Landholders working together to continue BfB
Since its inception in 2008, the landscape scale fox baiting on Yorke Peninsula as part of the Baiting for Biodiversity (BfB) program has achieved some outstanding results.
Natural Resources Northern and Yorke Landscape Ranger Jasmine Swales said that continuing the program is important to maintain and build upon the positive achievements so far.
“Landholders have identified an increase in lambing rates, including a higher incidence of twins and triplets, across much of Southern Yorke Peninsula,” Ms Swales said.
“There have been increased sightings of rare and endangered species, including goanna, malleefowl and echidna and we have even seen evidence (through fox scat analysis) of some species thought to have been previously extinct in the area including the bush stone curlew, little long tailed dunnart and native bush rat.
“The outcomes of the program are really exciting and valuable and would not have been possible without landholder involvement to achieve widespread fox control on SYP.”
The Baiting for Biodiversity landscape scale program covers over 100,000 hectares of land on the Southern Yorke Peninsula across the Hundreds of Warrenben, Carribie, Coonarie, Para Wurlie and Moorowie.
While current funding for this program will conclude at the end of this financial year, Natural Resources Northern and Yorke plan to continue to coordinate this valuable program with the assistance of willing landholders.
“Landholder engagement in the program is crucial and working together across property boundaries in a coordinated landscape scale approach is the only way to achieve the greatest results,” Ms Swales said.
“The next baiting round will commence in August, so we are seeking landholders in the target area who are willing to lay and collect baits during the program periods (February to March and August to September) and provide us with a bait take percentage over that time to assist in maintaining ongoing records.”
Natural Resources Northern and Yorke staff will also continue to perform on ground delivery in high priority areas or locations where there are significant gaps.
This project is supported by Northern and Yorke NRM Board, through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Programme.
To register your interest in being involved in the program or for more information please contact Natural Resources Northern and Yorke on 8841 3444 or email DEWNR.NRNY@sa.gov.au.
