{"id":28149,"date":"2015-05-09T23:49:20","date_gmt":"2015-05-09T13:49:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/nofibs.com.au\/?p=28149"},"modified":"2019-04-16T13:31:22","modified_gmt":"2019-04-16T03:31:22","slug":"will-lisanevillemp-move-fast-enough-on-gfnp-to-save-leadbeaters-possum-from-extinction-asks-takvera-vicpol","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.nofibs.com.au\/will-lisanevillemp-move-fast-enough-on-gfnp-to-save-leadbeaters-possum-from-extinction-asks-takvera-vicpol\/","title":{"rendered":"Will @LisaNevilleMP move fast enough on #GFNP to save Leadbeater’s possum from #extinction? asks @Takvera #vicpol"},"content":{"rendered":"

Leadbeater’s Possum, also known as Victoria’s fairy possum, is one of those species fighting for survival against the odds and against the juggernaut that is human industrial society.<\/p>\n

Finally last month, on the recommendation of the Threatened Species Scientific Committee, Leadbeater’s Possum (Gymnobelideus leadbeateri) was upgraded to being listed as critically endangered<\/a> under the EPBC Act. The announcement<\/a> was made by Federal Environment Minister Greg Hunt on April 22, 2015.<\/p>\n

“The challenges facing this iconic species are significant. It has undergone very severe population declines in recent decades with numbers having decreased by more than 80 per cent since the mid 1980s.” said Hunt. “That is why we will be working closely with the Victorian Government to find a solution which will help save the possum for future generations.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Victorian Environment Minister Lisa Neville told the Age<\/em> on May 3, 2015 (Minister flags new national park within this term to save the possum<\/a>) that a Great Forest National Park could become a reality during the current Government’s term “Yes, I think so. I’m hoping that’s the case, but I also think that will come with a commitment and a plan around the protection of jobs and workers and their families.”<\/p>\n

But with Vic Forests continuing to log old growth forest coupes in the Central Highlands, the question becomes one of will a new National Park come too late to save Leadbeater’s possum species, and it’s associated forest ecosystem, from extinction?<\/p>\n

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As Leadbeater Possum is critically endangered please don’t go slow with #GFNP<\/a> @LisanevilleMP<\/a> http:\/\/t.co\/6780azBvO6<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/cvj8iWxRhM<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 John Englart EAM (@takvera) May 3, 2015<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Leadbeater’s possum species lives in the upper canopy of mountain ash forests in the Central Highlands of Victoria, and needs a mature forest with plenty of old trees for nesting holes, and younger regrowth trees for food. The species has an estimated 1500 individuals alive. There has been up to 80 per cent decline of the species population since the 1980s.<\/p>\n

\"Mountain<\/a>

Mountain Ash in Victoria’s Central Highlands. Photo: John Englart<\/p><\/div>\n

The Central Highlands forests of Victoria are some of the world’s most carbon dense<\/a> in terms of carbon sequestration, and yet this is seldom included when assessing their economic value for forestry and logging exploitation. Logging of mountain ash forests also increases bushfire risk and the risk of megafires<\/a>, and creates the potential for a landscape trap that could change the ecosystem permanently.<\/p>\n

As a result of the Black Saturday bushfires in February 2009 around 43-45 per cent of the Leadbeater’s possum population was decimated due to the loss of much of the old growth mountain ash forest. To conserve habitat remaining old growth forest should have been reserved, instead the rate of logging of these forests has continued apace. A study by Burns et al (2014)<\/a> (Full PDF<\/a>) concluded there is a 92% chance the Leadbeater\u2019s ecosystem in the Victoria central highlands will collapse within 50 years. <\/p>\n

“Our overall ranking of risk of collapse for the ecosystem was Critically Endangered. We are confident that this risk category is appropriate because all 39 scenarios modelled indicated a \u226592% chance of ecosystem collapse by 2067. Our findings highlight the important need for timely policy reform to facilitate improved management of the mountain ash ecosystem in Victoria. In particular, there needs to be greater protection of remaining areas of unburned forest, and restoration activities in parts of the forest estate. Implementation of these strategies will require a significant reduction in logging pressure on the mountain ash ecosystem.” concluded the study. <\/p>\n

Leadbeater’s possum is not a very big creature, weighing in at about 150 grams, but it’s small size makes it very photogenic and appealing when one is captured or displayed at Healsville sanctuary, run by Zoos Victoria. In the wild they are seldom seen as they are mostly nocturnal creatures foraging during the night with their big eyes, and resting in their nests in tree hollows during the day. <\/p>\n

The possum flits from tree to tree like a fairy in the canopy at night, using its prehensile tail to carry twigs back to its nest. This creature has already come back from extinction once. For more than half the twentieth century traces of the creature were not seen in Gippsland where the last traces where previously found, and it was feared the species was already extinct. Then, in March 1961 it was re-discovered living in the Central Highlands by Eric Wilkinson, a junior officer in the Victorian Museum. <\/p>\n

In 1968 it was made one of the faunal emblems of Victoria. You would think that being a symbol of Victoria would hold your species in good stead to have your habitat and ecosystem preserved. But, succeeding state government’s have only paid the merest lip service to taking the necessary conservation steps to protect this species by protecting it’s ecosystem. Logging the old growth forests has continued under the control of government body VicForests under both Liberal and Labor governments. Logging contracts and employment, including to make Reflex paper, have trumped conservation action at every turn, it seems. <\/p>\n