Our vision and the people involved

Sunset at Honman Ridge The Great Western Woodlands. Photo: Barbara Madden

Our Vision

Recognition, protection and integrated management for one of Australia’s great natural areas through the involvement of local communities and stakeholders and for the benefit of people, nature and future generations.

The Great Western Woodlands Collaboration

An alliance of four conservation organisations; The Wilderness Society, Pew Environment group, The Nature Conservancy and GondwanaLink.

We are working with the communities and stakeholders of the Woodlands to have this area protected, managed and promoted in a way that:

• Recognises and manages the area as a single entity (or landscape), not as fragmented, separate parts

• Provides substantial financial & human resources for ongoing management

• Supports ongoing, well managed, economic and recreational land uses

• Ensures the rights of Traditional Owners are respected, with a high level of engagement in ownership, management and protection of culture and heritage
  

• Highlights the area’s status as a very special, diverse and beautiful Australian landscape

• Maximises local community leadership and involvement

How can we achieve this?

• 

  Thorny Devil. Photo: The Wilderness Society Collection

  Through the development of a regional management structure involving all participating stakeholders and underpinned by strong, positive, long term working relationships.

• Through a Government commitment to statutory recognition, protection and management of the outstanding values of the Great Western Woodlands.

• Through development of a comprehensive management plan which provides the scientific basis for future management and sets out a range of land use zones which provide ‘security of purpose’ for a mix of land uses including conservation, mining, recreation and Indigenous

Where do we start?

 The Great Western Woodlands Collaboration is seeking a single, integrated regional management approach, driven by stakeholders, to provide the most efficient and effective management for the woodlands as a whole.

This process commenced in 2009 with the creation by the WA government of a Great Western Woodlands Stakeholder Reference Group. This group, convened from broad interests in the area, included representation from mining, pastoral and tourism sectors, local and State government, Traditional Owners and conservation groups. A Biodiversity and Cultural Conservation Strategy has been drafted by the Department of Environment & Conservation with input from this group.

About the Great Western Woodlands Collaboration

The Nature Conservancy

The Nature Conservancy's mission is to preserve the plants, animals and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive.

Science guides its work by identifying Earth's most important natural places. Using innovative tools, The Nature Conservancy protects and restores these priority places. It works with communities and partners around the world.    

Gondwana Link

Gondwana Link, based in Albany WA, is implementing a landscape-scale vision for the South West involving individuals and local, regional and national groups.  We are working together to achieve reconnected country across south Australia in  which entire ecosystems, and the fundamental ecological processes that underpin them, are restored and maintained. 

The completed link will be an arc of bushland across south-western Australia, from the karri forest and heathlands of the SW corner to the woodlands and mallee bordering the Nullarbor plain. Its work is providing a global model for large-scale, collaborative, community based conservation.

PEW Environment Group - Australia

Pew Environment Group works to solve some of the world’s most challenging conservation issues.  An International non-government organisation, Pew is a major force in North America, the Western Pacific, Europe and Australia in educating the public and policy makers about the causes, consequences and solutions to major conservation problems.    

In Australia Pew works with other Australian based organisations to achieve long term protection and good management of bushland, deserts and oceans- areas such as the Great Western Woodlands. 

 The Wilderness Society

The Wilderness Society, formed in 1976, bases its conservation work around Australia on our WildCountry science and community engagement principles.

We have been active in the Great Western Woodlands over the last 4 years working towards the production of a landmark scientific report on the region, “The extraordinary nature of the Great Western Woodlands”. David Mackenzie, Charles Roche and Alexander Watson were instrumental in this important achievement.

The team

Mr. Peter Price - Corporate Relations Manager, GondwanaLink

You! – The community

You are an essential part of the initiative to protect the Great Western Woodlands and people from all over Australia and the World are showing active support. 

Community involvement is fundamental to the success of our work so we thank you!

It’s our world and we are the proud custodians of an amazing natural asset – the Great Western Woodlands.

Love my backyard...