Biodiversity benefits in priority locations
French Island is home to rich and diverse native flora and fauna. This project will deliver strategic lethal control of pest herbivores (goats, deer and rabbits) and assist in partnership with DEECA fertility control and translocation of overabundant koalas to reduce overgrazing pressures. Reduction of these grazing pressures will benefit the important vegetation communities of French Island including Dry Forest and Woodland, Riverine Forest and Woodland & Heathland.
This project has utilised Strategic Management Prospects (SMP) modelling to consider latest science and cost-benefit effectiveness aiming to maximise and enhance biodiversity benefits of the project within the landscape. French Island National Park is a priority location for controlling pest herbivores under Protecting Victoria’s Environment- Biodiversity 2037 (Bio2037), with a cost-benefit ranking in the top 5 & 20% for actions (goat, deer and rabbit control) across the whole state.
This project has been identified as a high priority under the Western Port and South-East Melbourne Conservation Action Plan.
Themes and Local Areas
| Primary Theme: | Native Vegetation |
| Other Themes: | Native Animals |
| Primary Local Area: | Bass Coast, South Gippsland & islands |
| Other Local Areas: | Western Port |
| Project location: | Priority locations in French Island National Park |
| Scale of the project: | Landscape |
| New or continuing work: | Continuing/building on previous work |
Project partners
| Lead organisation: | Parks Victoria |
| Key partners: | Melbourne Water, Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA), Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) |
| Registered Aboriginal Party/s relevant to the project or its area: | Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation |
Investment opportunities
| Opportunities for investors within this project start from: | $$ (Tens of thousands of dollars) |
| Estimated scale of investment for full project implementation: | $$$ (Hundreds of thousands of dollars) |
| Estimated timeframe for full project implementation: | 2-10 years |
Contribution toward targets
| Primary Regional Catchment Strategy target: | French Island National Park is 11,100 hectares has the ability to contribute to the RCS target for 120,000 hectares of sustained pest herbivore control in priority locations from 2017-2037. |
| Relevant Biodiversity 2037 goal: | Undertake weed or pest herbivore control to maintain and enhance vegetation quality in priority areas |
| Relevant National Landcare Program priority: | Ramsar – Western Port Ramsar site – Ecological character maintained or improved Priority species – Eastern Barred Bandicoot – Trajectory improved |
More information
Western Port and South-east Melbourne Conservation Action Plan
https://www.environment.vic.gov.au/biodiversity/working-together-for-biodiversity
