What we do
Imagine waking up one day and realising that many of the uniquely Australian birds and animals we’ve grown up with have disappeared or fallen silent. It’s a scenario that doesn’t bear thinking about and yet that’s exacting what’s happening, with many of our iconic species now in serious decline.
The challenges that threaten the survival of our biodiversity, whether at a global, regional or local level, have never been greater and, at times, seem insurmountable.
In southern Australia, progressive and widespread land clearing over the last 150 years has seen the large tracts of native woodland that once dominated the landscape become fragmented and isolated. The patches of temperate woodland that remain are also being degraded by an array of human-related processes: introduced and invasive plant and animal species, inappropriate fire regimes, firewood removal, erosion, overgrazing and climate change…. The list goes on. These processes pose a major threat to biodiversity with the result that many of our iconic species are in dramatic decline.
The challenges that threaten the survival of our biodiversity, whether at a global, regional or local level, have never been greater and, at times, seem insurmountable.
In southern Australia, progressive and widespread land clearing over the last 150 years has seen the large tracts of native woodland that once dominated the landscape become fragmented and isolated. The patches of temperate woodland that remain are also being degraded by an array of human-related processes: introduced and invasive plant and animal species, inappropriate fire regimes, firewood removal, erosion, overgrazing and climate change…. The list goes on. These processes pose a major threat to biodiversity with the result that many of our iconic species are in dramatic decline.
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In working towards our vision of healthy, biodiverse and resilient ecosystems for north-central Victoria, the Kara Kara CMN has identified a number of targets for conservation action within our region. Falling within three main categories, these conservation targets are identified below:
1) Threatened and declining vegetation communities Box-Ironbark Forest, Grassy Woodland, Heathy Woodland and Plains Woodland 2) Threatened and declining flora and fauna Brush-tailed Phascogale (Phascogale tapoatafa), Woodland birds, Endemic native orchids, Buloke (Allocasuarina luehmannii), Silver Banksia (Banksia marginata), Grey Grass-tree (Xanthorrhoea glauca ssp. angustifolia) and Spiny Riceflower (Pimelea spinescens ssp. spinescens) 3) Riparian and aquatic ecosystems Natural Creek-lines, Ephemeral soaks and Freshwater Wetlands |
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The Kara Kara CMN employs a range of strategies and actions to help mitigate the impacts of these threats on our conservation targets. Key themes include:
To find out more, refer to the Kara Kara CMN’s Strategic Plan 2019-2023.
- Conserving, protecting and enhancing natural habitats and species;
- Being an advocate for biodiversity;
- Engaging with the community;
- Building strong and enduring partnerships;
- Contributing to scientific knowledge; and
- Securing the Network’s future.
To find out more, refer to the Kara Kara CMN’s Strategic Plan 2019-2023.
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Pictured above: Powerful Owl (Photo: H Yuille).
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Page last reviewed: 24/3/2020
