Australia’s Biodiversity

Australia has one of the worst species extinction records on Earth. In some regions up to 60% of mammals, 30% of birds and 25% of reptiles are threatened with extinction.
About 50% of woodland and forest ecosystems, and 70% of remaining forests are ecologically degraded from logging.
Some of Australia’s iconic and significant ecosystems that are under threat include:
Highly populated coastal ecosystems;
The Great Barrier Reef (Qld), Fraser Island (Qld), Kakadu National Park (NT) and Shark Bay (WA);
16 internationally significant wetlands in the Murray-Darling Basin that provide $2.1 billion dollars in benefits to regional economies;
Natural environments that generate $26 billion annually in nature based tourism; and The world’s tallest and most carbon dense hardwood and cool temperate rainforests.
What should the fund be spent on?
Protection and restoration of areas of high conservation value, and natural systems of national significance;
Degreadation prevention.
Natural carbon storage, water production and purification should be protected from the outset and funds should be invested to support projects that will work at scales large enough to make a big difference;
Revegetation of areas of high conservation value including wildlife corridors, rivers, streams and wetlands; linking private lands, national parks, indigenous protected areas and other lands and aquatic systems; and
Preventing the spread of invasive species across high conservation value, connected landscapes.

Source:  http://www.acfonline.org.au/