Mosaic Map: NRM funded projects
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Hope for the future of Eyre Peninsula’s threatened animals
Regrowth of Yacca plant after fires
Fencing provides sheltered area for regrowth after fires and provides habitat for threatened animals
Yacca plants
Eyre Peninsula is home to many threatened animal species. But without immediate help the small populations that remain could disappear.
"The Peninsula has 10 nationally listed threatened species and 16 listed at the State level, including the Red-lored Whistler, the Sandhill Dunnart, the Malleefowl and the Eyre Peninsula Southern Emu-wren," South Australian Department for Environment and Heritage Conservation Programme Manager Louisa Halliday said.
With threats to their survival still very real, the Eyre Peninsula Natural Resources Management Board, the South Australian Department for Environment and Heritage, and Nature Foundation SA have combined to try to halt the decline of these species and help their populations grow.
Funding
Since 2000, the Australian Government has provided more than $270,000 for threatened fauna recovery on Eyre Peninsula. The South Australian Government has also provided support.
Activities
Louisa said a habitat management approach is taken for each species, maximising nature conservation beyond the species in question.
"With the Eyre Peninsula Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo for example, we take a holistic approach to conserving the Sugar Gum Woodland that is the Cockatoo's preferred feeding and breeding habitat," she said.
"This involves fencing to exclude stock, weed control and revegetation with a variety of plant species associated with Sugar Gum Woodland.
"The Eyre Peninsula Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo is seen as an 'icon' species, which provides a catalyst for landholders to get involved in nature conservation activities on their property."
Work has been set back by recent massive wild fires. After a long decline, the Eyre Peninsula Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo's population was starting to grow again, but the fires left possibly only 11 of these birds in its wake. The Eyre Peninsula Southern Emu-wren was also affected, with two sub-populations wiped out.
However the project team's annual population and habitat monitoring is ensuring that information is gathered to help future protection work.
Achievements
Louisa said since the project begun, community appreciation of threatened species had grown.
"Landholders have played a vital role by protecting habitat on their properties, including fencing off pockets of vegetation to protect them against stock, replanting native food species, and weed control," she said.
"Landholders have also been involved in monitoring some of the species, like the Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos and the Malleefowl.
"It's been crucial to get the landholder support both in taking part in recovery activities, but also in allowing us onto their property to do our work."
More information
- Louisa Halliday, South Australian Department for Environment and Heritage Conservation Program Manager: (08) 8688 3111
- Jeanie Quilliam, Eyre Peninsula Regional Natural Resources Management Liaison Officer: (08) 8688 3413 or quilliam.jeanie@saugov.sa.gov.au
- Biodiversity Conservation Programs of Eyre Peninsula and the Far West website: www.biodiversity.sa.gov.au/west_bcp
See also
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