New land for national park will help save rare frog species

29/10/00

A rare opportunity to bolster the national park system in the forests along the Blackwood River and ensure the future of a critically endangered species of frog has been taken in a joint Commonwealth-State Government move.
The acquisition of a 1,570ha block of private land, 20km south-east of Margaret River, will link the proposed Forest Grove national park and the proposed Blackwood River national park.
Joining the two proposed national parks will form a contiguous park extending over more than 19,500ha. These areas also join other proposed and existing reserves extending over a further 18,000ha.
The signing of an agreement with the owners for the acquisition of the land was announced in Perth today by Environment Minister Cheryl Edwardes and Federal Member for Forrest Geoff Prosser.
The proposed Forest Grove and Blackwood River national parks have been identified as part of the joint Commonwealth-State Regional Forest Agreement process signed last year.
"Buying this private land to add to the conservation estate is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," Mrs Edwardes said.
"The land will be a significant addition to the national park network because of its diversity of landforms, flora and fauna and for the fact that its inclusion in the network will help preserve a corridor of native vegetation right through to the Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park along the coast.
"Importantly, the land provides habitat for 30 per cent of the known population of the critically-endangered white-bellied frog
(Geocrinia alba).
"The white-bellied frog, which was discovered only in 1983, has a very restricted distribution with only 56 populations recorded."
Mr Prosser said reservation of this area and its integration into the surrounding national park network will form a critical part of the recovery strategy for the frogs.
"Surveys by the Department of Conservation and Land Management show a diverse range of forest dwelling mammals live throughout the region and along the river," he said.
"These include quenda, brushtail possum, ringtail possum, dunnart, mardo, brushtail phascogale and chuditch.
"Although the area has been logged in the past, it contains many mature trees that provide habitat for hollow-nesting birds and mammals."
Mr Prosser said the Commonwealth would meet two-thirds of the cost of the land and the State Government would fund the remainder.
He said conservation initiatives through the Natural Heritage Trust had ensured that the habitat of all the known populations of another geocrinia - the orange-bellied frog (G. vitellina) was included in a comprehensive and representative reserve system.
Media contacts:
Steve Manchee (Minister Edwardes' Office) 9421 7777
Michelle Riley (Mr Prosser's office)