Publications

Losing and Saving Habitat

Some plant and animal species may naturally be restricted to a small specific habitat type while others are widespread and occur in a variety of habitats. As a long term management strategy we should not think that a plant or animal is protected once we have secured a single discrete habitat sample. There are many ways discrete habitat samples are made unliveable, for example, wildfire, disease, feral animals and invasive plants. This is why a combination of landcare programs, managed wildlife refuges or land for wildlife on farmlands, and the more formalised protected areas, nature reserves and national parks on public lands, is the most effective conservation strategy.

First, research and knowledge is necessary.

Until a few years ago it was thought that the conservation of barramundi, banana prawns and mud crabs should be ensured by merely limiting the catch. For the fish, a catch limit seemed the way to go. This was set. However, research showed that until the fish was at least five years, all barramundi were male. Catch without size limits could wipe out the fish. In addition, because essential parts of the life cycles were lived in mangroves, freshwater swamps and upstream river systems, any conservation program which did not protect these pieces of essential habitat would fail. Thus, to sustain our natural resources consideration needs to be given to ways of minimising the effects of any human activities which are likely to disturb the river ecosystem, from its headwaters through the fresh swamps and mangrove systems to the sea.

Second, research knowledge must be converted into management programmes, tested then acted upon.

Only by testing the application of knowledge is it possible to know whether strategies are fulfilling their objectives. For many years the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service took food samples from waterfowl in the field then stored it before analysis. Lists of food organisms were then prepared and habitat purchase and enrichment undertaken. But there was always a residue of grey sludge. Ultimately a biologist took samples in a research pond and did immediate analysis. There was no sludge and a list of high protein food organisms came to light which pointed to the purchase in the past of millions of dollars with of poor quality habitat.

No-one says wildlife and habitat management is a simple business.