Local Biodiversity Strategy: - Shire of Kalamunda

The importance of both regional ecological linkages and wildlife corridors in
improving the viability of local natural areas has been recognised in the development
of an ecological linkage target. This target is detailed in Box 9.
Box 9: Preferred Target for Ecological Linkages
Retain and protect viable natural areas that occur within regional
linkages and wildlife corridors. Where practicable, enhance natural
areas which form linkages. Aim to create opportunities to add linkages
to maintain and improve biodiversity values.
9 Representational Targets
Representational targets focus on retaining and protecting a proportion of each of
the characteristic ecological communities found within the Shire. Retaining and
protecting a representative sample of each ecological community helps halt the rapid
species decline that is associated with clearing and development. These targets also
ensure that ecological communities that are characteristic of the area - and therefore
provide a sense of place - will remain as an integral part of the Shire’s landscape into
the future.
Ecological communities with similar representation characteristics have been grouped
together under the same target.
Examples of how these targets will be achieved are detailed in Section 13.2.
9.1 Vegetation Complexes and Protection Levels
The Shire of Kalamunda comprises three distinct land areas:
• The Swan Coastal Plain – consisting of the major landforms of the Pinjarra
Plain, the Bassendean Sands and the Foothills.
• The Darling Scarp, and
• The Darling Plateau.
As vegetation is often linked to soil type, landform and climate this has created a
very unique and diverse environment within the Shire of Kalamunda. Vegetation
across the landscape varies across the Swan Coastal Plain, the Darling Scarp and the
Darling Plateau. These can be easily recognisable such as the difference between the
Banksia woodlands on the Swan Coastal Plain and the Jarrah forests of the Darling
Plateau, or, they can be very subtle differences that are more difficult to distinguish.
This variation across the landscape is the reason behind the high number of
vegetation complexes that occur. Vegetation complexes are a collection of different
vegetation groupings identified through the dominant plant species, often named
after the soil type on which they grow.
Local Biodiversity Strategy Page 47