In 2022, a partnership project between Bass Coast Landcare Network, South Gippsland Landcare Network, Trust for Nature, INVERT-ECO, Drift Media and the Gippsland Threatened Species Action Group was awarded a grant by the Federal Government. The project was entitled “Enhanced Knowledge and Protection of the Giant Gippsland Earthworm” and awarded under the Environment Restoration Fund-Threatened Species Strategy Action Plan-Priority Species Grants. The aim of the project was to identify GGE habitat on farms and provide recommendations on habitat management. The project builds on the GGE National Recovery Plan (2010) recommendations by permanently protecting GGE colonies and habitat with a Trust For Nature Covenant and nine non-perpetual landholder agreements. The project also conducted botanical assessments of GGE habitat and established long-term monitoring sites to produce refined Ecological Vegetation Class (EVC) species lists more suitable for GGE habitat. The majority of GGE habitat in the Strzelecki Ranges has been cleared for agriculture. GGE can survive well under pasture but need protection from threats such as changes in the soil moisture, soil compaction and pugging by cattle. Revegetation of dense high-water usage species can dry out GGE habitat. This project aimed to protect GGE habitat while demonstrating the planting of indigenous vegetation adjacent to colonies that once grew in the south-western Strzeleckis before European settlement. This was achieved by fencing GGE habitat to protect them from grazing pressures such as compaction and pugging and creating a buffer around the colonies where a modified planting method is used in different buffer zones. This includes using lower planting densities and selection of specific lifeforms from the appropriate EVC. Project Partner Contributions Bass Coast Landcare Network (BCLN) was responsible for the overall governance and management of this project, including contract, financial and partnership management and project reporting. South Gippsland Landcare Network (SGLN) - Establish Landholder Agreements, fencing and revegetation. Oates Environmental Consulting - Vegetation Assessments, EVC guidelines. INVERT-ECO - GGE Habitat Assessments, Fact Sheet and Website Content. Trust For Nature - Undertake on-ground works (stock exclusion fencing and weed control) and establish covenants at two sites with GGE habitat to provide permanent, on title protection and long term stewardship. Drift Media - Case Study Multimedia Production.

The Giant Gippsland Earthworm Project is supported by the Bass Coast Landcare Network, South Gippsland Landcare Network, Drift Media, Invert-Eco, Oates Environmental Consulting, Trust For Nature, the Gippsland Threatened Species Action Group and the Australian Government.

• basscoastlandcare.org.au • driftmedia.com.au • invert-eco.com.au

• trustfornature.org.au • sgln.net.au

For general information regarding these partner organisations, please refer to the following websites:

The ‘Enhanced Knowledge and Protection of the Giant Gippsland Earthworm’ project received grant funding from the Australian Government.

Click to enlarge