Linking the Mornington Peninsula Landscape (LMPL) is an initiative of the Mornington Peninsula Landcare Network. LMPL biolink planning is based on an analysis of vegetation quality of the peninsula produced by the Arthur Rylah Institute, with input from local natural resource management professionals and ecologists. To date, biolink plans have been developed for eight out of ten catchment areas on the Mornington Peninsula. Next steps are the creation of plans for the two remaining catchment areas. Beyond this, planning will include extensions to completed biolink areas and strengthening connections within existing biolinks. The long-term vision is to collaborate with neighbouring municipalities to create regional corridors.

Fragmentation of the landscape over time has led to the decline of many native birds and mammals. As native trees, shrubs, and grasslands have been cleared to make way for farms, residences, and infrastructure, the unique fauna of the Mornington Peninsula has become particularly vulnerable to a lack of suitable habitat for foraging and breeding and predation by introduced pest animals such as foxes and cats. Isolated populations are particularly vulnerable to disease or disturbances such as high-intensity bushfires caused by a warming climate.

LMPL is the flagship project of the Mornington Peninsula Landcare Network which seeks to address the key threatening process of landscape fragmentation. Contributions to this project may go to biolink planning or funding for on ground works for LMPL developed plans.

This project will directly contribute to the Protecting Victoria’s Environment – Biodiversity 2037 (Bio2037) targets for control of pest herbivores, weed management and revegetation in priority locations (top 20% for the whole state with Strategic Management Prospects modelling). Within the Mornington Peninsula landscape, rabbit control is the top cost-benefit action for biodiversity, benefiting local plants, birds, mammals, amphibians and reptiles