Is this the same as a Certificate III in Conservation and Land Management?

No. The Certificate III in Conservation and Ecosystem Management, which replaced the older Conservation and Land Management qualifications, is a nationally accredited VET qualification delivered by registered training organisations. Ours is a non-accredited short course focused on practical knowledge: conservation planning, habitat, surveys and population management. If a job requires a specific accredited qualification, check with the employer.

How can I create wildlife habitat on my farm?

Start by working out what you already have, then protect it and connect it. In general, that means fencing remnant vegetation from stock, revegetating with local native species, keeping old trees, fallen timber and understorey, and linking patches with corridors along creeks, fence lines and roadsides. This course teaches you to plan that work, survey the results and manage the pest animals that undo it.

Do I need a permit to manage native vegetation on my property?

It depends on where you are and what you're doing. Rules for clearing or modifying native vegetation vary between states and territories, and so do the exemptions. Clearing that could significantly affect nationally threatened species or ecological communities may also need federal approval. Before you clear, burn or substantially change native vegetation, check with your state's native vegetation authority and your local council. The Rehabilitation Programs unit covers land-management controls and permits in general terms.

Is this an animal care or wildlife rescue course?

No. It's about managing land and wildlife populations: habitat, corridors, surveys, pest animals and carrying capacity. It doesn't teach animal handling or the care of injured wildlife. If that's your goal, ask a course consultant about Learning Online Group courses that focus on animal care.

Conservation & Land Management Courses

Certificate in Wildlife Conservation & Management (Online Habitat Conservation Course)

Q: How long does the Certificate in Wildlife Conservation & Management take?

It's self-paced. The two core modules add up to about 200 study hours, and most students finish in 10–15 weeks studying part-time. You have 12 months' access, and you can apply for an extension of up to 12 months if you need it (an extension fee may apply).

Make room for wildlife on the land you manage.

Learn to plan conservation on real properties. Map and connect habitat, survey what lives there, manage pest animals and rehabilitate degraded ground, studying online at your own pace with feedback from your tutor.

100% online
2 core modules
approx. 200 study hours
12 months' access
Tutor support 6 days a week
Certificate + transcript

Download the brochure Speak to a course consultant

Wildlife carer bottle-feeding an orphaned kangaroo joey wrapped in a towel

What is the Certificate in Wildlife Conservation & Management?

The Certificate in Wildlife Conservation & Management is a self-paced online habitat conservation course for people who manage land. Across two modules you'll learn to plan conservation on farms and reserves, create and connect habitat, run flora and fauna surveys, manage pest animals and carrying capacity, and plan rehabilitation programs. It suits landholders, Landcare volunteers and park staff.

Course overview

Conservation starts with the land you manage

Got a patch of remnant bush, a creek line or an eroded gully, and wondered what it could support? This course gives you a framework for answering that. You'll learn to assess the habitat you have and what threatens it, how many animals the land can carry, and how to plan the work that improves it.

Plan conservation into the property – Farm planning and land-use decisions that support wildlife, with biodiversity indicators to track progress.
Create and connect habitat – Habitat loss and creation, ecological restoration, revegetation, exclusion fencing and wildlife corridors.
Survey what's there – Design flora and fauna surveys, use botanical keys and remote sensing, and run population censuses.
Manage populations and pests – Population dynamics, carrying capacity, pest animal management, and the law and administration behind wildlife management.

Ready to manage your land with wildlife in the plan?

Who this course is for

Farmers and landholders with remnant bush, creeks or wetlands who want to protect and connect habitat alongside a working farm.
Landcare and revegetation volunteers who want the planning and survey know-how behind their on-ground work.
Council, park and reserve staff looking for a structured grounding in habitat and population management.
Tree-changers and eco-tourism operators whose property's natural values are part of why they're there, or part of what they offer guests.

What you'll study

You'll begin with the Student Induction module, which gets you set up on the learning platform and introduces your tutor. Then you'll move through two core modules: one on planning for habitat, one on managing the wildlife that uses it.

Module 1: Wildlife Sustainability & Conservation WSC-2003 (approx. 100 hours)

The planning module. You'll learn why conservation matters, how to build it into a farm or reserve plan, and how to measure whether it's working.

Introduction to Wildlife Conservation – why conservation matters, the ecology behind it, and biodiversity indicators.
Planning Wildlife Conservation – farm planning and land-use activities that support conservation, and the research tools to back them.
Wildlife Management Systems – approaches for threatened species, including revegetation, exclusion fencing, predator removal and protected-area management.
Habitat Management – habitat loss, creating habitat, ecological restoration and habitat corridors.
Monitoring & Survey Systems – survey objectives and types, direct and indirect methods, sampling and species identification.
Marine Conservation – causes of marine degradation, including turbidity and nutrient loading, and how they're controlled.
Vegetation Flora Surveys – plant identification with botanical keys, survey techniques, and remote sensing and Landsat imagery.
Urban Development – damaging influences on wildlife, such as roads, pollution, feral and domestic animals, disease and climate.
Rehabilitation Programs – land-management controls and permits, restocking and replanting, reserve selection, and Land for Wildlife and protected areas.

