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Environment Minister Donna Faragher today announced a major funding boost of $2.9million to protect threatened plant species in Western Australia, including funding to eradicate a dieback outbreak in one of the State’s major national parks.

The Natural Resource Management (NRM) funding included $424,000 to translocate and maintain critically endangered plant species; $870,000 to undertake emergency recovery actions for highest priority threatened flora; and $1.61million for dieback eradication in Fitzgerald River National Park.

“The projects are part of the latest round of the State Government’s $30million NRM funding aimed at protecting and improving WA’s natural resources and promoting biodiversity conservation,” Mrs Faragher said.

The dieback project is being implemented in partnership with South Coast NRM and the Centre for Phytophthora Science and Management at Murdoch University.

“This will focus on the containment and possible eradication of a Phytophthora dieback outbreak at Pabelup Road in Fitzgerald River National Park, which would be the first time dieback has been eradicated from a major conservation reserve and world biodiversity hotspot,” the Minister said.

“Alongside saving thousands of hectares from the destructive spread of dieback, the funding will go towards new management arrangements and standards to reduce the risk of further spread, and a targeted public education campaign.”

Mrs Faragher said another project would see the re-establishment of secure wild populations of 15 plant species, requiring urgent protection and recovery.

“Of the 15 species to receive special protection, two critically endangered wattle (acacia) species will be established in new locations near Mount Singleton in the Mid-West and three wattle and daviesia populations will be created near the Stirling Ranges on the south coast,” she said.

“The remaining 10 species, including honeysuckles, wattles, grevilleas, persoonias and eremophilas, have already been translocated but require further maintenance to ensure their survival.”

The ground work will be undertaken by the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) with the assistance of volunteers and community groups.

The $870,000 flora project is being implemented by DEC in association with local volunteers, including the Albany Wildflower Group. 

“This project will target key threatening processes impacting on threatened flora; facilitate seed banking and field investigations to gather genetic material; and determine the conservation status of selected species,” the Minister said.

“In total, this work will benefit 95 critically endangered, endangered and vulnerable flora species, and I am expecting the project to result in major gains in the conservation security of these species.”