NatureLinks Interactive Storymap
Cam Haddleton, Christina O’Donnell
with Margaret Andrew, Renata Zelinova and Jane Chambers
Naturelinks
What are naturelinks and why do we need them?
Rapid urbanisation in the Perth and Peel region of Western Australia is fragmenting the natural landscape causing significant habitat loss, endangering the area’s unique biodiversity. Urbanisation is increasingly reducing the size of remaining natural areas and they are becoming more isolated.
To sustain biodiversity, wildlife need to be able to move between remaining sources of food and shelter to maintain healthy populations.
Linking protected natural areas increases their sustainability.
Urban infrastructure can be hostile, exposing wildlife to hazards such as dehydration, traffic and predation. However urban design can enhance support of biodiversity through urban greening and especially, by creating linkages between habitats: naturelinks.
Links between protected natural areas increase the total area available to support biodiversity. Each natural area connected by a naturelink cumulatively adds to the total area. If all natural areas were supported by a network of naturelinks then a high level of biodiversity could be supported.
Prioritising urban greening along these links will be more beneficial to our biodiversity than random placement.
Click on the image to the left to find out more about naturelinks and how you can help, using our interactive storymap.
How can I use the Naturelink storymap?
The suggested naturelinks in our storymap provide a scientific basis and focus for improving the biodiversity connectivity and greening in your area. Rather than starting out with a blank slate, you can view these naturelinks, see what land uses – road verges, residential gardens, green spaces, public open spaces, drains – they intersect and consider how you might improve locations along these pathways.
Everyone can be involved in improving NatureLinks – individuals to organisations.
We have a wealth of resources to help you, created by our NatureLink Perth interns. Below are resources that describe how you can activate naturelinks and also how they were developed. There are more resources under the RESOURCES tab to see ideas to conserve natural areas, restore urban nature, create natural infrastructure, nature in public places or nature at home – all contribute to making our city more biodiversity friendly along naturelinks. Even more ideas can be found under the CONNECT TO NATURE tab.
Resources
Visit our interactive storymap above to find out about naturelinks and how we can improve the connectivity of protected natural areas to better sustain biodiversity and benefit people’s health and wellbeing. Then click on any of the resources below to find out how to activate naturelinks or find out more about how they were developed.
Go to: Activating Naturelinks
Activating Naturelinks
Cockburn Community Wildlife NatureLink:
Madeline Copcutt with Margaret Andrew and Jane Chambers A NatureLink Perth Intern Project
This project identified the best spatial dimensions, route and landscape form of the Cockburn Community Wildlife Corridor (Perth, WA), based on scientific input and in consultation with stakeholders.
The link goes to the report on this project but we have also created an online interactive mapping tool to enable you to see the detail of the mapping, zoom in to areas of interest and turn on and off different layers of GIS that contribute to the spatial footprint of the naturelink.The mapping tool is a work in progress and we would value your feedback. Email us at naturelinkperth@murdoch.edu.au
To go to the mapping tool CLICK HERE
Spatial Analysis - Best Practice
Cam Haddleton with Margaret Andrew and Jane Chambers in collaboration with Water Corporation A NatureLink Perth Intern Project
Using spatial analysis to identify Water Corporation assets along NatureLinks that have the greatest potential to optimise biodiversity outcomes and provide best practice demonstration sites.
Creating a Naturelink in Balga
Ashleigh Griffiths and Jane Chambers A NatureLink Perth Intern Project
Creating a NatureLink in Balga provides a practical and inspirational vision of how to identify land uses across a potential naturelink and shows how different treatments can be used to transform them into biodiverse green spaces.
This resource provides an excellent communication tool for local government and community to see what is possible and choose among different alternatives. While created for the Balga Biodiversity Corridor it is valuable for anyone wishing to activate a naturelink in their area.
How Naturelinks were Developed
Evaluating Connectivity
Christina O’Donnell (with Margaret Andrew, Renata Zelinova and Jane Chambers) A NatureLink Perth Honours Project
Evaluating connectivity and ecological linkages between Perth’s protected areas to support biodiversity.