A cattle farmer has welcomed the creation of two new nature refuges in north-west Queensland, saying they’ll assist graziers handle the land and protect endangered species.
Key factors:
- The refuges are being established to protect endangered species
- A refuge is a legally protected parcel of land underneath the state’s Nature Conservation Act
- Farmers say the refuges will enable higher land administration
Last week, the Queensland authorities introduced the Norfolk Nature Refuge. Located 200 kilometres north-west of Mount Isa, the refuge will embody greater than 30,000 hectares of protected space.
Additionally, it has introduced the Herbertvale Nature Refuge, which can cowl just below 30,000ha of bushland on the Herbertvale cattle station, about 260km north-west of Mount Isa, simply south of Lawn Hill.
Environment Minister Meaghan Scanlon mentioned in a press release that the authorities pledged $1.6 million to the brand new refuges to “protect and help the immense biodiversity and habitats for numerous endangered species”.
Better land administration
Nature refuges are a category of personal protected space underneath the state’s Nature Conservation Act 1992 which are administered by a legally binding settlement between a landholder and the federal government.
Shelly Hawkins is a grazier and the supervisor of Herbertvale Station. She mentioned the creation of the refuges had given her “extra instruments to higher handle the land”.
“We can now fence off a few of these waterways to preserve them as lovely as they’re,” Ms Hawkins mentioned.
“It means we’re ready to fence off a few of our downs nation that’s simply overgrazed.
“So it simply offers us administration instruments to have the option to unfold out grazing pressures, and preserve the nation in its finest situation.”
Protecting threatened species
Both nature refuges are a part of the Mount Isa native authorities space.
The area has no less than 25 uncommon or threatened species, in accordance to knowledge from the Queensland Department of Environment and Science.
Ms Scanlon mentioned the brand new refuges would “additional protect the conservation values of the realm and guarantee our wildlife will thrive”.
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