation management of landscapes, waterways, wetlands and seascapes can be improved in a number of ways. These include through enhancing the representativeness, extent, connectivity and condition of government- and non-government-managed protected areas and conservation reserves, Indigenous protected areas and marine protected areas. Other measures include supporting landowners’ protection of significant ecosystems through stewardship or other effective conservation measures, or retaining and restoring native vegetation and connecting habitats. The restoration and connection of habitats should aim to maximise the genetic diversity and complexity of restored ecosystems, requiring the maintenance of viable seed supplies.

Maximising the number of species secured in nature requires action in native habitats and in off-site (ex-situ) conservation efforts such as captive breeding programs, seed banks and other managed environments. Maximising the diversity of species and ecosystems secured in nature needs action through the protection and restoration of native habitats, mitigation of threats, management of risks to environments and management of environments and their species. Conservation efforts could include improved cross-boundary and cross-border collaboration and the provision of consistent, robust and transparent approaches for assessing and listing species. Protection of species could also involve increased support for landowners and custodians who protect threatened or vulnerable species, establishment of predator- and threat-free ‘safe havens’ for threatened species, effective, targeted reductions in the intensity of key threats, programs for captive breeding, storage of living plants and seed, and emergency intervention for the most at-risk species.

Major threats to nature include habitat loss and degradation, invasive species, overharvesting, pollution, climate change and disease. Options for joint action to reduce threats and their impacts include ensuring the design and management of the protected area network considers and accommodates future threat scenarios, and establishing robust mechanisms to respond effectively to new and emerging threats. There are opportunities to improve planning, regulation, environmental impact assessment and approvals processes. In addition, threat abatement activities could include targeted pest management, ecosystem restoration (integrated fire management, revegetation), pollution control, greenhouse gas emissions management and climate change adaptation.

All businesses and industries use and therefore have an impact on natural resources, either directly or indirectly. Ecologically sustainable use and management of natural resources can be achieved through valuing impacts and dependencies, strategic planning and, if necessary, trade-offs between use and protection. Sustainable consumption and production has the potential to generate multiple benefits to the environment, society and the economy, including enhanced predictability of raw materials and products within supply chains. Other options include encouraging innovation in agricultural practices to maintain and restore soil and water health as well as incorporating robust and accurate measures of natural capital.

Australia’s cities and towns can be enriched with nature by prioritising inclusion of ecologically diverse green spaces in design and planning and encouraging their use. Some options include increasing the tree canopy in our urban areas, transforming old rail lines into greenways, and gardens on rooftops. Initiatives such as these can help reduce carbon emissions, alleviate heat stress, increase energy efficiency and leave a positive effect on residents’ wellbeing. Urban ecology and biodiversity policies should be better integrated into land use planning, transport and other key urban policy and statutory planning requirements. Individuals and communities can help by encouraging residential wildlife gardening programs and sharing information on effective ways to engage residents in meaningful landscape-scale conservation.