Landholder Resources

Habitat connectivity

Clearing land and land degradation reduce connectivity between habitat for wildlife. Landholders can protect and restore connectivity, allowing wildlife to move across the landscape, and increasing resilience against weather events and climate change. 

Download this resource

This information is relevant across Victoria.

  • Wildlife and plants need to be free to move and disperse across landscapes to find food, mates and new habitat – preserving adiversity and the viability of species 
  • Different species have different abilities to disperse through landscapes. For example, gliders need to be able to glide between trees. Small birds may require shrubs and continuous cover 
  • Small, isolated patches of habitats are also vulnerable to degradation, including weeds and other forms of disturbance 
  • Wildlife and plants may be unable to move and recolonise if their patch of habitat is impacted by fire and other events 
  • Protecting, maintaining and restoring habitat helps connect patches 

Protect 

  • Consider how habitat on your property connects to other patches in the landscape 
  • Even small patches of habitat can be very important for connectivity, such as paddock trees or unmown areas 
  • Protect habitat corridors on your property, such as waterways, fencelines or ridgelines 

Maintain 

  • Maintaining the health of habitat is important for improving connectivity 
  • Regular habitat maintenance includes: 
  • Fencing corridors to prevent livestock access 
  • Managing weeds 
  • Managing introduced animals such as foxes, rabbits, deer and pigs 
  • Leaving logs and leaf litter undisturbed 
  • Installing nest boxes if hollows are reduced or lacking 

Restore 

  • Degraded habitat can be improved through planting elements of habitat that are missing, such as small and large trees, shrubs, or ground covers 
  • Existing habitat can be expanded to create buffer areas and increase area of habitat 
  • Cleared areas can be restored through revegetation and natural regeneration 
  • When restoring corridors, identify natural corridors through property that connect patches of habitat, such as waterways 
  • Plan corridors to ensure they are wide enough for various different species 
  • Monitor health of habitat regularly 
  • Record animals and plants that are using habitat 
  • Work with other landholders and community groups to plan habitat corridors across landscape 

This information is relevant across Victoria.

  • Wildlife and plants need to be free to move and disperse across landscapes to find food, mates and new habitat – preserving adiversity and the viability of species 
  • Different species have different abilities to disperse through landscapes. For example, gliders need to be able to glide between trees. Small birds may require shrubs and continuous cover 
  • Small, isolated patches of habitats are also vulnerable to degradation, including weeds and other forms of disturbance 
  • Wildlife and plants may be unable to move and recolonise if their patch of habitat is impacted by fire and other events 
  • Protecting, maintaining and restoring habitat helps connect patches 

Protect 

  • Consider how habitat on your property connects to other patches in the landscape 
  • Even small patches of habitat can be very important for connectivity, such as paddock trees or unmown areas 
  • Protect habitat corridors on your property, such as waterways, fencelines or ridgelines 

Maintain 

  • Maintaining the health of habitat is important for improving connectivity 
  • Regular habitat maintenance includes: 
  • Fencing corridors to prevent livestock access 
  • Managing weeds 
  • Managing introduced animals such as foxes, rabbits, deer and pigs 
  • Leaving logs and leaf litter undisturbed 
  • Installing nest boxes if hollows are reduced or lacking 

Restore 

  • Degraded habitat can be improved through planting elements of habitat that are missing, such as small and large trees, shrubs, or ground covers 
  • Existing habitat can be expanded to create buffer areas and increase area of habitat 
  • Cleared areas can be restored through revegetation and natural regeneration 
  • When restoring corridors, identify natural corridors through property that connect patches of habitat, such as waterways 
  • Plan corridors to ensure they are wide enough for various different species 
  • Monitor health of habitat regularly 
  • Record animals and plants that are using habitat 
  • Work with other landholders and community groups to plan habitat corridors across landscape 
Safety
Always wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) when undertaking land management. Follow all label instructions on equipment and local regulations. Be mindful of weather conditions. Do not conduct land management on days of extreme or catastrophic fire danger or total fire ban. 
Further information
If you have a conservation covenant, please consult with your Trust for Nature regional staff member to ensure land management activities are in line with your covenant deed.

For further advice and support, please contact Trust for Nature

Phone:(03) 8361 5800
Email:  trustfornature@tfn.org.au
Disclaimer
Trust for Nature and its employees do not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind or is wholly appropriate for your particular purposes and therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other consequence which may arise from you relying on any information in this publication