Biodiversity Projects

Pastoral Bounceback

This program is focused on increasing landholder participation in long-term conservation projects across the Gawler Ranges, Flinders and Gammon ranges and Olary Ranges in South Australia.  The program also includes managing declining biodiversity including threatened species, and condition and implementing activities at a landscape scale, on an off-reserve. 

For more information contact Nicki de Preu on 08 8648 4461 or depreu.nicki@saugov.sa.gov.au

Rabbit warren ripping.
Photo Damien Pearce

Arid Recovery

This trial involves a small group of locally extinct species (Greater Bilby, Bettang, Stick Nest Rat and Western Barred Bandicoot) that have been introduced into an 86km squared fenced reserve north of Roxby Downs, from which all rabbits, foxes and cats have been removed.  This trial researches what management options will be necessary to achieve successful future release of these species into the wild. Find out more. (60 KB PDF File)

For more information contact Adam Bester on 08 8671 8282 or arid.recovery@bhpbilliton.com.

Bioplanning and priority setting for the Arid Lands

People and societies value biodiversity in a number of ways.  These include its production, ecosystem service, aesthetic and recreational value.  The range of actions undertaken by individual land managers, industries, communities and government has resulted in some species prospering while others have declined.  This project is identifying conservation priorities that will enable financial and human resources to be invested effectively within the SAAL region to maintain biodiversity and the ecological processes that underpin much of the regions economy and social well-being.

For more information contact Anthony Freebairn on 08 8648 5382 or freebairn.anthony@saugov.sa.gov.au

Recovery of threatened fauna

This project involves undertaking targeted research, monitoring and integrated threat mitigation works, involving community and industry stakeholders, to ensure the survival of threatened fauna species in the rangelands of South Australia. To date research and monitoring activities have been undertaken for Thickbilled Grasswrens, Plains-wanderers, Chestnut-breasted Whitefaces, Dusky Hopping Mice, Plains Rats, Kowari and others. For most species, information about general biology, distribution and threats to their survival are unknown but urgently required. Find out more. (55 KB PDF File)

Opportunities for community participation in research and monitoring projects are ongoing and any enquiries should be directed to Michelle Watson, Community Fauna Recovery Officer on 08 8671 1083 or michelle.watson@saalnrm.sa.gov.au.

Recovery of threatened flora

To prioritise species and ecological communities and recommend the targeting of on-ground recovery efforts and investment to those species and communities that are most at risk; where populations in the state represent a significant part of the national population or ecological community; where investment in threat mitigation is most likely to result in successful recovery of the species or community; where synergies with other integrated NRM projects can be achieved. A partnership between Greening Australia and the Department of Environment and Heritage through funding from the SAAL NRM Board and the Australian Government.
Find out more (348 KB PDF File)

For more information Geoff Axford DEH on 08 8648 5300 or axford.geoff@saugov.sa.gov.au.

Cross-jurisdictional management of feral camels to protect NRM and Cultural values

A collaborative camel management program operating across State borders.  Feral camel populations exist across all regions of the inland desert regions. It is estimated that 600,000 camels currently cover those inland areas and that the population will double every decade.  The project is being coordinated and managed by Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre (DK CRC) to effectively manage camel numbers and the significant impacts on production, environmental and cultural values across much of their range.  The Board is one of 13 partner organisations contributing to this project. The overall goal of the project is to achieve a cross-boundary collaborative approach to feral camel control, protection and exclusion from key threatened areas of high biodiversity value, improved natural resource conditions and landholder capacity and a more effective and efficient use of resources through a collaborative approach.

For more information contact Dr Mark Stafford-Smith, Desert Knowledge CRC on 08 8950 7162

Athel Pine Reduction Program

This two-year Defeating the Weed Menace project aims to identify where all Athel Pines are located within the SA Arid Lands NRM region and the Alinytjara Wilurara NRM region are. Athel Pines are a Weed of National Significance species and pose a real threat to water ways in the Arid Lands region. Once all planted and naturalised infestations of Athel Pine are located, this information will be used to develop a management plan and prioritise where control is urgently require. Land managers will be assisted to remove the weeds through a variety of means.
Find out more (86 KB PDF File)

For more information contact John Pitt on 08 8842 6261 or pitt.john@saugov.sa.gov.au.

Blinman/Parachilna Pest Plant Control

This project is focused on developing and implementing treatment plans to manage pest plants in the region. Regional pest plants include Prickly Wheel Cactus and Oleander.  Over the past two years, landholders through the Blinman and Parachilna Associations have been trailing a range of control methods to eradicate thousands of prickly cactus wheel threatening to engulf sensitive habitats with the Flinders Ranges. The Blinman/Parachilna Pest Plant Control activity is a community initiative and is managed and delivered at a community level. Volunteers are a critical component of on-ground works. Find out more (51 KB PDF File)

For more information contact Lorraine Edmonds on 8648 0014 or asklorraine@internode.on.net.

