Latest News

• Add My News • Search Old News

Gippsland › Latest news › Department of Primary Industries

Ag News

Ag News - 22/03/2006

By Department of Primary Industries - 22nd March 2006 - Back to News

Autumn The Time For Fox Control

Now is the time to start implementing fox control strategies if you anticipate a fox problem in your area during the coming months.

Foxes can take as many as 30% of lambs in some areas. Many of the lambs disappear overnight and are never recorded, meaning that landholders often underestimate the impact that foxes are having upon their business.

Experience has shown that the most effective way to reduce fox numbers - and avoid large lamb losses - is for neighbouring landholders to work together to carry out coordinated baiting programs. The ability of foxes to travel large distances and quickly re-colonise areas means that achieving effective control requires a spirit of cooperation between neighbours.

The best time to bait is in the month prior to lambing. Once lambs are present, baiting programs are likely to be less effective in reducing fox impact on lamb marking percentages.

At the start of 2006 DPI introduced a number of changes to 1080 bait management services. Previous arrangements regarding the purchase of 1080 baits no longer apply, ie service on request. A new central hotline service for booking appointments and obtaining information on 1080 is now available.

By calling the Department's Customer Service Centre on 1300 10 1080 between 8:00 am and 8:00 pm Monday to Friday, landholders will now be able to receive information, including the appropriate use of 1080 and the 1080 products available. The service also provides a booking system for landholders wishing to purchase 1080 from one of the 58 DPI locations.

Please remember that the old policy of 'service on request' is no longer available. Only individuals who have made a previous appointment will be able to pick-up 1080 products from the nominated DPI locations.

Contact your local DPI office, or 1300 10 1080, for more information on fox control and on the new system for obtaining 1080 bait.

Local Area Control Plans Released Across Gippsland

The Gippsland Wild Dog Management Group is pleased to announce that the Wild Dog Local Area Control Plans (LACPs) are now available to the public.

LACPs were developed as an integral part of implementing the Gippsland Wild Dog Action Plan.

Alan Brown, Chair of the Gippsland Wild Dog Management Group said that there are seven LACPs for the Gippsland area.

"These plans reflect the desire of individual communities to be involved in wild dog management in their local area."

"Approximately 140 landholders attended the LACP development meetings, providing valuable local knowledge and insight into wild dog activity into each LACP area," Mr Brown said.

The creation of the plans has involved freehold and public land managers in all the areas covered by the LACPs, integrating all of the agencies wild dog management programs.

Based on best practice, the 12 month control plans includes a mixture of fencing, trapping and baiting on both public and freehold land.

Vaughn Kingston, Executive Officer for the Gippsland Wild Dog Group said all members of the public that attended LACP meetings would receive a copy of their LACP in the mail within the next week.

The Gippsland Wild Dog Management Group would like to thank all of the communities and agencies that participated in the development of their Local Area Control Plans.

Copies can be obtained from the following:

Local Area Control Plan	DPI/DSE Office
Orbost and Cann River	Mallacoota, Cann River and Orbost
Bonang, Bendoc, Tubbut and Deddick	Bendoc, Orbost
Buchan and Gelantipy	Nowa Nowa, Bairnsdale
Dargo and Bairnsdale	Bairnsdale
Licola, Heyfield and Maffra	Maffra, Traralgon and Heyfield
Omeo, Swifts Creek and Benambra	Swifts Creek
Gembrook, Noojee and Ellinbank	Woori Yallock, Ellinbank

For further information the LACPs or the Gippsland Wild Dog program contact Vaughn Kingston on (03) 5152 0600.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com