Key industry stakeholders gathered at Muresk this month for a workshop run by WABSI. They identified key issues of restoration around agricultural landscapes in the South-West that have been cleared for agriculture.
Next steps agreed were to:
• Develop a shared vision for an appropriate target for at-scale restoration in the South-West.
• Identify research priorities to help inform the WABSI Research Plan so that it reflects priorities for the State.
• Acknowledge and address the pressing need to share existing knowledge.
• Better understand and respond to the challenge of attracting funding for priority projects.
Some shires in the South-West have retained less than 5% of their original vegetation which is under increasing pressure from declining levels of rainfall, changed fire regimes, salinity, grazing and invasive species.
Whilst significant research has already helped to understand these environments better and developed solutions for restoration, there is still work to be done to prioritise the research and to bridge the gap between policy and practitioner needs.
Participants included representatives from: Bush Heritage, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, South West Catchment Council, Northern Agricultural Catchments Council, Birdlife Australia, Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority, Chatfield Nursery, Parnell Nursery, Main Roads, Carbon Neutral, Greening Australia, CSIRO, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Murdoch University, The University of Western Australia, Curtin University, Edith Cowan University, South Coast NRM, Wheatbelt NRM, Society for Ecological Restoration, Geographical Association, Mt Marshall Sandalwood, Peel Harvey Catchment Council, as well as representatives from the Gondwana Link project.
