Issue: The Shire of Busselton is located within a globally diverse biodiversity “hotspot”. They have 77 bushland reserves with varying biodiversity values and threats and a limited supply of resources to manage them. They needed to know the detailed biodiversity values of each reserve and develop a prioritisation process to enable them to get the best conservation return from their resources.

Solution: Ecosystem Solutions were contracted to survey 52 reserves for their ecological values (rare, threatened or significant flora/fauna, ecosystems) and threats to those values. These were all field assessed and mapped using mobile GIS technology. We were then contracted to develop a prioritisation process and program and develop a Natural Area Management Action plan for more than 2,000 ha of native vegetation areas within the shire.

Outcome: The Shire is integrating the spatial data and field data sheets into their internal planning process, utilising it in their annual works planning and budgeting processes and have been successful in securing additional grant funding by using the plans.