Roadside conservation is a conservation strategy in Australia and other countries where Road verge flora and habitats are protected or improved. The general aim is to conserve or increase the amount of native flora species; especially where that work will lead to higher conservation value, for example providing food or habitat for rare or endangered native fauna.

Issues

Potential benefits of roadside conservation strategies can include:

Maintenance of the biodiversity of the roadsides^[1]
Sustaining available corridors for fauna movement and habitat^[2]
Preserving remnants of native vegetation adjoining man-made environments^[3]

Problems with the maintaining of roadsides include:

Removal, cutting of native vegetation^[4]
Conflicts with road safety, such as foliage growth which restricts visibility for road users
Work-load due to the extent of roadsides (i.e. the great length)^[5]

Western Australia

Formal recognition of the importance of roadside reserves occurred in the 1960s when then-Premier of Western Australia, the Hon. David Brand, ensured all new roads in Western Australia would have road reserves at least 40 metres wider than that needed for transport purposes.^[6]^[7]

Notes

^ "Environment and Sustainability | Mansfield Shire Council".
^ "Moyne Shire Council - Roadside Vegetation Management". www.moyne.vic.gov.au. Archived from the original on 22 January 2004.
^ "NCCMA Internet - Roadside Conservation". www.nccma.vic.gov.au. Archived from the original on 10 October 2009.
^ "Roadside Conservation sign stop mowing indigenous vegetation | Australian Bush Life". australianbushlife.com.au. Archived from the original on 5 April 2011.
^ "Shire of Campaspe - Roadside Conservation Strategy". www.campaspe.vic.gov.au. Archived from the original on 15 September 2009.
^ "Department of Environment and Conservation - Roadside Conservation". www.dec.wa.gov.au. Archived from the original on 1 April 2010.
^ Western Australia. Roadside Conservation Committee (1995), Roadsides -- the vital link : a decade of roadside conservation in Western Australia (1985–1995), Roadside Conservation Committee, retrieved 14 April 2012

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