PROTECTING AND PRESERVING NATURAL RESOURCES AND ANIMAL SPECIES:

 

VALUE OF BIODIVERSITY

Biodiversity plays a key role in providing numerous irreplaceable services to the Australian community. Yet these remain poorly measured and demonstrated, with many changes occurring subtly on timescales that are not immediately evident to the vast majority of Australians. What was once common in our grandparents’ time is now absent in many places across Australia. Understanding the state and trend of biodiversity is crucial to what we leave behind for our grandchildren.

The importance of biodiversity for numerous industries across Australia has not been quantified, but recent issues exemplify our ongoing reliance on functioning ecosystems to maintain key processes that, in the past, may have been taken for granted. For instance, the role of native insects in pollination, which is critical for agriculture, has been highlighted in recent years. There are more than 1500 species of Australian native bee, and very few of these are well known to ecologists or agricultural scientists. Tourism is one of Australia’s most important industries, which continues to grow, and has a well-established reliance on iconic natural assets and destinations. The latest Australian tourism campaign relies heavily on multiple iconic wild places throughout Australia to lure increased numbers of tourists to Australia at a time of a global downturn in the tourism market. Any major impact on our biodiversity, such as the massive coral bleaching event that occurred on the Great Barrier Reef and Ningaloo Reef in 2016, can adversely affect our vibrant and growing tourism sector. The Australian national outlook 2015 (CSIRO 2015) demonstrates several future scenarios for Australia in which policy settings that give market value to ecosystem services deliver substantial environmental benefits (including habitat restoration, improved biodiversity and carbon sequestration). These are at little or no cost to government, while boosting and diversifying landholder incomes, and creating new areas of national economic advantage. The analysis found that stronger support for ecosystem services would provide multiple benefits and, together with improvements in resource efficiency, could lead to new sources of economic opportunity and growth, enhancing economic performance, while restoring and protecting natural assets that are essential to long-term wellbeing.

Participating in Biodiversity Conservation

• Identify locations of critical wildlife habitat for species at risk and the threats to these areas. Where possible, eliminate threats and maintain natural areas. Leave critical wildlife habitat undisturbed, especially nesting and denning sites. Promote wildlife use by setting up bird and bat houses.
• Eradicate and control introduced weeds on your property. Keep vehicles on main roads to reduce the spread of weeds and disturbance to wildlife.
• Monitor and assess your pets’ impact on biodiversity. Some domestic animals, especially cats, are predators of wild animals and can devastate local population of native species. Cats have been estimated to kill tens of millions of birds each year in North America.
• Leave native plants undisturbed, and landscape using native trees and vegetation. Native plants are well adapted to local conditions and provide a low maintenance, drought resistant garden and can prevent local flooding. Attract “good” insects by planting pollen and nectar plants.
• Maintain wetlands by conserving water and reducing irrigation. Avoid draining water bodies on your property.
• Construct fences to protect riparian areas and other sensitive habitats from trampling and other disturbances.
• Manage livestock grazing to maintain good quality range conditions. Leave some areas ungrazed to determine range characteristics to manage for.
• Maintain old standing dead trees and mature forest stands. Large dead trees provide nest cavities for many species and the mature forest will be replaced by old growth over time.
• Consider donating property to land trusts, or placing a conservation covenant on your property. This process allows you to protect your land and benefit from potential tax breaks. Under Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Ecological Gifts program, a gift of land provides the greatest tax benefit of any charitable gift.
• Use natural products and methods for pest control such as BT (Bacillus thuringiensis) for caterpillar infestation; use pesticides that have minimal residual effects such as pyrethrins, insecticidal soaps, and dormant oil sprays; use a high-pressure water stream from a hose to control aphids; use barriers and collars around plants to keep pests away.
• Learn as much as you can about nature and share your knowledge with others. Visit ecological interpretation centres, natural history museums, and native fish hatcheries to study local ecosystems. Volunteer at an organization that focuses on conservation or restoration of habitat.
• Encourage and support local government initiatives that protect habitat and decrease threats to biodiversity.
• Use environmentally friendly products. Dispose of hazardous material safely. Chemicals that enter the sewer system can contaminate freshwater and ocean ecosystems.
• Recycle, reuse and reduce. Recycling decreases pollution by decreasing energy, electricity, and water consumption and the need for landfills.
• Drive less, walk, ride or carpool more. Learn about low emission vehicle research and availability.