Thurgoona and Wirlinga Community Understanding and Knowledge of Biodiversity

The Thurgoona and Wirlinga region of New South Wales is expected to grow to over 50,000 people in the next 30 years. This growth will mean that the area will transition from a rural setting to a more urban environment. The associated changes will impact biodiversity and available habitat, particularly for key threatened species. This shift from more open grassland to suburban housing with fenced and manicured lawns means that many species will be confined to habitat in planned corridors and reserves. This research project collected and summarized baseline data about how the Thurgoona and Wirlinga community residents understand and value biodiversity in their own neighbourhoods. The ability to explore community knowledge and attitudes about biodiversity and conservation before projects or education initiatives are conducted (and in this case before population growth) is a rare one. This baseline data could ultimately lead to more effective on the ground projects that take into consideration local values and target increases in local knowledge on biodiversity.