Media Releases

Restoring habitat for the Mountain Pygmy-possum

Mount Hotham Alpine Resort Management Board has been busy expanding and improving habitat for the critically endangered Mountain Pygmy-possum. A few years ago, the Tunnel of Love was constructed to safely link possum populations above and below the Great Alpine Road at Mount Higginbotham.

Now, the habitat restoration at Mt Little Higginbotham has further increased habitat and connectivity to support the local Mountain Pygmy-possum populations.

Regional Bushfire Recovery Biodiversity Project - A year in review

Nearly two years after the Black Summer bushfires, we are still undertaking our recovery journey, and recovery looks different for our species, systems, and people.

As part of the Regional Bushfire Recovery Project, the North East CMA has worked with key partners to support the recovery of native species and ecological communities, such as the Mountain Pygmy-possum and alpine peatlands.

Find out more about project activities on the project review StoryMap.

Click on: https://arcg.is/1L4jvW

Mountain Pygmy-possums - Rebuilding the Boulderfields

The Mountain Pygmy-possum lives in the high country of Victoria and NSW. For some of our Traditional Owners, they are a very important totem species. The typical basalt boulderfields which is their habitat have diminished. Work to maintain and supplement this boulderfield habitat has been undertaken at Mt Little Higginbotham.

Mt Little Higginbotham’s boulder field was historically quarried, with the rocks mainly used for road and building materials. While the quarry operations ceased before the 1980s, gaps in what would have likely been Mountain Pygmy-possum habitat have remained.

See the video showing the restoration works in action.

Porepunkah Primary School's plantation block

A Partnership Project is well underway along the Upper Ovens River in Porepunkah. 2.9 Ha of river frontage has been treated for invasive weeds like willow and blackberry. This project sets out to increase recreation access to the river and increase the biodiversity of the riparian zone vegetation by eliminating weeds and by re-establishing indigenous plants.

The Upper Ovens Valley Landcare Group is working with the Porepunkah Primary School to deliver a junior landcare program where the students will be involved in tree planting days

This project has been delivered in partnership with NECMA, the Upper Ovens Valley Landcare Group and the Porepunkah Primary School and biodiversity funding from the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP).

FACTS:

•  This project builds on the Buckland/Ovens confluence site just downstream of this project area where 5,000 plants have been planted and are establishing successfully.
• The UOVLCG & Junior landcare participants are planting 1000 plants at the site.

Headwater invasive woody weed control

Did you know that the pristine headwaters of the Upper Ovens River are under threat from invasive weeds?

Salix cinerea, commonly known as grey sallow willow, is an invasive introduced willow species that has colonised areas of the Victorian alpine environment

The Upper Ovens Flagship Project sets out to identify locations of grey sallow willow using drone and aerial surveillance. The willow infestations are then identified in the landscape and specialist remote contractors are sent in to treat the problem areas.

This multi year project sets out to preserve our pristine Headwaters and is delivered in partnership with Traditional Owner groups, DELWP, Arthur Rylah Institute, Monash University and the four CMAs spanning the Victorian Alps including North East CMA, and Parks Victoria.