Land For Wildlife

Land For Wildlife is a free, voluntary program established by the Community Environment Network which aims to encourage private landholders to provide habitats for wildlife on their property, even though the property may be managed primarily for other purposes.

Wingecarribee shire Council has been delivering the Land for Wildlife (LFW) program locally for over 14 years. We now have over 200 members.

To be eligible to join, your property must have a minimum of 0.5 hectares (or just over 1 acre) of intact native bushland (native ground layer, shrubs and trees). If you're property does not meet this criteria, apply to join the Habitat for Wildlife program instead.

The program aims to promote continuity of habitat across landscapes, community participation in nature conservation, and to contribute to the ecologically sustainable long-term viability of agricultural systems.

Our plants and animals cannot be conserved adequately by the public reserve system alone. The Southern Highlands is a critical pinch point within the Great Eastern Ranges and we need to retain corridors and connect bushland remnants.

We encourage and support landholders within Wingecarribee to take steps towards conserving the natural features on their properties.

What do Land for Wildlife members receive?

A free property visit and report from an expert ecologist
Plant species lists for your property
A suite of mapping products
Eligibility for $2,000/year Conservation Partners Grant funding for bush regeneration, weeding, fencing, pest animal control, and erosion control
A sign for your front fence
E-newsletter
Invitations to local environmental workshops
Plant giveaways
Opportunities to connect with like-minded people

How to apply

Complete the Expression of Interest form online and someone from our environment team will be in touch as soon as possible.

A site inspection is an essential part of joining the program, and if you are unwilling to undertake a site visit, we will be unable to progress your expression of interest.

A property sketch is not essential but helps show features of the property not captured in satellite imagery. Sketches should include major roads, fencing, buildings, major land use areas, stock watering points, areas of interest for conservation or protection.

Complete our Land for Wildlife Expression of Interest Form