How the Wilderlands are Safeguarding Australia’s Biodiversity
One square metre at a time: an innovative campaign to protect vulnerable habitats and species across Australia
In a climate where biodiversity loss is one of the most fundamental threats facing life on Earth, innovative conservation models are more important than ever. With the backing of community supporters, businesses and land-holders alike, the campaign empowers individuals to become custodians of threatened ecosystems — one square metre at a time.
Australia is home to some of the world’s most unique and fragile ecosystems. That’s why Wilderlands has developed one of the world’s first voluntary biodiversity credit systems: the Biological Diversity Unit (BDU). Each BDU represents one square metre of high-conservation-value land in Australia that is permanently protected and actively managed.
What makes this campaign so compelling is the way it bridges individual action with large-scale impact. Businesses and individuals can contribute directly to protecting native habitat, helping to future-proof species and ecosystems that otherwise may continue to slide toward extinction.
Why this model matters
Traditional conservation often relies solely on government funding or large-scale philanthropy. Wilderlands reframes the model by making protection scalable and transparent — the BDU is geotagged, independently registered and backed by 20 years of active management. The result: you can see where the piece of land you helped protect is, and receive updates on its condition from expert ecologists.
Since its launch in August 2022, Wilderlands has protected tens of thousands of square metres of vulnerable habitat thanks to supporters like you. This milestone is not only remarkable—it demonstrates the growing appetite for nature-positive solutions that go beyond carbon offsets and ask deeper questions about the very bedrock of ecosystems.
Campaign highlights you should know
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The campaign is rooted in four key projects across Australia: from the woodlands of NSW’s Riverina (Alleena) to tall eucalyptus forest in the Otway Ranges (Crowes Lookout), to grasslands near Victoria’s Avoca River (Budgerum) and culturally important lands with the Ngarrindjeri people in South Australia (Coorong Lakes).
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Each piece of land is protected via a legal conservation covenant — meaning the land is reserved in perpetuity, managed for the next two decades and backed by robust ecological oversight.
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Notably, Wilderlands is transforming how businesses engage with nature-positive goals: collaborations with brands like al.ive body and with festivals such as the Adelaide Festival have embedded Biodiversity Units into commercial offerings and events.
Call to Action: Why Your Support Matters
Every square metre counts. While the goal to protect 30% of nature by 2030 (the “30×30” international target) is ambitious, meaningful progress depends on both scale and local engagement. Your donation helps:
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Acquire and legally protect vulnerable parcels of land before they’re lost or degraded
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Fund the annual management that keeps these ecosystems vibrant (weed control, monitoring, restoration)
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Enable transparency and trust by linking you directly with a geotagged unit and insights from land managers
Join the movement today.