Cash for conservation

Landholders in Patho Plains can now receive financial incentives to help fight the extinction of the critically endangered plains-wanderer.

Conservation organisation Trust for Nature, in partnership with North Central Catchment Management Authority, is offering $1000 per hectare tolandholders who protect their grassland to provide suitable habitat for the native bird.

Because of habitat clearing and cultivation, there are fewer than 1000 of this unique species left in the wild.

Greg Rankin is the latest landholder to express interest in receiving the new incentive by applying to put a conservation covenant — a legally binding agreement permanently protecting native vegetation — on 120ha of his property on the Patho Plains.

‘‘The cash incentives are really great and show the value of what we have out here,’’ he said.

‘‘And the beauty of our covenant is that we can still selectively graze our land. There’s no negative effect for us.’’

Trust for Nature senior conservation officer Kirsten Hutchison said the opportunity to offer financial incentives to landholders for covenanting their land was a huge win in the urgent fight for the plains-wanderer.

‘‘Time is running out and conservation covenants are absolutely critical to the survival of this bird,’’ she said.

‘‘We still have cases of unauthorised grassland clearance on the Patho Plains even though it’s protected under state and federal legislation and there’s less than one per cent of these grasslands left. It’s heartbreaking.

‘‘Conservation covenants are the only way we can guarantee that nothing happens to this habitat in the future and to ensure the plains-wanderer doesn’t become extinct.’’

Under a conservation covenant, Trust for Nature works directly with landholders to sensitively manage their land. The northern plains grasslands in Victoria are one of the few areas in the state where selective grazing complements conservation.

Conservation covenants, however, aren’t just beneficial for endangered species. In addition to the financial incentives, Kirsten said landholders took a lot of pride in knowing they had plains-wanderers on their property.

‘‘People love being a part of this journey to help save a species,’’ she said.

‘‘When they realise they have a natural legacy on their property, they understand what a difference they can make.’’

Greg said he was proud to be leaving a legacy for the future.

‘‘It harks back to remembering what the land was like when you were a kid and wanting to give that to the next generation,’’ he said.

‘‘I’m proud to be helping out.’’

This project is supported by North Central Catchment Management Authority, through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program.