Publication Date

1976

Series Number

Fisheries Report 23

Publisher

Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Western Australia

City

Perth

Abstract

The number and area of Nature Reserves in Western Australia has grown rapidly in recent times. At 80 June 1975 there were 491 reserves with an area of 5 103 037 hectares. By 31 December 1975, with the inclusion of reserves for the Conservation of Flora in the definition of a Nature Reserve, there were 900 reserves totalling 5 317 965 ha. With the implementation of the Environmental Protection Authority's recommendations based on the Conservation Through Reserves Committee's Report on Systems 4, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 the Nature Reserve System will jump to 985 reserves with an area of 11 070 492 ha. Of these 368 reserves totalling 10 718 241 ha will be vested in the Western Australian Wildlife Authority.

Management of Nature Reserves by the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife has not kept pace with this growth. Only four reserves have management plans adopted by the Authority and on only 32 reserves have fire breaks been constructed. The lack of management of reserves in agricultural areas is placing an undue burden on adjoining landholders and leading to the deterioration of the reserves.

A plan for the development of more effective management is presented. It involves the stationing of reserve management teams in country towns, the location of resident officers on important reserves and the enlargement of complementary research.

Number of Pages

33

Keywords

Nature reserves, Western Australia, Flora, Fauna

Disciplines

Animal Sciences | Botany | Entomology | Environmental Indicators and Impact Assessment | Environmental Monitoring | Natural Resources and Conservation | Natural Resources Management and Policy | Plant Sciences | Sustainability

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