We are very proud to be announce our new partnership with Carbon Landscapes to support their habitat conservation and native species reintroduction programs.
With financial support from First Option Bank, Carbon Landscapes has purchased an expansive parcel of ecologically diverse land at Telopea Downs in Western Victoria to create a “safe haven” for endangered native species… like the tiny Mallee Emu-Wren.
The Emu-Wren was once widespread throughout Victoria’s mallee regions, but their numbers have been decimated by land clearing and bushfires. Weighing only 4 grams, the Emu-Wen is not a strong flier and is particularly vulnerable to bushfires. Unable to cross large, open areas, the species has disappeared from large parts of its former range in Victoria. The birds spend most of their time close to the ground in dense cover, darting between patches of Mallee spinifex. Zoos Victoria estimates there are between 7,500 and 35,500 birds left in the wild, placing the species in the endangered category.
First Option has ‘adopted’ this beautiful little bird and will support Carbon Landscapes to reintroduce the Mallee Emu-Wren to the region and ensure it thrives in protected habitat.
More than 800 hectares of private mallee woodland is now being managed for conservation as part of an innovative plan to protect some of the country’s most endangered native wildlife species. The region containing Telopea Downs is one of the few locations in Victoria where the once prolific Emu-Wren – which Zoos Victoria recently also added to its Fighting Extinction species list – is now found. As custodians of the habitat, Carbon Landscapes will work with some of the country’s foremost scientific experts to remove introduced predator species, manage the habitat to the needs of the species and re-establish their populations.
Telopea Downs was selected in part due to its location alongside the Big Desert National Park, the oldest of Victoria’s three wilderness parks. When wildlife numbers in the program begin to grow, the aim will be to release some of them into protected areas like National Parks.
Chris Pitfield and Dr Steve Enticott are co-directors of Carbon Landscapes. They are at the forefront of a dynamic private enterprise approach to biodiversity conservation in Australia; pairing landowners directly with expert environmental managers from highly respected organisations like Zoos Victoria, Zoos SA and Federation University to get straight to the real work of providing safe havens for endangered native species.
For more information about Carbon Landscapes and the Mallee Emu Wren program, visit https://carbonlandscapes.com.au.