Gwydir/Inverell management actions

Aerial view by Guy Roth
Photo: Guy Roth		 Possum in a nest by Phil Spark
Photo: Phil Spark		 People planting trees by Milly Hobson
Photo: Milly Hobson

General management action

Routine control of terrestrial and aquatic weeds, including via management agreements with NRM agencies, councils and other organisations.

Routine control of feral animals, including via management agreements with NRM agencies, councils and other organisations.

Targeted revegetation works to increase native vegetation cover over the long term, focussing efforts adjacent to existing remnant vegetation, within threatened ecological communities, within identified regional corridors, and adjacent to rivers, streams and wetlands.

Prevent livestock from having permanent access to rivers, streams and wetlands, and where possible excluding grazing altogether to allow the condition of river banks and wetlands to recover.

 

Priority management actions for this region

  • Design fences that facilitate passage of large native animals (e.g. kangaroos, emus) across the landscape.
  • Minimise the use of insecticides and pesticides, particularly close to riparian areas, and avoid application on windy days. Chemicals could have a negative effect on native species such as Tawny Frogmouth, Southern Boobook and several microbat species.
  • Retain any hollow-bearing trees (including dead standing trees) such as River Red Gum and White Box as ongoing habitat and refuge for species such as Squirrel Glider, Masked Owl, Southern Boobook, Little Lorikeet, Turquoise Parrot and several microbat species including Hairy-nosed Freetail Bat and Eastern False Pipistrelle.
  • Protect known roost sites for species including Grey-headed Flying Fox, Cattle Egret, Eastern Cave Bat and Corben’s Long-eared Bat.
  • Do not remove termite mounds as these are important for native animals such as Short-beaked Echidna and Laughing Kookaburra.
  • Ensure that rodent, rabbit and wild dog baits are applied in accordance with label specifications and best practice, as secondary poisoning of species such as Laughing Kookaburra, Southern Boobook, Spotted Harrier and Wedge-tailed Eagle may occur on ingestion of poisoned animals.
  • Retain large isolated paddock trees and clumps of trees to assist movement of species such as Brown Treecreeper, Diamond Firetail, Little Lorikeet, Painted Honeyeater, Hooded Robin, Scarlet Robin, Turquoise Parrot and Willie Wagtail, and encourage regeneration around them.
  • Retain large fallen logs as habitat for species such as Short-beaked Echidna, Diamond Firetail, Grey-crowned Babbler, Border Thick-tailed Gecko, Five-clawed Worm-skink and Eastern Blue-tongue Lizard.
  • Retain native grassland and shrubs on the farm for ground-dwelling species such as Black-striped Wallaby, Short- beaked Echidna, Dusky Woodswallow, Scarlet Robin, Eastern Blue-tongue Lizard and Pale-headed Snake.
  • Undertaken strategic revegetation to improve long-term connectivity for species such as Koala, Squirrel Glider, Brown Treecreeper, Black-chinned Honeyeater, Hooded Robin, Painted Honeyeater, Rufous Fantail, Speckled Warbler, Varied Sittella, Willie Wagtail, Dunmall’s Snake, Border Thick-tailed Gecko and Five-clawed Worm-skink, focussing efforts adjacent to existing remnant vegetation.
  • Work with the community to control feral cats and European foxes which prey on native species such as Black-striped Wallaby, Common Brushtail Possum, Delicate Mouse, Australian Brush-turkey, Squatter Pigeon, Turquoise Parrot, Willie Wagtail, Border Thick-tailed Gecko, Dunmall’s Snake and Eastern Blue-tongue Lizard.
  • Work with the community to control Noisy Miners which out-compete other native bird species such as Diamond Firetail, Dusky Woodswallow, Painted Honeyeater, Regent Honeyeater Speckled Warbler and Turquoise Parrot.
  • Work with the community to control wild dogs which prey on native species such as Black-striped Wallaby, Common Brushtail Possum, Koala, Duck-billed Platypus, Australian Brush-turkey and Lace Monitor, as well as calves and lambs.

 

For more information about the key management actions listed above click here