There are significant animal welfare consequences when habitat clearing occurs, and the AVA has released their Native Animal Welfare (Habitat Clearing) policy which incorporates recommendations that should be put in place to improve welfare outcomes for wildlife. The recommendations include caution to minimise the areas of native or remnant habitat to be cleared, and that wildlife potentially affected by habitat clearing should be protected from harm by animal welfare legislation and codes of practice.
The policy also calls for native wildlife assessments to be undertaken, and for land to be set aside as designated national parks or reserves and wildlife corridors in each bioregion, for the maintenance of a balanced and healthy ecosystem. Read more