The South West Regional Ecological Linkages (SWREL) project was a partnership initiative of the Western Australian Local Government Association’s South West Biodiversity Project (SWBP) and the Department of Environment and Conservation’s (DEC) Terrestrial Ecosystem’s Branch.

The project objective was to support more effective recognition of ecological linkages in land use planning policy and procedures which will ultimately contribute to the retention of native vegetation and fauna habitat and reduce the loss of biodiversity and key ecological functions across the South West project area.

'Ecological linkages act as stepping stones of habitat which facilitate the maintenance of ecological processes and the movement of organisms within, and across, a landscape.'

The main outcomes of the SWREL Project include:

• A Technical Report that explains the need for, and rationale behind, the development of the linkages and describes the methodology used to identify them;
• Definition and spatial identification of areas proposed for inclusion in the Ecological Linkages;
• Facilitation of the implementation of Ecological Linkages into State and Local Government policy directions in the SWREL project area and raising awareness of these linkages in regional planning processes.

Click here to download the full SWREL Technical Report

To download higher resolution maps from the Technical Report, click the following links:

• South West Regional Ecological Linkages Project Area
• Core Linkages and DEC Managed Lands
• Peel Region
• Bunbury Wellington Region
• Leeuwin Naturaliste Region
• Warren Blackwood Region