Hi,
A couple of years after the Hattah Nowingi Toxic Waste proposal in Victoria was
overturned, Mallee Emu-wren is now considered endangered. I wrote a nomination
at the time I was employed by Mildura Council as an expert witness in the
planning hearing. Sad to say, the planning panel never grasped the significance
of the species in the mallee landscape and the project was overturned on other
grounds. Only in time will we being to realise the relevance of species'
ecology in biodiversity assessment and its role in planning - see for example,
Quo Vadis Ecology.
I am indebted particularly to Jeff Davies (for first raising this issue), David
Paton and Rohan Clarke for data and support in preparing submissions and to the
locals in Mildura. Had it not been for the concern of a few individuals, this
bird would never have been properly recognised as a major national concern.
The IUCN accepted the nomination a long time ago but under Commonwealth law, we
only accept such things once they are endorsed by the Minister. This has now
happened - albeit belatedly.
It is not all good news though. Despite the nomination as "endangered" and the
relevance of this and other fire-prone species to biodiversity management in
Victoria, the State government continues to fuel reduction burn with dubious
biodiversity objectives. I only found out last night that one of our local
Powerful Owl nests was recently destroyed by a fuel burn near the Dandenongs.
Mallee Emu-wren is extremely sensitive to habitat loss, as a consequence of its
social behaviour and a strong metapopulation ecology. This means, the
population copes with fluctuations in annual weather by local dispersal and
return, between patches of good and poorer quality habitat. Species that are
wide-ranging and less habitat-specific cope better as they can move further.
Mallee Emu-wren is neither of these things. It moves very short distances and
only occurs in long unburnt Triodea grassland.
Unfortunately, I fear the next time I have anything to do with Mallee Emu-wren
may for the nomination of "Critically Endangered". We are simply not taking
serious-enough consideration of the biodiversity integrity of the northwest
Victorian mallee. Poor fire management is a key threatening process.
Simon Mustoe BSc (Hons) Ecology, CEnvP, MEIANZ, MIEEM, MECANSWDirector, AES
Applied Ecology Solutions Pty Ltd.
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