The contribution which vegetation on other tenures (apart from public lands) makes to the maintenance of conservation values across the landscape is well recognised in conservation literature. So too is the role of the spatial configuration of reserve and off-reserve elements in the maintenance of biological diversity (see Pressey et al 2002, Bolen & Robinson 1995). As a result of the high level of fragmentation in the BBSB and very low proportion of public lands (<15%) integrated conservation planning will be critical to conservation outcomes in the bioregion.

The long term regional survival of many fauna species, particularly the larger or more mobile animals, will depend critically on sympathetic land management practices across all land tenures to enable movements and seasonal use of resources found in the more fertile agricultural areas, such as along the major drainage lines.

The Western Conservation Alliance analysed vegetation connectivity across the region for this report (described above) and found that it represents a very valuable tool for the identification and prioritisation of areas for voluntary purchase and conservation incentives. Such an approach should form the basis for a private land conservation strategy that establishes a fund to :

· Increase financial and other targeted incentives available for voluntary, long-term conservation by private land holders.
· Enable voluntary purchase of high conservation value private lands in the region, and leasehold land within State Forests proposed for reservation.

The information and planning tools produced as part of the BBSB regional assessment should be utilised to ensure that integrated conservation planning and funding is targeted at areas of highest priority. The Bioregional Framework is likely to serve as a useful and innovative mechanism for this purpose.

Much work has been done on integrated conservation planning in Australia already and there are number of models and approaches that can be used. The body of theoretical and practical examples should be implemented in the BBSB.

As noted by Reid 1999:

"The importance of using natural river corridors in large-scale planning for targeted revegtation has been emphasised already. Equally important in this respect, and often superimposed on the landscape at finer scales than the vegetated stream corridors, are the Travelling Stock Routes, Stock Reserves and Road Reserves. These areas frequently retain valuable native vegetation remnants and a system of vegetated linkages aiming to increase the connectivity between larger remnants in the landscape can be planned around them" (Reid 1999).

"At the landscape scale the imperative is to link remnants functionally so that dispersing birds have a greater chance of colonising patches, whether newly created, unoccupied or presently occupied. Roadside vegetation and stream corridors provide the existing framework on which to plan strategic revegetation initiatives to effect better linkages" (Reid 1999).

Therefore, most areas of Vacant Crown Land and Travelling Stock Reserves will be important for connectivity and reservation adequacy. The conservation significance, protection and management issues of these areas have largely been ignored by the Western Regional Assessment process. Therefore, it is essential that the Government establishes an assessment process of all remaining parcels of Vacant Crown Land and Travelling Stock Reserves to identify and protect areas needing conservation management. Aboriginal rights and interests in these lands must be taken into account in this process.