THREATENED species of black cockatoos and Murray hardyhead fish and black-eared miner birds in the Mallee will benefit from $724,547 in federal funding for four local, on-the-ground projects.
As part of a threatened species strategy action plan practical work across the country will seek to protect 60 priority threatened species.
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.
“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,” Ms Ley said.
OzFish Unlimited is one of the selected organisations to benefit and they will receive $226,874 for work on habitat environments to safeguard the endangered Murray hardyhead fish.
Murray Darling Basin OzFish program manager Braeden Lampard said the restoration activities will see the group team up with a steering committee, stakeholders and land managers to achieve the goal of boosting the fish numbers.
“This includes the Mallee Catchment Management Authority, North Central Catchment Management Authority, the Murray-Darling Basin Authority, Lower Murray Water, local Landcare groups, Traditional Owners, and local volunteers to identify strategic habitat sites within wetland systems for restoration and enhancement activities,” Mr Lampard said.
“From here, we will strategically install small woody habitats with high complexity and small limestone rocks.
“In addition to in-water habitats, we will plant riparian vegetation of more than 2000 native plants at these sites, improving bank stability and potential sedimentation issues in the future.”
OzFish Unlimited is also keen to deliver highly engaging “fish focused” forums to educate and inspire local community members and organisations to participate in local restoration efforts.
“These community events will enhance recognition of habitats, further build community stewardship, and increase on-ground participation in restoration actions into the future,” Mr Lampard said.
This specific project will be undertaken within the Sunraysia region near Mildura, Victoria.
Other local projects across the Mallee to receive funding will include Birdlife Australia’s renovation revival to assist the south-eastern red-tailed black cockatoo which has received $129,056, the Murraylands and Riverland
Landscape Board’s work to protect the black-eared miner from extinction which has received $125,267 and Nature Glenelg’s projects to also assist the Murray hardyhead fish which has received $243,350.
