Targeting the critically endangered Natural Temperate Grassland of the VVP

The Victorian Volcanic Plains Recovery Project is a series of coordinated projects running across land tenures, working with private land holders and public land managers to protect and enhance three critically listed EPBC Act ecological communities and three critically endangered species – eastern barred bandicoot, button wrinklewort and spiny rice flower. A combination of incentive programs, monitoring, ecological and traditional burning, seed collection and species reestablishment, knowledge and awareness raising activities, will lead to an improvement in the condition of the listed ecological communities and species

Investment: $500,000

Funding by: Australian Governments Regional Land Partnerships (RLP)

Delivery partners: Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP), Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation, Wadawurrung Aboriginal Corporation, Trust for Nature, Arthur Rylah Institute

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: – Perameles gunnii Victorian subspecies (eastern barred bandicoot (mainland)) – Pimelea spinescens subsp. Spinescens (spiny rice-flower) – Rutidosis leptorrhynchoides (button wrinklewort)	The trajectory of the eastern barred bandicoots is improved through 1,020 ha of habitat being actively managed as a ‘safe haven’. A new population of the eastern barred bandicoots is established at Tiverton, with the introduction of 50 animals. A population of eastern barred bandicoot is genetically enhanced through gene pool mixing. The trajectory of the spiny rice-flower is improved, through an enhancement of three sites of critical habitat, using appropriate burning regimes. The trajectory of the button wrinklewort is stabilised, through improved and active management regimes on seven wild populations.
Outcome 4. By 2023, the implementation of priority actions is leading to an improvement in the condition of EPBC Act listed Threated Ecological Communities: – Natural Temperate Grassland of the Victorian Volcanic Plan	An improvement in the condition of 1,500 ha of EPBC Act listed communities through the treatment of herbaceous weeds and ecological burning. The condition of 630 ha of EPBC Act listed ecological communities is enhanced through: – Improved land management practices, such as stocking rates, watering arrangements and altered paddock design – Active removal of weeds and gradual removal of grazing Active control of pest animals