Conservation starts at home
Much of Lutruwita/Tasmania’s wildlife depends on habitat found on private land – and how that land is managed shapes whether species can move, feed and survive.
Around half of the state is privately owned. That means decisions made on farms, in backyards and on bush blocks directly influence what happens to native species.
When native vegetation is cleared or broken into smaller patches, animals lose shelter, food sources and breeding areas. Movement becomes harder and riskier. They must cross open ground, roads and fences, where threats are highest. Over time, populations can become isolated.
But the reverse is also true. When landholders protect remnant bushland, restore native vegetation or allow areas to regenerate, they are rebuilding habitat. Over time, these patches begin to link up, sometimes forming continuous connections. In other cases, they act as stepping stones that allow wildlife to move between larger patches of habitat.
What this looks like on the ground
Through Land for Wildlife, Gardens for Wildlife and WildTracker, people across Tasmania are taking practical steps to care for nature where they live.
They are planting native species, protecting bushland and giving cleared areas time to recover. On some properties, this means stepping back and letting regeneration happen. On others, it’s active work – removing weeds, restoring creeklines, or replanting.
At Lalla, near Launceston, Land for Wildlife members Tara and Steve Howell have spent the past decade reshaping their ten-hectare property. When they bought the land, it was mostly open paddock with a uniform stand of blue gums.
Since then, they’ve planted native species, allowed areas to regenerate and worked to rebuild the structure of the vegetation. Today, it’s a mix of regenerating forest and planted native vegetation, with a more diverse understorey beginning to return.
‘It’s not quite a natural forest yet, but it’s starting to feel like one,’ Tara says. ‘There’s a lot more diversity – different ages, different species coming through.’
Seeing the changes
As the condition of the land improves, wildlife responds.
On Tara and Steve’s property, areas that were once open paddock are now filled with trees grown from locally collected seed. Dense cover is returning, along with a growing list of species.
‘We see pademelons and wallabies all the time, and we have bandicoots,’ Tara says.
Echidnas, potoroos and native hens have also been recorded, along with birds that hadn’t been seen there before.
‘It’s been amazing to watch that happen,’ she says. ‘You start thinking about habitat – the layers, the structure – and then you see the response.’
Others are noticing similar shifts.
After installing a wildlife camera, WildTracker participant Sarah, near Launceston, discovered that devils and quolls were still moving through her property – species she hadn’t seen or heard for years.
‘WildTracker showed us that devils and quolls are still using this landscape – we just hadn’t known it. We were so surprised, and we’re thrilled they’re here.’
How these changes reconnect habitat
No single property can provide everything wildlife needs.
But farms, gardens and bush blocks can form a network of habitat – allowing animals to move, feed and find shelter.
As Gardens for Wildlife member Lisa, in South Hobart, put it:
‘Across the road is our threatened Eucalyptus tenuiramis forest, and beyond that, Kunanyi, and further still, the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. Our garden links into that larger landscape.’
More people want to do this work
Across Tasmania, thousands of landholders are caring for habitat and documenting species on their properties through our landholder programs. And more are waiting to join.
We are working to strengthen these programs – supporting current members while enabling more landholders to take part.
We rely on donations to support programs like:
- Land for Wildlife – supporting landholders managing bushland and larger properties
- Gardens for Wildlife – helping people create habitat at home
- WildTracker – building a clearer picture of wildlife across the landscape
Together, these efforts help reconnect habitat and support species to move, feed and survive.
You can support conservation on private land by donating today – helping more landholders restore habitat and reconnect landscapes across Tasmania.
Photos by Jasmine Connors.