06/03/2006 - The battle
to save from extinction the real-life version
of Karak, the mascot of the 2006 Melbourne
Commonwealth Games, has been boosted with
$1.3 million to protect the South-eastern
Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo.
The three-year habitat conservation project
was officially launched today by the Australian
and Victorian Governments on the arrival
of the Queen’s Baton Relay in Casterton.
The project has been funded through the
Natural Heritage Trust, and will be complemented
by contributions from the State Government.
Australian Ministers for Agriculture, Fisheries
and Forestry, Peter McGauran, and the Environment
and Heritage, Senator Ian Campbell, said
the work was vital to the future survival
of the species.
“With less than 1000 of these birds remaining
in the wild, this important work will safeguard
one of our unique species – now recognised
around the world thanks to Karak, the symbol
of the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games,”
Minister McGauran said.
“The recovery project aims to encourage
landholders’ participation in a new competitive
tender system that funds worthwhile environmental
projects on private land, based on proposals
from the landholders themselves.
“Through this, advice will be available
on management practices to support cockatoo
habitat – for example, replanting cleared
land or fencing remnant habitat, including
paddock trees the birds need for feeding
and breeding,” Minister McGauran said.
Victorian Minister for the Environment,
John Thwaites, said the main threats to
the cockatoo’s long-term survival were the
loss of the large hollow trees that provide
nesting opportunities, the clearing of Buloke
trees and extensive hot fires in stringybark
forests.
“For sustenance, this striking bird relies
on good seed crops in Brown Stringybark,
Desert Stringybark and the Buloke trees
that are now few and far between in southern
parts of Victoria and South Australia,”
Mr Thwaites said.
“The recovery project will protect around
3000 hectares of Stringybark woodland and
Buloke woodland each year for its duration.
“This will in turn benefit other woodland
fauna in southern parts of our state and
in South Australia, like the Heath Mouse,
Bush Stone-curlew, Masked Owl and Pale Sun
Moth.”
Victorian Minister for Agriculture, Bob
Cameron, said the project was expected to
double the number of farmers in target regions
that receive grants for activities that
protect or enhance native vegetation.
“This would be a great result both for the
environment and for landholders, and it
shows that we can all play a part in keeping
our land healthy and sustainable,” Mr Cameron
said.
“The tender process will ensure that the
Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo has access to
feeding and nesting sites by protecting
the highest quality habitat, including young
native trees as well as hollowed-out old-growth
trees in paddocks.”
The Ministers said the project was a co-operative
effort and thanked a wide range of supporters
including natural resource management groups,
landholders, communities, and non-government
agencies.
The project is being managed by Wimmera
Catchment Management Authority (CMA) with
support from Glenelg Hopkins CMA, the Southeast
South Australia NRM Board, the Red-tailed
Black Cockatoo Recovery Team and the Australian
and Victorian Governments.
Landholders can get more information about
the tender system by contacting Rob Moir
on (03) 5382 1544 or visiting www.wcma.vic.gov.au.
For more information about the Natural Heritage
Trust visit www.nrm.gov.au