Module 2: Wildlife Management BEN205 (approx. 100 hours)

The population module. Where the first module plans the habitat, this one manages the animals using it, from pest species to overabundant natives.

Introduction to Wildlife Management – the scope and goals of managing wildlife for people and habitat.
Wildlife Ecology – the ecological principles that drive wildlife populations.
Wildlife Habitats – what animals need from their habitat, and how habitat can be manipulated.
Population Dynamics and Pest Management – why populations grow and decline, and how pest species are controlled.
Carrying Capacity – how many animals a piece of land can support.
Wildlife Censuses – methods for counting and estimating populations.
Wildlife Management Techniques – the practical tools and interventions managers use.
Wildlife Management Law and Administration – the legal and administrative frameworks around wildlife management.

How you'll learn and be assessed

Quizzes and written assignments – study online, 24/7, on any device. Wildlife Sustainability & Conservation has a quiz for each unit and five assignments, from conservation planning to rehabilitation research. Wildlife Management has a written assignment for every unit. Your tutor marks them all with personalised feedback.
A problem-based project – Wildlife Management finishes with a problem-based learning project, where you apply habitat and population principles to a management problem.
Competency-based – if an assignment isn't quite there yet, your tutor tells you what to improve and you resubmit. There are no exams to sit in a centre.

Tailor your course with add-on modules

Build the course around your property or your next role. You can add extra modules from our catalogue to pick up skills that match your land, business or career plans.

Nature Park Management I

Manage natural areas as living landscapes: ecology, park design, soils, plant and tree care, weed and pest management, indigenous plants and rehabilitating degraded land. Adds hands-on weed control, native plant culture and land rehabilitation to your planning skills.

Nature Park Management II

The operations side of parks and reserves: recreation and visitor facilities, interpretation, trail design and construction, water areas, park marketing and risk management. Worth adding if you run, or plan to run, a reserve or an eco-tourism property that's open to visitors.

Australian Native Wildlife

Know the native wildlife on your land: Australia's mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and marine species, the threats they face, and when and how to call in a rescue. Helps you put names to what your surveys turn up, and know when to call a wildlife rescue group.

Sustainable Agriculture

Farm so the land and the business both last: soils, water, land care, financial sustainability and sustainable plant and animal enterprises. Connects habitat work with the rest of the farm.

Soil Management

Get to know your soil: classification, properties and plant nutrition, soil testing, degradation problems like erosion and salinity, and practical soil management on farms, finishing with your own soil investigation. Useful for revegetation and rehabilitation, where the soil's condition decides what will grow.

Horticulture 2 – Plant Data

Go deeper into plants: taxonomy and botanical names, edible and ornamental plant types, propagation, growing environments and the rules behind commercial horticulture. Sharpens your flora surveys with botanical names, and adds propagation skills for growing local plants for revegetation.

Ask a course consultant about adding modules when you enrol.

Career pathways and earning potential

These skills are used on farms, in reserves and in natural resource management programs. Roles graduates often explore include:

Bush regeneration or revegetation worker – weeding, planting and restoring native vegetation on public and private land. Average $76,470 a year (advertised salaries; most common $70k–$80k), Jora.
Conservation field assistant – helping with flora and fauna surveys, monitoring and habitat works for councils, agencies or conservation groups.
Landholder or farm manager – running a property where habitat protection and pest animal control are part of the plan.

Figures are advertised salaries (SEEK, Jora) or median full-time earnings (Jobs and Skills Australia), accessed October 2026. Pay varies with experience, location and employer. Figures are a guide only.

Jobs and Skills Australia rates bush regeneration at Certificate II or III level, and conservation officer and ranger roles at degree level. This course is a practical grounding.

Course details

Study mode: 100% online, self-paced
Core modules: 2 (plus Student Induction)
Study time: approx. 200 hours (most students finish in 10–15 weeks part-time)
Access: 12 months
Support: tutor support 6 days a week
You'll receive: Certificate of Completion, Certificate of Attainment and transcript
Payment: upfront or interest-free payment plan

Download the brochure Speak to a course consultant

Download your Certificate in Wildlife Conservation & Management brochure

See all 17 units, how assessment works and your payment options in one place.

Hear from our students

“I just completed my certificate in Wildlife Conservation! The mentors were incredibly helpful … and always gave great, constructive feedback on each and every one of my completed assignments.”

Keira C. · Wildlife Conservation & Management

“Really enjoying the challenge and learning content … Tutor James is truly awesome with helpful guidance.”

Gem T. · Wildlife Conservation & Management

“I have just completed the wildlife conservation and management course. Loved it. … Tutors were very helpful and the course layout was very easy to follow and understand.”

Elisha S. · Wildlife Conservation & Management

Frequently asked questions

No. The course suits landholders, but you don't need your own property or any previous study or field experience. Where an assignment involves looking at a site, you can use a family farm, a local reserve, a council park or a Landcare project you volunteer with.