Impact On Wildlifemacquarie Island

Impact of Wildlife Gardens

Private residential property makes up approximately one-third of the urban landscape and studies show that the impact of wildlife gardening is substantial.

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Initial findings from studies of 24 National Wildlife Federation certified habitats across the country suggest that wildlife gardening, if adopted on a wider scale, can help boost biodiversity: the variety of life that gives ecosystems their resiliency. This research was conducted as part of an ambitious four-year studyAmerican Residential Macrosystem: Yard Futures, funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF).

Macquarie Island has a long history of battling the impacts of introduced pests. The weka, or Maori hen, was brought to Macquarie Island in 1867 from New Zealand as a source of food. The weka put pressure on the native Macquarie Island parakeet and rail, and the species became extinct on the island.

These properties can connect corridors of habitat necessary for migratory species between natural and larger protected areas of habitat on state, municipal and federal lands. They provide a continuum of resources if planted with a rich diversity of native plants and trees to supply the food chain for insects and the animals who depend on them. (Tallamy, 2007)

1. Island County, a political subdivision of the State of Washington and home to 80,000 citizens, maintains a public website to deliver content and services to taxpayers and business partners.
2. A 17 acre Island jewel surrounded by the Thunder Bay River which winds through 500 acres of back waters, low islands and waterfowl. Several paths lead joggers, walkers, photographers, fishermen, nature lovers through varied eco systems including sand dunes, meadows, woodlands, gentle slopes, marsh areas.
3. ECOS Magazine, Towards a Sustainable Future. Celebrations on either side of the continent have marked impressive developments for two visionary Australian landscape reconnection projects.

Another study examined whether or not the matrix of homes and private properties between and near habitat patches (like parks, riparian areas and other natural areas) in Cook County, IL (Chicago Area), plays a role in supporting healthy migratory and resident bird population.

The study found that “streets with bird-friendly yards had almost twice as many species as those without.” The study also indicated that the presence of a variety of native trees provides habitat complexity and is crucial to making these yards more bird-friendly. (Belaire, Whelan, Minor, 2015)

Since 1973, property owners who have Certified Wildlife Habitats with the National Wildlife Federation, have witnessed this sort of evidence first hand. More recently, specific studies have been conducted in which these certified properties were compared with nearby non-certified properties.

Research on Certified Wildlife Habitats confirmed that property owner commitment to providing the four elements of habitat, food, water, cover, and places to raise young, while practicing sustainable gardening and landscaping—made a real difference:

Certified Wildlife Habitat properties providedmore abundant and higher quality wildlife habitat relative to non-certified yards.(Drake, Widows, 2014)

Specific Results for Wildlife and Nature

Certified Wildlife Habitats resulted in high percentages of:

• Wildlife that is present and observed on a daily basis, in particular, migratory wildlife such as bees, butterflies, birds, along with small mammals.

• Indicator species, such as monarch butterflies, bumblebees, and frogs. Indicator species are those that are moderately affected by disturbances to ecosystems and can act as an index of ecosystem health. Experimental small-scale flower patches increase bee species density. (Maria-Carolina M. Simao, 2017)

• Tree coverage than neighboring non -certified sites, improving water retention, minimizing erosion and surface habitat. Significantly, reduced carbon and air pollution properties was evident. In fact, National Wildlife Federation Certified Wildlife Habitats sequester 811.62 metric tons of CO2 annually more than their non‐certified neighbors. (UCLA, 2013)

• Native plants supporting wildlife than neighboring non-certified sites.

• Water conservation and stormwater runoff management through groundwater permeability.

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Benefits to People

Other literature along with participant self-reporting shows that habitat owners spent more time outside and that the overall increased oxygen producing vegetation, the visual interest and color of their active wildlife garden, and tree coverage had beneficial effects on both people and the ecosystem.

“Garden as if life depends on it.” Doug Tallamy

Sources

Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants. Douglas W. Tallamy, Timber Press, 2007

Evaluating Certified Wildlife Habitats and the Minds Behind Them. Practicum in Environmental Science. Jennifer M. Chan, Terry H. Chen, Yuxin Jin, Nicole M. Tachiki, Sara L. Vetter, Megan L. Vyenielo, Gina Y. Zheng. University of California Los Angeles. Institute of the Environment and Sustainability. 2014

Impact on the National Wildlife Federations’ Certified Wildlife Habitat Program on Mammalian Species Richness in Urbanized Residential Properties. Katherine L.M. Busch. Thesis, George Mason University, VA. 2013
Evaluating the National Wildlife Federation's Certified Wildlife Habitat™ program

Landscape and Urban Planning, Volume 129, Issue null, Pages 32-43. Steffenie A. Widows, David Drake. 2014.

Having our yards and sharing them too: the collective effects of yards on native bird species in an urban landscape. J. Amy Belaire, Christopher J. Whelan, & Emily S. Minor (2015). Ecological Applications 24(8), 2132–2143. DOI: 10.1890/13-2259.1.

7 April 2014
Matthew Groom, Minister for Environment, Parks and Heritage

TheMacquarie Island Pest Eradication project has been declared a success.

Theproject to eradicate rabbits and rodents from Macquarie Island is aconservation achievement of worldwide significance.

TheMinister for Environment, Parks and Heritage, Matthew Groom said a rigorousmonitoring program, which followed baiting, had not detected a rabbit, rat ormouse in more than two years.

'Theprogram is the world's largest island eradication for these three pest speciesand it has been an unqualified success,' Mr Groom said.

'In2007, the Australian and Tasmanian Governments announced they would jointlyfund the $25 million project to eradicate rabbits, rats and mice from the WorldHeritage listed island.

'Australiacan rightly be very proud of this outstanding result. It is exciting to see anecosystem which suffered significant degradation due to pest species for morethan 100 years, firmly on the road to recovery.

'Pesteradication is costly, as it requires the removal of every last individual of aspecies, but in the long run is far cheaper than ongoing pest control.'

MrGroom said the island's considerable size of 12,785 hectares, and its location1500 kilometres southeast of Tasmania in the sub-Antarctic, presentedincredible logistical challenges.

'Meticulousplanning was required to meet these challenges and to minimise the impact onnon-target species,' Mr Groom said.

'Theproject's success has been an incredible feat of persistence and dedication bythe hunters and dog handlers from the Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service.'

'Theyhave scoured the island intensively, walking 90,000 km, more than twotimes the earth's circumference, in their efforts to locate any survivingindividual pests.'

'Whileit may take a decade or more for the island's ecosystem to achieve equilibriumfollowing the removal of the pest species, there are already significant signsof recovery in terms of vegetation and bird species.

'Itwas expected that up to 24 bird species will benefit from the eradicationproject, and signs of increased breeding success of some species areencouraging.'

MrGroom said biosecurity measures for all shipping to the island have beenimproved in a joint program between the Australian Antarctic Division and theParks and Wildlife Service.

PictureOpportunity:

The Parks andWildlife Service's Macquarie Island Pest Eradication Team will arrive in Hobarttoday, Monday, 7 April 2014.

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Environment,Parks and Heritage Minister Matthew Groom will welcome the team of 13 which includesproject staff, hunters and dog handlers, plus 11 dogs.

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TheL'Astrolabe will arrive at Macquarie Wharf 3 at 6.00pm.

News crewsare requested to be on site at 5.30pm for clearance to the wharf. Please wearappropriate clothing and enclosed footwear (no open sandals).