12. Protecting and enhancing our Northern Plains Grasslands

The vegetation communities of the Victorian Northern Plains have been severely degraded since European settlement and the remaining 1% is fragmented into small remnant areas.

Careful management of these grasslands is essential as they are ecologically important and irreplaceable.

This project will continue to protect and enhance our Northern Plains Grasslands by working with farmers and land owners to permanently protect remnant grasslands, providing detailed covenant management plans to assist in managing grassland biomass and educating locals about the significance of grasslands using the globally significant Plains-wanderer as a focal species.

This project intends to work with Traditional Owner Groups to explore cultural burning in the landscape, including monitoring and evaluation of the grasslands response to the approach proposed and trialled by Traditional Owners.

This project also involves a series of on ground works focussed on restoration of modified grassland remnants, pest plant and animal control and improved land management practices, on public and privately owned Northern plains grasslands. The critical habitat of the Plains Wanderer.

Proposed actions

• Covenant high priority grasslands.

• Restore lower quality grasslands by applying the right biomass management regimes and seeding with native herbs.

• Address threats by controlling pest plant and animals.

• Re-introduce Plains-wanderers from the Captive Breeding program.

• Demonstrate the benefits of cultural burning in the landscape as an alternative to grazing (where possible) in the landscape.

For more information contact:
North Central CMA (03) 5448 7124

The North Central CMA and our Catchment Partners Forum have developed several options for you or your organisation to contribute to this exciting project including: 

  • In-kind support (such as donation of goods, services or volunteer work).
  • Strategic support (such as becoming a project partner in the delivery or planning).
  • Making a financial contribution (such as contributing to the contribution (such as contributing to the costs of project delivery).

For more information contact: North Central CMA (03) 5448 7124

Project details

$1M+

Native Species

Tourism/ Recreation

Environmental

Community Safety/Risk and Climate Change

ThemeEcological Communities and Native Species
BenefitsNative Species, Environmental, Tourism/Recreation, Community Safety/ Risk and Climate Change
Lead partnerNorth Central CMA
Delivery PartnerTrust for Nature, Northern Plains Conservation Management Network, Traditional Owners, Parks Victoria, DEECA, Zoos Victoria
StakeholdersBush Heritage Australia, Parks Victoria, Plains-wanderer National Recovery Team, Campaspe Shire, Gannawarra Shire, Loddon Shire
StatusIn delivery phase with the need to upscale
LocationPatho Plains, Lower Avoca, Bunguluke
Investment$1M+
UN Sustainable Development Goals13. Climate Action, 15, Life on Land, 17. Partnerships for the goals