	Updated: February 26, 2011
Regions: Western Australia Campaigns: Great Western Woodlands

Leading Scientists call for urgent protection

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50 leading Australian and international scientists have issued a declaration to the West Australian Premier Colin Barnett and Environment Minister Donna Faragher.

These scientists have recognised the global significance of the Great Western Woodlands. They are calling for urgent action to protect the area from uncontrolled wildfires, invasive weeds, feral animals and habitat fragmentation.

The Woodlands Declaration was released on Friday 22nd January 2010 by two of the internationally respected scientists, Dr. Denis Saunders, member of the Wentworth group and President of WWF Australia, and Professor Stephen Hopper, Director, Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, England, the world’s leading botanical garden.

“As a Western Australian, I don’t think we’ve appreciated yet how extraordinarily rare and important it is to have the Great Western Woodlands still intact,” said Professor Hopper.

“In other parts of the world, semi-arid woodlands like these have been largely cleared, degraded or turned to desert. The Great Western Woodlands are recognised as an area of global mega-diversity and are invaluable as a carbon sink in helping moderate global warming.”

Dr. Denis Saunders said, “Although still in good shape the Great Western Woodlands are now increasingly threatened by uncontrolled wildfires, the spread of invasive feral animals and weeds and the accumulated effects of mining and road construction.”

The declaration acknowledged the WA governments' commitment to creating a conservation strategy for the region and encouraged them to implement an effective on-ground strategy as rapidly as possible.

Read the public declaration >>

For more information, please contact:

Great Western Woodlands Campaigner

The Wilderness Society WA Inc GWW

City West Lotteries House
2 Delhi St
West Perth, WA, 6005
Phone: 08 6460 4936