Parks - IUCN

Figure Figure Figure Figure Figure 4. 4. 4. 4. 4.
Continuity of
remnant vegetation
corridors in the
western portion of
the South Coast
Region of Western
Australia.
PARKS VOL 9 NO 3 • OCTOBER 1999
Advantages of a macro corridor network to nature
conservation
The importance of our macro corridor network is its potential to provide some
counter measures to compensate for the effects of habitat loss and fragmentation of
ecosystems within the South Coast Region. Bennett, (1997) has discussed such
benefits which in our case include:
❚ expanding the area of protected habitats for flora and fauna by encouraging longterm
conservation agreements for native vegetation on private property and where
necessary altering the purpose of vested Crown lands for the conservation of flora
and fauna;
❚ maximising the condition of existing habitats through management of feral
animals, weeds, fungal disease (e.g. Phytophthora), fire, and stock exclusion;
❚ minimising the detrimental impacts arising from surrounding land-uses (e.g.
mitigating the effects of wind and water erosion);
❚ enhancing connectivity between existing areas of protected native vegetation
providing conduits through which:
- wildlife can disperse from areas which have reached maximum carrying
capacity and/or competition, and recolonise other favourable habitats, perhaps
improving the conservation status of the population;
- wildlife can follow or escape local or longer-term seasonal changes in
environmental conditions;
- wildlife can reach previously separated populations with which breeding may
take place, better maintaining and possibly improving genetic variability;
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