The Morrison Government has delivered on its commitment to fund local wildlife and habitat recovery programs across areas affected by the devastating black summer bushfires, with $12 million now awarded to 37 projects over two grants rounds.
Minister for the Environment Sussan Ley said the Government was getting on with the job of delivering its $200 million bushfire recovery package with the second round of grants focusing on the recovery of priority plants and invertebrates.
“I have visited regions affected by the fires and have seen firsthand the catastrophic damage caused to not just the habitat and wildlife but to the entire ecology of the area,” Minister Ley said.
“While much of the national focus has understandably been on iconic wildlife, it is important not to forget about all our native species that were affected by the fires.”
Senator Jim Molan welcomed the announcement.
“These seven projects will include work to identify areas where jewel beetles and butterflies have been most affected by the fires and where their recovery might be slowed by feral herbivores or weeds,” Senator Molan said.
“While there are some encouraging signs our native animals and plants are starting to bounce back, it will require time, and continued support from the community and governments to fully recover.”
A list of the projects with activities in Eden-Monaro and Gilmore are available below.
More information about work to support bushfire recovery for wildlife and habitat is on the Department’s website: http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/bushfire-recovery or email: BRIT@awe.gov.au
Wildlife and Habitat Bushfire Recovery Program – Round 2 projects in Federal Electorate of EdenMonaro and Gilmore
| Project title | Location* | Applicant | Grant |
| Refuges for narrow range endemic invertebrates, butterflies and jewel beetles
Project will identify areas in south eastern Australia where jewel beetles and butterflies have been most affected by the fires and where recovery might be slowed by feral herbivores or weeds, informing ongoing herbivore control to improve recovery prospects. |
Mountain areas in VIC, ACT and NSW including the Snowy Mountains, Tallaganda and Wadbilliga National Park. | Deakin University
|
$385,582 |
| Impact of megafires on priority land snail species in south-eastern Australia
Targeted field surveys on 18 species of land snails listed as priority invertebrates to determine the impact of the 2019-20 fire on these species and inform future management. |
VIC (multiple locations), ACT, NSW (multiple locations including Kosciuszko and Wadbilliga National Parks) | La Trobe University
Partners: Museum Victoria, Australian Museum, NSW and VIC Government agencies |
$342,323
|
| Rapid assessment and restoration of litter and log invertebrates
This project will test the impact of fires on log and litter invertebrates, identify refuges that may be critical for species persistence and population recovery and experimentally test emergency salvage of litter invertebrates using wild-to-wild translocation of leaf litter. |
NSW and VIC (south-eastern slopes of the Great Dividing Range from Bairnsdale, Vic to south of Wollongong, NSW) | La Trobe University
Partner: Deakin University
|
$311,379
|
| Recovery and resilience of Green Carpenter Bee populations
The bee will be supported by on-ground works on Kangaroo Island, including installation of artificial nest sites. The project will also identify remaining populations in NSW, and explore areas with suitable habitat throughout south-eastern Australia. |
SA (Kangaroo Island), VIC (Grampians), NSW (multiple locations including Mimosa Rocks National Park)
|
Remko Leijs, Ecosystem and Biological Services
Partner: KI Men’s Shed |
$111,194
|
| Banking on seeds for bushfire recovery – Insuring against future loss
Seed collecting, surveys, germination trials, propagation, reintroductions and long-term seed banking will help prevent extinction and limit the decline of 21 priority plants and four Threatened Ecological Communities. |
NSW (multiple locations including Bimberi Nature Reserve), VIC (multiple locations), WA (Stirling Ranges), ACT (Namadgi NP), SA (Kangaroo Island) | Australian Seed Bank Partnership
Partner: Australian Network for Plant Conservation
|
$155,276
|
| Preventing extinction in bushfire affected orchids
Project aims to prevent extinction of 14 nationally threatened orchid species by (i) undertaking rapid surveys (ii) testing whether low reproductive rates or grazing by feral animals are threatening processes post-fire, and (iii) collecting seeds and propagation in botanic gardens for future reintroductions. |
SA (Kangaroo Island), VIC (east Gippsland and alpine areas), NSW (alpine areas)
|
La Trobe University
Partners: Australasian Native Orchid Society (Vic Branch), Native Orchid Society of South Australia, Australian Network for Plant Conservation, Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, Botanic Gardens of South Australia, the Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney, the Australian National Botanic Gardens |
$503,453
|
| Wildfire impact on threatened reptiles
The project will survey reptiles in sandstone landscapes that were burned in the bushfires to assess priority listed reptiles, the Broad-headed Snake, Southern Water Skink, Mustard-bellied Snake and Broad-tailed Gecko at sites where historic records indicate that the species occurred prior to the fires. |
NSW (multiple locations from north-west to south-west of Sydney, including Bugong and Morton National Park)
|
University of New South Wales
|
$244,798
|
The full list of projects is available here: https://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/bushfirerecovery/open-grant-program