A new report, authored by the Australian Land Conservation Alliance, provides 23 recommendations on how to maximise the contribution of private land conservation to Australia’s commitment to build our permanently protected area estate to 30% of Australia’s land by 2030.
Privately managed land accounts for approximately 60% of Australia’s land, with much of that land being used for agricultural production. Not only does this make it mathematically difficult to deliver 30 by 30 without privately managed land, but it is also clear that privately protected areas make critical contributions to increasing the representation of bioregions and ecosystems in the protected area system, protecting threatened species habitat, and increasing connectivity – especially in landscapes dominated by private land.
Privately managed land is also predominantly found in ecosystems that are under-represented in the public land estate. Meeting the 30 by 30 protection commitment and its essential quality elements (which includes the agreed
‘CAR’ principles: comprehensive, adequate, representative ) will require active, willing, and voluntary participation of private landholders.
30 by 30 is – and must continue to be – an opportunity for the economic and social wellbeing of private landholders.