Page 753 - Week 03 - Tuesday, 19 March 2019
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Woodland conservation strategy—progress report
Ministerial statement
MR GENTLEMAN (Brindabella—Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Minister for Planning and Land Management, Minister for Police and Emergency Services and Minister assisting the Chief Minister on Advanced Technology and Space Industries) (3:36): I am pleased to discuss the achievements of this government in helping improve our environment. Canberra is home to unique woodlands that provide home to a number of flora and fauna. To help protect this landscape, the Nature Conservation Act 2014 requires the Conservator of Flora and Fauna to report to me every five years on the implementation of action plans for the protection of threatened species and ecological communities and to make the report publicly accessible.
The conservator has provided me with a progress report on the ACT lowland woodland conservation strategy. The report highlights the importance of our unique and endangered woodlands, including as habitat for several threatened species. It also documents the extensive research, regeneration and restoration work that has occurred in recent years.
For a long time Aboriginal people were the sole managers and carers of what was once an extensive and diverse mosaic of woodlands across the ACT and region. By respecting and embracing their knowledge and deep connection to and understanding of the landscape we can better care for our box gum woodlands and native birds. The ACT has retained over a third of its original woodland, much of which is protected within our many nature reserves.
The progress report notes that there are some 10,000 hectares of lowland grassy woodland in our nature reserves, with over 2,000 hectares added under the current Labor government since the commencement of the strategy. The habitat our woodlands provide for threatened species is critically important and we are fortunate to be custodians of some of the most well-connected and biodiverse woodland in Australia. We have a collective responsibility to protect biodiversity for all Australians and for future generations. The progress report outlines a range of research projects aimed at improving our understanding of threatened species, including research on the superb parrot, the Tarengo leek orchid and the small purple pea. The report also notes a number of projects that have excelled over the past five years.
The first of these is Mulligans Flat Woodland Sanctuary, and I acknowledge the world-class research being undertaken by the partners involved in the sanctuary. The Mulligans Flat Woodland Sanctuary is a feral predator-free reserve protecting critically endangered box gum woodlands. It is the site of the successful reintroduction to the ACT of the eastern bettong, eastern quoll, New Holland mouse and the bush stone-curlew. The sanctuary is going from strength to strength, with the predator-proof fence being extended to triple the size of the sanctuary from 485 hectares to 1,555 hectares, with plans in train for a Mulligans Flat ecotourism centre.
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