DISPLAY TO CELEBRATE LOCAL BIODIVERSITY

September is National Biodiversity Month and this is a time for celebration of Australia’s rich diversity of life and what we can all do to conserve and restore habitat for our native plants and animals.

Biodiversity activities are a significant component of the MIA EnviroWise Program being implemented by Murrumbidgee Irrigation. Over the past few years, biodiversity activities have focused on improving our knowledge and understanding of what biodiversity still exists in the highly modified MIA.

“After conducting intensive surveys of birds, plants, mammals, frogs and reptiles in the MIA over the past few years, we now have a very good understanding of what species we can expect to find where and why”, reports Ms Harrison, Environmental Officer at Murrumbidgee Irrigation.

“Improved knowledge of local biodiversity provides an excellent platform for targeted action in priority areas in the future to help conserve the biodiversity that remains and even improve it for future generations” added Ms Harrison.

“To date more than 430 plant species, 140 bird species, 40 mammal species, 35 different reptiles and 12 different frogs have been recorded during the MIA surveys, and these reveal that the MIA does have abundant biodiversity. The challenge now is to work out how we can keep what we’ve got,” said Ms Harrison.

Biodiversity or the variety of life, is important for tourism, recreation, jobs, aesthetics and healthy ecosystems. Patches of native vegetation, roadsides and wetlands provide the most significant habitat for biodiversity and even very small patches are important.

There are things each one of us can do in our home, neighbourhood, and broader region to help conserve Australia’s unique biodiversity. Examples include: plant “local” natives in your garden, reduce the impact of dogs & cats on wildlife, or join a landcare group.

A display of material relating to the MIA EnviroWise biodiversity activities will be held at the Leeton Community Library from 2-16th September and the Griffith City Library from 19-30th September and this is a great opportunity for people to see what biodiversity activities have been happening in the region.

For further information about biodiversity activities or the MIA EnviroWise Program contact Louise Harrison at Murrumbidgee Irrigation on phone 69620200. Funding for these projects is from the National Action Plan for Water Quality and Salinity (NAP).