Management plan to protect Dryandra Woodland

• New plan to protect woodlands in the Wheatbelt
• Home to WA's emblem the numbat

The single biggest remnant bushland area in the central western Wheatbelt today received official protection after Environment Minister Bill Marmion signed off on a dedicated management plan.

Dryandra Woodland, located 160km south-east of Perth in the Shire of Narrogin and covering more than 28,000 hectares, supports a range of flora and fauna species, including Western Australia's State mammal emblem, the numbat.

Surrounded by extensively cleared agricultural land, the woodland has significant conservation value and provides a popular visiting and camping spot for tourists and locals.

Dryandra includes the Lions Dryandra Village accommodation; several walk and drive trails; and the popular Barna Mia animal viewing facility.  Mr Marmion said a new management plan for Dryandra Woodland was required to replace the Dryandra Woodland Management Plan 1995-2005.

"The new plan will enable the Forest Products Commission to continue to enter into long-term production contracts for the management, harvesting and sale of mallet from plantations within Dryandra Woodland," he said.

"Visitor management issues have also been addressed in the new plan, including the provision of caravan bays at Dryandra Village and increasing visitor use of the area."

The new plan would also include performance indicators to allow assessment of the implementation of the plan by the Conservation Commission of Western Australia.

"The woodland also is an 'archipelago' of islands of native vegetation and it is important that it is conserved to provide a safe habitat for a number of rare species of native plants and animals, including the numbat," the Minister said.

      Fact File

• The plan was prepared by DEC on behalf of the Conservation Commission
• Lies in a transition zone between jarrah forests and inland mallee country

Minister's office - 9220 5000