Conservation of Threatened Flora- Legislation, Policy and Practice

Dr Ken Atkins is currently manager of Species and Communities Branch in the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.

Western Australia is well known as a centre for flora diversity, with the south west being recognised as a world biodiversity hotspot.  To qualify as a biodiversity hotspot, the area has to have a high level of flora endemism, but also have been subject to a high level of habitat loss.  To maintain the flora diversity of Western Australia we need to have effective biodiversity legislation, practical policies and effective flora conservation practices.  Dr Atkins will present information on the existing, but dated, legislative protection currently in operation in WA and the policies that have been developed to make this legislation work for flora conservation.  He will also present the new Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 and explain the changes to legislation for flora conservation, and how this will improve our capacity to conserve the State’s flora.  Examples will be given of some of the flora conservation practices that are being undertaken in Western Australia to try and reverse the impacts of the range of threatening processes impacting our flora.