The threatened species of the Mary River catchment will hopefully be less threatened in future, thanks of state and federal funding for research aimed at improving the area’s threatened species management and recovery.
The project is being run by the Burnett Mary Regional Group and will involve surveys of waterways and dry land across the catchment.
“This will establish a baseline of information to guide future species and habitat management,“ a BMRG spokesperson said.
The money, provided through the jointly funded Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements, will be used to research waterways and biodiversity in flood-affected communities.
BMRG’s Director of Research, Tom Espinoza, said work had begun on the survey of threatened species in the catchment, including the Australian lungfish, Mary River turtle, Mary River cod and white-throated snapping turtle. Key cultural and pest species were also being surveyed and documented, he said.
The project was a 12-month venture to determine the distribution and abundance of various threatened species after the floods.
He said this would help in assessing other data collected with other stakeholders and would help researchers “make informed decisions about possible interventions in the future, such as riparian revegetation.”
“There are traditional sampling methods such as nets, electro fishing, cameras and acoustic traps,” he said.
“We’re combining that with more emerging, novel techniques such as environmental DNA.
“We’re surveying 50 sites across the entire Mary River catchment, including its tributaries.”
Partners in the project include Traditional Owners, Griffith University, Mary River Catchment Coordinating Committee and Noosa Council.
