Released 31/10/2016
The ACT Government is supporting ACT farmers to manage rabbit populations on rural lands through
$53,000 in Australian Government funds.
“Rabbits are one of the ACT’s major pest species and cause massive harm to both the natural environment and agricultural productivity. Rabbit grazing results in loss of vegetation and their warrens contribute to soil erosion,” Director-General of the Environment and Planning Directorate, Dorte Ekelund, said today.
“The Australian Government’s Established Pest Animals and Weeds funding will support spotlight monitoring and rabbit warren mapping on rural lands which will provide the very latest information on rabbit numbers and distribution in three pilot districts,” Ms Ekelund said.
“We are encouraged to see the interest by ACT landholders in the Majura, Callum Brae/Jerrabomberra and Pialligo districts.
“The project will also support training, coordinated cross-property planning and demonstrations of best practice management rabbit control techniques to reduce rabbit numbers, destroy rabbit warrens and maintain vigilance to prevent populations building back up again,” Ms Ekelund said.
Last year the ACT Government released a new best practice management guide for rabbits in the ACT that builds on nationally-agreed control techniques in the Model Code of Practice for the Humane Control of Rabbits.
Ms Ekelund said pest control was best managed as a partnership between government and private land managers.
“Approximately half of the ACT Government’s annual vertebrate pest budget is invested in limiting the spread of rabbits in the Territory’s highest conservation areas.
“Rabbits are effectively controlled when populations are reduced to low numbers – and those low numbers are maintained.
“This project will complement the ACT Government’s ongoing rabbit eradication program by supporting cross-property collaboration in rabbit monitoring and control,” Ms Ekelund said.
The Established Pest Animals and Weeds initiative is part of the Australian Government’s Agricultural Competitiveness White Paper, the government’s plan for stronger farmers and a stronger economy.
For more information visit www.environment.act.gov.au
- Statement ends -
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