Biodiversity Month

 

We celebrate Biodiversity Month every September and promote the importance of:

  • connecting with nature and
  • caring for nature in all its diversity – its biodiversity!

Nature is valuable and we need nature. It provides the building blocks for our survival, such as food, clean air, water, and shelter. Nature also supports our health and wellbeing, and our economy. And while we need nature, nature also needs us.

About biodiversity

Biodiversity is the variety of all life forms on earth – the different plants, animals and micro-organisms, and the ecosystems that are their homes.

Australia is a special place – full of diversity

Australia is one of a group of only 17 ‘mega-diverse’ countries.

These mega-diverse countries cover less than 10% of the world’s area but have more than 70% of its biodiversity.

Many of our plants, animals and places are unique and are not found anywhere else in the world.

Celebrating Biodiversity Month

Key dates and activities:

  • 1 September – National Wattle Day
    • Visit wattle in your local area and share a photo of it on social media - tag with #GetIntoNature, #ConnectingWithNature and/or #ConnectingWithCountry or
    • Make wattle seed damper, but buy the wattle seed rather than harvesting it yourself as some wattles can be toxic.
  • 7 September – National Threatened Species Day

Any day in Biodiversity Month

  • Follow the Threatened Species Commissioner on social media to learn more about the actions being taken to protect threatened species
  • Keep a nature journal by recording the animals and plants you have seen over the month and illustrate with drawings and photos.
  • Go on a Bush Blitz expedition to your backyard or a local park (please check your local COVID-19 restrictions first). Learn more about your neighbours – the local species in the nature areas near you!
  • Connect with nature and connect with a community:
    • share your observations of nature with the iNaturalistAU community and get help with identification.
    • download the iNaturalist app and make it easy to name that plant or animal and contribute to citizen science!
    • find out the names of your local plants and animals in the local Indigenous language.
  • Share your experience of connecting with nature on social media by uploading photos, videos and stories with the hashtags #GetIntoNature, #ConnectingWithNature and/or #ConnectingWithCountry
  • Follow our social media channels – there will be lots of Biodiversity Month content to help immerse yourself in nature! Look for: Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, Parks Australia and the Office of the Threatened Species Commissioner on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn
  • Learn from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples about how to deeply experience and look after Country.
    • Listen to Dr Miriam Rose Ungunmerr-Baumann, an elder, member of the Ngangiwumirr language group and Senior Australian of the Year 2021 and learn dadirri ‘deep listening’.

Celebrating Biodiversity Month every month

Arthur Mostead

Wildflowers in the Busselton
Augusta hotspot, Western Australia.
Photo: Arthur Mostead

  • Create a natural habitat in your backyard
    Look at plants that are native to your region, find out if any are threatened, and help create a backyard sanctuary for local birds and wildlife and extend this to your nature strip.
  • Get your credentials with a Bush Blitz Scout badge
    This virtual nature challenge encourages participants to record the plants and animals in their local area. Scouts, Cubs and Joeys that complete the challenge will earn the badge for addition to their scout blanket. Information on how scout groups can get involved will be on the Bush Blitz website. The Scout Motto is ‘Be Prepared’ and this Badge will help to you ‘Be Prepared…for biodiversity’!
  • Take action on weeds
    Check out what's considered a weed in your part of the country and how you can stop the spread at weeds.org.au
  • Be a responsible pet owner
    If you can no longer keep your pet do not release it into the wild. This includes pet fish. Do not flush them down the toilet or put them into local streams. Make sure your cat is de-sexed and either keep it indoors or invest in an outdoor cat run. Domestic cats can have a devastating effect on local wildlife. Keep your dog on a lead when in natural areas.
  • Reduce, reuse and recycle
    Look at ways to avoid and reduce waste and increase what you recycle. For more information on what you can recycle in your local area go to Recycling Near You
  • Start your own compost bin or worm farm for food waste if you have space
    Organic matter like vegetable scraps is great for your garden.
  • Be careful about what you put down your drains
    Things like oils and chemicals can end up in our waterways and seas and harm animals and plants. Instead of using commercial cleaning chemicals, try using white vinegar and bicarbonate of soda.
  • Be an informed seafood eater
    Make choices that support sustainability – learn what species are threatened and only buy seafood that is sustainably caught or farmed.

Our national approach to protect biodiversity

Australia’s Strategy for Nature 2019-2030 is a shared national roadmap for government, non-government and community action to help us better understand, care for, and manage nature sustainably.

The Strategy for Nature has three goals:

  • Goal 1: Connect all Australians with nature
  • Goal 2: Care for nature in all its diversity
  • Goal 3: Share and build knowledge.

All governments, non-government organisations, business and industry, scientists and the community are invited to consider where they can best contribute, whether through action or influence.

  • What are you already doing that contributes to delivering the Strategy for Nature?
  • What might you be able to do? Individual actions, both big and small, can make a difference.

Australia’s Nature Hub showcases initiatives taking place under the Strategy for Nature at all levels across Australia.

For more information on Australian Government biodiversity and related programs go to Biodiversity.

If you’d like more information on biodiversity measures in your state or territory, go to:

Resources