Plants and animals are intimately linked to their habitat. So in general, biodiversity conservation is best undertaken in situ, and is best achieved by maintaining viable ecosystems. Because we wish to harvest many of our natural resources, it is likely that most ecosystems will require continuing adaptive management practices to help ensure their viability.

Bioregional planning
Planning at a ‘bioregion’ level can help to integrate ecological, social and economic factors in regional planning and management. (A bioregion is an area defined primarily by biological and geographical criteria.)

Bioregions are big enough for us to take into account the complex relationships between species and landscapes, as a basis for maintaining the integrity of plant and animal communities. Yet they are small enough for us to group issues together and concentrate on achievable tasks. Naturally defined units like local water catchments are good starting points in conceiving bioregions.

The Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia (IBRA) provides a national framework that Victoria will use to monitor and report on biodiversity (see Victoria’s Biodiversity – Directions in Management).

Completing Victoria’s reserve system
A reserve system which fulfils the criteria set down in the national biodiversity strategy — of being comprehensive, adequate and representative — is one which also gives conscious attention to ecosystem management.

In Victoria, this system has been established over the past 20 years and forms the basis of our national and state park network. Some areas such as the marine environment still need to be addressed. The management of ecologically viable protected areas is integrated with the sympathetic management of other areas, as provided for under the Regional Catchment Strategies. For example, sensitive areas of land will be protected to provide corridors between public reserves.

Parks cover over 10% of Victoria, and park management plans, which are being progressively developed and implemented, provide management directions tailored to the specific circumstances of each park, and its visitors and neighbours. Management arrangements address the needs of individual species and ecological communities, taking into account the landscape of which each park forms a part.

Ecosystem-conscious management planning outside parks and reserves
A secure and well-managed reserve system is very important for biodiversity conservation. Nonetheless, it is not enough. Much of environmental value is in fragmented ecosystems outside reserves. Sympathetic management of these values, with a focus on maintaining ecosystem integrity, is needed.

Increasing attention to ecosystem management has characterised the recent development of specific management plans for Victoria’s forests and fisheries, in addition to those for parks just mentioned. For example, under the National Forest Policy Statement, to which Victoria is a party, protection of the full range of forest ecosystems and biodiversity are explicitly identified as objectives.¹⁵

Regional Forest Agreements, which are currently being established, come within this policy framework and aim to integrate development objectives, such as developing an efficient, internationally competitive timber industry, with biodiversity conservation objectives. 'Complementary management’ has the aim of managing parts of ecosystems outside reserves in a way which complements the management within reserves. As landowners are given more opportunities to develop their awareness and understanding of these issues, their interest in complementary management is growing. The increasingly popular Landcare and Land for Wildlife programs are important examples of complementary management. They require continued support, as do landholders using covenants to secure the maintenance of environmental values on private land.