RESEARCH
Predator Management
Preparing landscapes and land managers for reintroduction of threatened species to ensure their survival beyond the fence.
Banner image, Conservation dingo at Mt Rothwell. Photo by Pete James
For our threatened species to genuinely thrive, we need to facilitate a future landscape where fences are not required to keep them safe from predators.
For this to become a reality, there is work to be done now on predator suppression research, building species resilience and proving the value of nature to farming. We need to expand the habitat for our species. This also involves creating sustainable funding solutions and engaging diverse groups of people to be part of the best solutions available.
Odonata is working in the following ways to prepare species and landscapes for a future where predator-proof fences are no longer needed:
Break through research
Odonata is developing practices and technologies to enable threatened species to take the final step back into the wild: the most-challenging final step, ‘beyond the fence’. In particular, we are focusing on making predators less-effective hunters, removing predators from the landscape and making our threatened species more resilient through improved genetics.
Feral predator research
Odonata is working with First Nations land managers, the agricultural sector and other landholders to reduce predator numbers and minimise their impacts on surrounding sanctuary landscapes, so that we can begin testing how to get species beyond the fence.
Enhancing and restoring biodiversity
We are facilitating landscape restoration and revegetation (for example, we successfully restored endangered Volcanic Plains Grasslands at Mt Rothwell) on our own properties and in partnership with other landholders to increase the extent of appropriate habitat for species return. We have worked to develop viable business models that integrate biodiversity into productive agricultural landscapes, providing an avenue to increase private land conservation and overall landscape resilience.
Taking the leap with innovative natural capital projects
There is an information and awareness gap regarding the financial and production benefits that farmers can unlock through different management strategies for their natural resources. Odonata have been leading a new farm-scale natural capital accounting program which will be central to proving the value of nature to healthy farming. In partnership with La Trobe University, we will continue to refine and scale this program across Australia and all farming operations to embed nature into the everyday thinking of all farmers.
Preparing to release Eastern Quolls at Tiverton Farm. Photo by Pete James