South West community takes lead on managing pests
Community-led pest management activities throughout the South West Land Division has been bolstered with four community groups, including one in the South West, receiving formal recognition.
The Recognised Biosecurity Groups can now access funding arrangements through the Biosecurity and Agriculture Management (BAM) Act 2007 to control declared pests such as wild dogs, foxes and rabbits and weeds such as cotton bush.
The new recognised biosecurity groups are:
- Blackwood Biosecurity Inc, encompassing Nannup, Bridgetown-Greenbushes, Boyup Brook, and the southern portion of Donnybrook-Balingup shires.
- Central Wheatbelt Biosecurity Association, which encompasses the shires of Perenjori, Dalwallinu and Koorda.
- Southern Biosecurity Group, which covers the Shire of Ravensthorpe.
- Northern Mallee Declared Species Group, which covers the Shire of Esperance.
The Department of Agriculture and Food supported the groups throughout the process.
Department project manager Simon Merewether said formal recognition represents the culmination of many years of work by the community to establish the groups and work together on local biosecurity issues.
The Recognised Biosecurity Groups, in consultation with their members, are now able to request a declared pest rate for their area.
Funds raised from rates are matched dollar-for-dollar by the State Government under the BAM Act and are made available to finance pest management activities.
Blackwood Biosecurity Inc. Executive Officer Sheila Howat said the group can now confidently plan for long term partnerships with private landholders, business, industry and government.
Going forward the Blackwood Biosecurity Inc. will be working to inform the community about biosecurity risks in the region and what they can do to address them.
“We urge all landholders, across our four shires, whatever the size or location of your property to be our eyes and ears and let us know what pest plants and animals you are seeing," said Ms Howat.
Ms Howat ask community members to post photos and comments on the Blackwood Biosecurity Facebook page or phone +61 (0)475 774 558.
The Department is supporting this process through its Transforming Regional Biosecurity Response, part of the Boosting Biosecurity Defences project, made possible by Royalties for Regions funding.
For more information contact Department project manager Simon Merewether on +61 (0)8 9780 6291 or Blackwood Biosecurity Inc executive officer Sheila Howat on +61 (0)475 774 558.