23 July 2020 - Landcare Tasmania's work to help reduce the impact of rodenticides on native wildlife is building strongly.
We have recently made a submission to the regulators about future use of anticoagulant rodenticides, we are about to commence community events with 2 projects funded from the Communities Environment Program, and we have a new Working Group to guide our approach to the issue.
While COVID-19 restrictions brought a slow down in a lot of community Landcare work, our Rodenticides Community Awareness Program has continued and evolved.
Our webinar
If you haven't already seen it, check out our May webcast on the impacts of rodenticides on wildlife. There's expert input and lots of great information to help you to take steps to reduce impact and address alternatives.
Rodenticides submission
We've also established a Working Group to provide ongoing direction to the program. The Working Group is comprised of people from our Members Council and Board, scientific experts and Landcare Tas staff. With this great support we were able to put together a submission to an enquiry by the Australian Veterinary and Pesticides Management Authority into anticoagulant rodenticides. There are changes needed to reduce impacts on native wildlife, and to ensure that the perverse outcome of animals that eat rats and mice being killed by the methods used to control them does not continue. Check out our submission.
CEP projects
Late last year we also received funding through the Communities Environment Program to provide education and awareness raising, deliver on ground work to improve habitat for prey species such as bandicoots, and install artificial nest boxes to address the lack of large hollow bearing trees in many areas. These projects were supported by the Member for Franklin, Julie Collins, and Member for Clark, Andrew Wilkie, but were put on hold due to COVID restrictions on gatherings. We're now recommencing the outreach events associated with these projects, with working bees at Mount Rumney and at Collinsvale first off the rank.
More details will be coming through our FACEBOOK PAGE and EVENTS CALENDAR, and you can SIGN UP to our free newsletter The Dirty Hands to stay up to date.
Not sure what the fuss is about?
Check out our background information page.