Oleanders have spread into watercourses in the northern Flinders Ranges at an alarming rate due to favourable environmental conditions. Controlling the spread has proved difficult as only certain treatments can be used to ensure that the ecosystems where the oleanders thrive, remain intact.  Ongoing trials on effective management are continuing. 

For more information contact Lorraine Edmonds on 8648 0014 or asklorraine@internode.on.net

Pest Management and Rangelands Rehabilitation

This is a Natural Heritage Trust funded project involves assisting land managers with on-ground rehabilitation activities such as contour furrowing, water ponding, revegetation and water point management. To encourage coordinated pest (weeds and feral animals) management activities and assist land managers to control pest species utilising the most appropriate methods. Threats such as weeds and feral animals, are significant problems facing all land managers. The project employs Natural Resource Management Officers to provide support and resources to assist land managers with these issues. Find out more (361 KB PDF File)

For more information contact one of the following NRM Officers:

• Mark O’Connor (North East Pastoral and Gawler Ranges)
  mark.oconnor@saalnrm.sa.gov.au
  phone 08 8648 5981
• Carmen Crossing (Innamincka/Marree and Northern Flinders)
  frank.lyman@saalnrm.sa.gov.au
  phone 08 8675 9929
• Janet Walton (Marla/ Oodnadatta and Kingoonya)
  janet.walton@saalnrm.sa.gov.au
  phone 08 8648 5977

View the Pest Management Plan for the region.
(2 MB PDF File)

Managing Feral animal threats to natural resources on Aboriginal managed lands 

Lands under Aboriginal management will be assisted to manage for and reduce the impacts of introduced animal species. These impacts not only have detrimental affects on the native vegetation and biodiversity of an area, but also adversely affect many traditional cultural aspects of Indigenous life. This project is managed by the Aboriginal Lands Trust and aims to achieve an increased level of protection of natural resources through a decrease in pest animal numbers on Aboriginal managed land throughout the Arid Lands NRM region. Under the guidance of a Landcare coordinator, community members will engage in on-ground activities including:

• musters for large herbivores; warren ripping
• baiting for feral carnivores; and trapping/culls for all classes of feral vertebrates

For more information contact Chris Rains, Aboriginal Lands Trust on 08 8260 0565 or email crains@alt.sa.gov.au

Managing Weeds threats to natural resources on Aboriginal managed lands

Lands under Aboriginal management will be assisted to manage for and reduce the impacts of introduced plant species. These impacts not only have detrimental affects on the native vegetation and biodiversity of an area, but also adversely affect many traditional cultural aspects of Indigenous life. This project is managed by the Aboriginal Lands Trust and aims to achieve an increased level of protection of natural resources through a decrease in pest plant numbers on Aboriginal managed land throughout the Arid Lands NRM region. Under the guidance of a Landcare coordinator, community members will engage in on-ground activities including:

• fencing to protect remnant vegetation;
• chemical and mechanical removal of priority weed species;
• hand pulling of small manageable weed infestations.

For more information contact Chris Rains, Aboriginal Lands Trust on 08 8260 0565 or email crains@alt.sa.gov.au

Cross Regional Feral Animal Management

This two part Natural Heritage Trust funded program addresses the management of regional feral pest animals and supports new and innovative control activities across the SAAL NRM and Alinytjara Wilurara Natural Resources Management (AW NRM) regions. It builds on previous feral animal management programs undertaken in the region and a regional competitive bid funded through Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre.The SAAL NRM feral pest management program focuses on large feral herbivores (camels, horses, donkeys) and carnivores (cats, foxes).

Studies are being carried out by Arid Recovery to investigate  the impacts of native carnivores (eg dingoes) upon feral carnivores (eg foxes and cats) in the SAAL NRM region. This has implications for development of feral carnivore management techniques. Information about the reinvasion rates of feral carnivores after baiting will also be used to refine foxbaiting procedures and to develop cat management options.  For more information contact Adam Bester, Arid Recovery on 08 8671 8282 or arid.recovery@bhpbilliton.com

Pest damage in the SAAL NRM region threatens sustainable pastoral production and adds to the cost of maintaining infrastructure such as roads, watering points and fences. Pests also impact on the community through degradation of culturally important sites and landscapes, as vectors of disease and as threats to existing and potential land use. Initiatives through this project include interstate coordination activities such as distribution density surveys and the consideration of social, cultural, economic and environmental impacts and factors that will affect feral animal management, as well as investigations into innovative methods for pest control and management.  For more information contact John Pitt, Rural Solutions SA on 08 8842 6261 or pitt.john@saugov.sa.gov.au