Page 3365 - Week 11 - Wednesday, 18 September 2013
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revegetation. These revegetated areas will create new habitat for a variety of species and ecosystems, particularly frogs, and will sustain nationally listed, threatened species and ecosystems.
Finally, $43,000 was given to the Southern ACT Catchment Group for weed control assistance to rural leaseholders in the Paddy’s River-Tharwa region. This enhances previous work already undertaken and will continue to help preserve the natural yellow box red gum grassy woodland and native grasslands in these areas.
I congratulate all of the groups that have received funding under the latest environment grants program. I was also pleased to be present at a breakfast the other morning, hosted by Greening Australia, recognising the efforts made by our volunteers in helping to restore and protect our native environment. Without them, our efforts would be nowhere near as extensive and as successful as they have been, and I congratulate everyone involved. (Time expired.)
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Dr Bourke.
DR BOURKE: Minister, can you tell the Assembly a bit more about the Ginninderra peppercress project and its importance?
MR CORBELL: I thank Dr Bourke for the supplementary. The Ginninderra peppercress is one of six local environment programs receiving funding under the grants program. The Ginninderra peppercress, for members information, is a perennial herb. It is a member of the mustard family. It grows to a height of about 20 centimetres and it is a component of the natural temperate grassland ecosystem of lowland ACT. It is listed as a vulnerable species nationally and an endangered species locally. Indeed, there are only two existing populations of these species. Both of them are in the north of the ACT—one at the old Belconnen naval transmission station site in Lawson and another smaller patch in an area of grassland in Mitchell. The species is not known outside of the ACT. So we have a very special responsibility to try and sustain it here in Canberra.
Since 2009 the government has provided funding to the Australian National Botanic Gardens for seed collection and propagation of threatened plants. The Ginninderra peppercress is one of these. Using seed collected from the Lawson colony between 2002 and 2008, 1,000 peppercress plants have now been propagated. I was very pleased to go out to the Crace nature reserve last week to join with volunteers in the planting of the peppercress at these new locations. There is also another planting having occurred in Dunlop.
We have now effectively doubled the coverage of this endangered plant across the ACT. Through the efforts of the National Botanic Gardens, the Australian government, Greening Australia, the Environment and Sustainable Development Directorate and TAMS, as well as of course the enthusiastic work of volunteers, the translocation program has been a success and we now see more opportunities for this endangered plant to survive and thrive in our natural environment.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Ms Berry.
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