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Local Government Guidelines for Bushland Management in the Perth and Coastal South-West NRM Regions of Western Australia

January 2009

The Local Government Guidelines for Bushland Management in the Perth and Coastal South-West NRM Regions of Western Australia was produced by the Perth Biodiversity Project (PBP) and South West Biodiversity Project (SWBP) to provide local government officers direction in prioritising management actions for natural areas and to ensure that management of these areas is in line with biodiversity principles.

By prioritising local reserves for management actions, the following is achieved:

Local government-managed natural areas are managed strategically for their long term sustainability;
Funding requests are justifiable on the basis of sound biodiversity conservation principles; and
Resources are used effectively.

These Guidelines are not intended to take the place of individual reserve management plans or to extinguish existing plans for natural area conservation. They have been developed to assist local government environmental officers to holistically plan management actions by ensuring that reserves are prioritised for management according to their biodiversity values, the threats that may impact upon them and that the finite resources are used to achieve best long-term outcomes.

In applying this practical guide, local government officers will draw upon and incorporate information collected through the ecological assessment of reserves using the Natural Area Initial Assessment Templates.

This Guide is constructed in two parts:

Part A: How to Prioritise Management Actions
Part A is structured to provide a step-by step process of prioritisation in order to construct a Management Action Plan across all local government managed reserves.

Part B: Bushland Management Guidelines – Management Considerations
Part B incorporates a range of frequently applicable management considerations affecting bushland reserves. An overview is provided, along with references for accessing further information, about each management issue.

PDF files have been provided here for downloading sections of the Guidelines.

The Management Considerations section of these Guidelines (Part B1-B18) contain information and links to information (especially references to websites) that is liable to become outdated over a relatively short period of time due to the changeable nature of online information pathways, and innovations in best practice bushland management techniques. The information provided within these sections was current at the time of publishing (January 2009). It is intended that this information be added to and updated as new and additional information arises. To assist us with this task, we ask users of the Guidelines to share their experience by providing comments and feedback to the Perth Biodiversity Project. To provide comment or feedback on the Guidelines, please email PBP at this address: pbp@walga.asn.au

* PDF files have been provided here for downloading sections of the Guidelines:

1. Title page & Acknowledgements pp1-2

2. Table of Contents p3

3. About these Guidelines pp4-7

4. Part A: How to Prioritise Management Actions pp7-18

5. Part B: Bushland Management Guidelines – Management Considerations p19

6. Part B1. Acid Sulfate Soils p20

7. Part B2. Community Involvement pp21-22

8. Part B3. Controlling Unauthorised Access and Incompatible Use of Natural Areas pp23-26

9. Part B4. Cultural Heritage Preservation p26

10. Part B5. External Funding Opportunities p27

11. Part B6. Feral Animal Control p28