Our Tasmania Island Ark project is recreating thousands of hectares of habitat across the island state to create a stronghold for Australia’s critically endangered animals, while revitalising local farming communities.

The Problem

More than 200 years of farming have heavily impacted the habitat of the Tasmanian Midlands, with large areas cleared for intense agricultural production, leaving small scattered fragments of native vegetation. These remaining patches are vulnerable to further loss of habitat, invasion by weeds and feral animals, and the impacts of climate change. This has resulted in the decline in wildlife populations across the Midlands and put us at risk of losing some of our most iconic species forever.

The Midlands also suffer from severe tree decline, where older eucalypts in remnants and paddocks are dying and are not being replaced naturally by new young trees. The extent and quality of habitat for native animals will continue to decline unless we intervene.

The Solution

Greening Australia is working with local farmers, researchers, businesses and government to manage these threats, improve habitat and relink the land by creating wildlife corridors that connect the Eastern Tiers to the Central Highlands. Thousands of hectares of habitat are being recreated across the Midlands, enabling wildlife to move more easily in search of food, shelter and breeding partners, and enabling the land to cope better with the effects of climate change.

Wide-spread plantings provide stepping stones across the Tasmanian Midlands for more mobile animals and birds, whilst dense plantings along riverbanks provide habitat for more sedentary and secretive animals.

Science is firmly embedded in all aspects of the program, with Tasmania Island Ark receiving ongoing, strong scientific support from the University of Tasmania (UTAS), where Greening Australia is an industry partner for three Australian Research Council-supported research projects. Through these projects, PhD candidates and post-doctorate staff are assisting us to better design and implement our on-ground work.

We are also working with farmers, artists, schools, businesses and the Aboriginal community to better interpret the natural environment, actively involving them in on-ground work and associated scientific research.

All of our work is carried out in a way that complements local farming businesses and encourages economic activities by creating jobs, engaging forestry and agricultural contractors, improving aesthetic and amenity values and stimulating tourism. A win-win for the environment and the midland communities.

Landholders who want to discuss getting involved in Tasmania Island Ark are encouraged to register interest via our landholder portal. For more information about this program, please send us an online query.