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The rangelands of Western Australia cover about 85% of the state and include the sub-tropical savanna of the Kimberley, the semi arid and arid spinifex, the southern mulga shrublands and the extensive chenopod plains of the Nullarbor. About 40% of the rangelands are managed for the production of meat and wool under a pastoral lease system. Many important ecosystems occur within these pastoral leases, where after 150 years of settlement, many changes to plant and animal populations have occurred. Biological diversity in the rangelands is declining most noticeably with the extinction, or reduction in the distribution and abundance, of many medium sized mammal species. The recognition of the need to conserve the full array of indigenous ecosystems and species has occurred at all community and political levels in various international, national, state and territory and local settings. The key to conservation of the State's biodiversity is the establishment of a comprehensive, adequate and representative reserve system. There is also recognition of the need for cooperative management of off-reserve land lands having high conservation values. The Western Australian government is committed to the conservation of flora and fauna through the establishment of an expanded system of terrestrial reserves and the setting of environmental objectives for other land uses. A pastoral land acquisition program is now well under way with the cooperation of key interest groups and to date over two million hectares of land has been purchased for eventual addition to the reserve system. Off reserve management agreements have also been developed with pastoral lessees.