In Australia, bushland is a blanket term for land which supports remnant vegetation or land which is disturbed but still retains a predominance of the original floristics and structure.
Human survival in bushland has a whole mythology evolving around it, with the stories of Aboriginal trackers and bushrangers deeply entrenched in Australian folklore. Bushland has been a traditional source of wood for fuel and bushfood.
Land clearing in Australia describes the removal of native vegetation and deforestation in Australia. Land clearing involves the removal of native vegetation and habitats, including the bulldozing of native bushlands, forests, savannah, woodlands and native grasslands and the draining of natural wetlands for replacement with agriculture, urbanization and other land uses. Much of today's clearing occurs in northern Australia.
As of 2011, of the vegetation which existed in Australia at the time of European settlement, approximately 87% remains. One estimate places the rate of rainforest of all types has been reduced by three quarters since the time of European settlement from eight million hectares to two million. Land clearing threatens native species including ground orchids and eucalyptus. Extensive unlawful deforestation continues across the country.