Parks - IUCN

JOHN WATSON AND PETER WILKINS
❚ allowing other ecological processes (e.g. nutrient recycling and seed dispersal)
to benefit from an increase in wildlife dispersal ( Bennett, 1998 ); and
❚ allowing ecological processes to operate at a landscape level.
Potential benefits of integrating a macro corridor
network with an agricultural system
The implementation of farm plans, best practise farm management, and strategic
revegetation linked to existing corridors can all work together to protect both longterm
productivity of agricultural systems and nature conservation values. For example:
❚ an increase in the movement of biota through corridors may ‘add value’ to
connecting remnants and revegetated areas. Fauna will transport and deposit seeds
of other plant species into vegetated areas potentially improving the vegetation
structure. This will make vegetated areas more efficient as ‘water pumps’ to help
combat rising groundwater and more sustainable over the long-term, perhaps saving
ongoing costs that might otherwise have been incurred as trees die; and
❚ the potential cost savings of biological control agents for agriculture are huge. For
example, an estimated $600 M a year is lost to the damage caused by rabbits, through
the cost of rabbit control and agricultural production losses in Australia (Gale, 1999).
Remnant vegetation could be viewed as a ‘biological control agent’ for the control
of agricultural threats such as soil salinity, as well as for control of wind and water
erosion. It is not difficult to imagine the long-term cost savings that healthy remnant
vegetation could create knowing the damage that secondary salinisation will cause
to agricultural production.
Furthermore, there are other landscape-scale advantages to both natural and
agricultural systems, in particular the aesthetic integration of corridors and revegetation
programmes. This has the potential to enhance a ‘sense of place’ amenity for local
residents and to provide a more attractive landscape, enhancing the integration of
tourism with other rural enterprises.
Roles of the community and other land managers
An education programme to enhance community awareness of and support for a
macro corridor network is essential. This involves various forms of media, as well as
activities such as school visits and public gatherings. This programme highlights the
value of the South Coast’s natural heritage to the local community, and also illustrates
the importance of an integrated conservation system for long-term nature conservation.
The project is gathering information required for the strategic planning of the
macro corridor network. This information is being used to assess the continuity of
remnant vegetation, locate areas where enhancement of existing major corridors is
required, and assess the possibility of reconstructing other corridors with the Region.
An example of continuous and ‘stepping stone’ macro corridors identified using this
process is illustrated in Figure 4. This figure illustrates where remnants greater than
50 hectares in size are within 500 metres of large (>1500 ha) and/or continuous
remnants and within 500 metres of each other. The changes in grey illustrate where
continuity exceeds 500 metres between 50-hectare remnants.
A two-phase approach involving a geographical information system (GIS)
software package is being used to make this possible. The aim of the first phase was
to gain a general appreciation of the vegetative resource within the project area and
to determine the potential for creating linkages with this resource.
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