Gippsland › Latest news › Russell Broadbent MP

Giant Gippsland Earthworms and Hooded Plovers get $500,000 from Morrison government Threatened Species Strategy Action Plan

Community-led program that aims to conserve, restore and protect native wildlife that share the same habitat.

By news@gippsland - 1st April 2022 - Back to News

Minister for the Environment Sussan Ley said conservation and restoration projects across Australia have been allocated a share of $12 million funding through the $100 million Environment Restoration Fund. "The successful projects span all states and territories and will deliver practical action on the ground to protect more than 60 priority threatened species."

Victorian Government's Biodiversity Response Planning Project aims to work with landowners to ensure that habitats of Giant Gippsland Earthworms are protected on rural properties

Restore important habitat

Minister Ley said, "This includes action to restore and create important habitat, captive breeding programs to boost populations as well as new feral cat and fox management initiatives to reduce pressures from invasive predators."

"These community-led activities will help improve the trajectory of our most precious native wildlife with a range of benefits for other species that share the same habitat. Projects announced today will also drive forward action under the government's recently announced Threatened Species Strategy Action Plan." Minister Ley said.

Federal Member for Monash Russell Broadbent said these grants will assist the Landcare groups in enhancing their knowledge and the protection of native species in Monash. "I'm pleased to announce that Bass Coast Landcare Network and South Gippsland Landcare Network have been approved for grants of $250,000 as part of the Morrison government's Threatened Species Strategy Action Plan," Mr Broadbent said.

Hooded Plovers are resident shorebird found along the southern and eastern coasts of Australia, ocean beach specialists, they are highly selective of beach habitats that support their survival

Funding recipients

Projects to receive funding in Monash include:

• $249,824 awarded to Bass Coast Landcare Network for the 'Enhanced Knowledge and Protection of the Giant Gippsland Earthworm' project
• $248,015 awarded to South Gippsland Landcare Network for the 'Hooded Plover Protection Along the Bunurong Coast, San Remo to Waratah Bay' project

According to Federal Member for Monash Russell Broadbent, the funding will enable the community-led projects setting pathway to coordinate practical conservation efforts for threatened species. Protecting the Giant Gippsland Earthworm in Bass River Valley by adding nine populations to protected areas managed for conservation, or almost 35 ha. Control of European red fox numbers to reduce predation on Hooded Plovers along the Bunurong Coast, San Remo to Waratah Bay.

Pictures from Giant Gippsland Earthworm website and the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) website.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com