By KATH GANNAWAY
AGRIBUSINESS Yarra Valley is calling for a united approach to getting rid of rabbits around the Silvan and Wandin districts.
A meeting tomorrow night (Wednesday, 15 July) is aimed not only at farmers, but at all landholders where the destructive little critters are causing environmental havoc.
Agribusiness has received funding over a two-year period for on-ground pest animal control to manage soil erosion and improve native vegetation cover in the area.
Project co-ordinator Alison Brinson said it was a great opportunity for neighbours, both farmers, hobby farmers and residents to work together to decrease the rabbit population and improve native vegetation and diversity.
“Neighbouring landholders will work collaboratively to control the rabbits in a defined area using a variety of methods,” Ms Brinson said.
“The focus will be on deciding what is to be done, who will do it and getting it done”.
She said the other goal of the project was to improve native vegetation and protect existing areas from further degradation.
The project aims to encourage neighbours to work together on the issues by providing them with sufficient information and skills to better control the pest animals and continue to improve native biodiversity.
Ms Brinson said reducing the rabbit population would greatly benefit the environment by reducing erosion under tree roots and along creek banks which also resulted in sediment run-off into nearby waterways.
“Rabbits denude both native vegetation, local crops and gardens,” Ms Brinson said.
Remnant areas of native vegetation will receive assistance and new plantings with suitable native vegetation that increases native biodiversity, and will have much higher survival rates with decreased rabbit populations.
More than 270 landholders in the initial project area, which is property owners abutting Silvan-Monbulk Road, Queens Road, Parker Road and Wandin-East Road have been notified of the information session which is at the Silvan Hall from 7pm to 9pm.
Landholders on surrounding properties are also welcome to attend.
For further information, contact Emma Amos on 5962 9423 or cab@agribusiness-yarravalley.com or Alison Brinson on 0458 502 933.
