Protected areas of Australian Capital Territory facts for kids
The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) is a special part of Australia. It's home to the nation's capital, Canberra. But it's also a place where nature is highly valued and protected. As of 2014, more than half of the ACT's land, about 1,302 km2 (503 sq mi), is set aside as protected areas. These special places are looked after by the ACT government. They help keep our plants, animals, and natural landscapes safe for everyone to enjoy, now and in the future.
Protected Areas in the ACT
The ACT has different kinds of protected areas. Each type helps to protect nature in a unique way. They include botanic gardens, national parks, and many nature reserves.
Botanic Gardens
Botanic gardens are like living museums for plants. They collect, grow, and display many different types of plants. They also help scientists study plants and teach people about them.
- Australian National Botanic Gardens: This garden in Canberra is a special place. It focuses on Australian plants. You can see thousands of different native plants here. It helps protect rare plants and teaches us about Australia's amazing plant life.
National Parks
National parks are large areas of land. They are protected because of their natural beauty, unique plants, and wildlife. They are also places where people can enjoy nature, like hiking or camping, while respecting the environment.
- Namadgi: This is the biggest national park in the ACT. It covers a huge area of mountains, forests, and grasslands. Namadgi is home to many native animals, like kangaroos, wallabies, and many bird species. It also has important Aboriginal cultural sites.
Nature Reserves
Nature reserves are smaller protected areas. They are often set up to protect specific habitats or species. In the ACT, many nature reserves are close to where people live. This means you can often find a piece of nature right on your doorstep!
As of 2014, the ACT had 43 nature reserves. They cover about 234.71 square kilometres (90.62 square miles) of land. Many of these reserves are now part of something called the Canberra Nature Park. This park connects many smaller reserves around the city. It helps protect important natural areas and allows wildlife to move safely.
Here are some of the nature reserves in the ACT:
- Aranda Bushland
- Black Mountain
- Bruce Ridge
- Bullen Range Nature Reserve
- Callum Brae
- Cooleman Ridge
- Crace
- Dunlop Grassland
- Farrer Ridge
- Gigerline
- Goorooyarroo
- Gossan Hill
- Gungaderra Grassland
- Isaacs Ridge
- Jerrabomberra Wetlands
- Kama
- Lower Molonglo River Corridor
- McQuoids Hill
- Molonglo Gorge
- Mount Ainslie
- Mount Majura
- Mount Mugga Mugga
- Mount Painter
- Mount Pleasant
- Mount Taylor
- Mulanggari Grassland
- Mulligans Flat Woodland Sanctuary
- O'Connor Ridge
- Oakey Hill
- Old Naas TSR
- Percival Hill
- Red Hill
- Rob Roy
- Stony Creek
- Swamp Creek
- The Pinnacle
- Tidbinbilla
- Tuggeranong Hill
- unnamed
- Urambi Hills
- Wanniassa Hills
- West Jerrabomberra
- Woodstock
Wilderness Zone
A wilderness zone is an area that is kept as wild as possible. It has very few roads or buildings. The goal is to protect the natural environment from human impact. This allows nature to thrive without much interference.
- Namadgi: Part of Namadgi National Park is a wilderness zone. This means that large sections of the park are kept wild and untouched. It's a place where nature can truly be itself.
