Protecting critters in the wetlands

Photo: South Coast NRM Ramsar Wetlands Project Officer Kelsey Tucker adjusting a remote sensing camera on the Murray farm. CREDIT Dorothy Henderson, South Coast NRM Inc.

The setting up of remote sensing cameras to capture animals on film is all in a day’s work for South Coast Natural Resource Management (NRM) team members dedicated to the cause of protecting and restoring the values of the Ramsar wetlands in the Esperance area.

Those who live in an areas surrounded by natural wonders tend to become a little blasé about what is right in front of them, and with one wetland of international significance right at Esperance’s doorstep, and another about 35 west of the town, Esperance residents could easily take such landmarks for granted.

But with funded projects aimed at preserving and restoring the systems that essential to the lives of many creatures, notably resident and migratory water birds, South Coast NRM is acutely aware of the significance of the Lake Gore and Lake Warden wetland systems and works on many fronts to achieve this goal.

Farmers are being encouraged to revegetate areas susceptible to erosion, with soil shifted from farms into river systems creating issues for water bodies downstream. Perennial pastures and native plants are options for areas that need to be worked on in a way that increases farm productivity and provides environmental benefits.

Fencing is being encouraged to protect vulnerable areas from livestock, and the control of introduced predators such as foxes and feral cats is also an integral part of the work to protect the wetlands’ inhabitants.

As part of a project aimed at protecting native species from predation by foxes, remote sensing cameras were set up at several locations on farm bordering the Lake Warden and Lake Gore systems, including Tom and Jenny Murray’s Dalyup farm, nestled in the 4,017ha Ramsar listed Lake Gore wetland.

The cameras were used as part of a control program, with feral animal numbers recorded before control measures were implemented, and afterwards to see how effective the actions had been.

The wetlands are one of the global sites recognised by the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, especially as Waterfowl Habitat. The convention is commonly referred to as The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands and was signed in Ramsar, Iran in 1971, coming into force in 1975. Treaty signatories agree to cooperate on an international basis for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.

Australia currently has 66 Ramsar wetlands that cover more than 8.3 million hectares. Ramsar wetlands are those that are representative, rare, or unique wetlands, or are important for conserving biological diversity. There are 12 such wetlands in Western Australia, and two are in the Esperance region: Lake Warden and Lake Gore. These are included on the List of Wetlands of International Importance developed under the convention.

By helping to control feral animals within the systems, South Coast NRM is helping to protect vulnerable native species that would otherwise end up on the uninvited predator’s menu.’

This project is delivered by South Coast NRM, through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program.