Protection and improvement of critical habitat
The Coastal Connections Project aims to improve the trajectory of the Australasian bittern and to stabilise the population of the orange-bellied parrot and eastern curlew. Key actions focus on the protection and improvement of critical habitat and population monitoring.
Australasian bittern recovery improves wetland habitat by restoring hydrological regimes, improving land management practices, and Aboriginal fire regimes on private land. It will support Bittern population monitoring.
Orange-bellied parrot recovery monitors habitat condition on public and private land and habitat use by the wild population; to inform the selection of release sites.
Shorebird recovery supports migratory shorebird monitoring on public and private land. The project engages with relevant Threatened Species Recovery Teams and other Service Providers to ensure complementary, best-practice approaches.
Investment: $2,700,000
Funding by: Australian Governments Regional Land Partnerships (RLP)
Delivery partners: BirdLife Australia, Nature Glenelg Trust, Gunditj Mirring Traditional Owner Aboriginal Corporation, La Trobe University, Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP)
| RLP outcomes and investment priorities | Anticipated contribution to RLP outcomes and investment priorities by 2023 |
| Outcome 2. By 2023, the trajectory of species targeted under the Threatened Species Strategy, and other EPBC Act priority species, is stabilised or improved – Botaurus poiciloptilus (Australasian bittern) – Neophema chrysogaster (orange-bellied parrot) – Numenius Madagascariensis (eastern curlew) | The extent of habitat for the Australasian Bittern is increased by the restoration of 100 ha of habitat previously lost through drainage. The quality of Australasian bittern habitat is improved by: – best management practices and mitigation of key threats on 290 ha of habitat and – utilisation of Aboriginal fire management practices on 45 ha of habitat. Orange-bellied parrot conservation management is better informed by increased knowledge of winter habitat use, through annual monitoring. Eastern Curlew and migratory shorebird conservation actions are improved by increased knowledge of populations from survey data. |
Now that the project has concluded, here’s a snapshot of what we were able to accomplish:
