refuge destruction and other follow up control works. landholders of learning the techniques to assess rabbit density. Mid and end of project monitoring of Assumption and rationale rabbit population densities. Consultations with landholders and community will Use of the Ecological Moitoring provide the project with sufficient volunteers to undertake Guide over project life will indicate if baseline survey. A sufficient number of volunteers have vegetation condition (including already been engaged on similar projects. Consultation during threatened flora species) is project development indicated these volunteers are likely to improving. If this data indicates the be involved in this project. reduced rabbit population density is not resulting in vegetation condition Baseline data used to aid design of control program is improvement the project will be robust enough to result in sufficient control measures modified to address this. being designed. Population assessment methodology follows standard protocols and will provide the data needed to assess Monitoring impact of methods on population densities. Risk that, if not trained sufficiently, rabbit populations and vegetatation inexperienced volunteers could bias the data. All volunteers condition will enable the project to will be required to undertake a thorough training program to assess effectiveness of methods and be involved in field assessments. In the field groups of adapt to any difficencies detected. volunteers will work in tandem with an experienced staff member to ensure accuracy of data. Professional advice and commercial contractors will be available to assist at appropriate times. List of contractors already known and availability checked. Control measures will be effective. Through assessment of population density and dynamics, securing involvement of targeted properties and hiring of experienced contractors control measures have a high probability of success. However monitoring wil be undertaken to assess effectiveness of methods. Reduction of rabbit populations will result in improved vegetation condition, and regeneration of threatened flora
refuge destruction and other follow up control works. landholders of learning the techniques to assess rabbit density. Mid and end of project monitoring of rabbit population densities. Use of the Ecological Moitoring Guide over project life will indicate if vegetation condition (including threatened flora species) is improving. If this data indicates the reduced rabbit population density is not resulting in vegetation condition improvement the project will be modified to address this. Monitoring impact of methods on rabbit populations and vegetatation condition will enable the project to assess effectiveness of methods and adapt to any difficencies detected. Assumption and rationale Consultations with landholders and community will provide the project with sufficient volunteers to undertake baseline survey. A sufficient number of volunteers have already been engaged on similar projects. Consultation during project development indicated these volunteers are likely to be involved in this project. Baseline data used to aid design of control program is robust enough to result in sufficient control measures being designed. Population assessment methodology follows standard protocols and will provide the data needed to assess population densities. Risk that, if not trained sufficiently, inexperienced volunteers could bias the data. All volunteers will be required to undertake a thorough training program to be involved in field assessments. In the field groups of volunteers will work in tandem with an experienced staff member to ensure accuracy of data. Professional advice and commercial contractors will be available to assist at appropriate times. List of contractors already known and availability checked. Control measures will be effective. Through assessment of population density and dynamics, securing involvement of targeted properties and hiring of experienced contractors control measures have a high probability of success. However monitoring wil be undertaken to assess effectiveness of methods. Reduction of rabbit populations will result in improved vegetation condition, and regeneration of threatened flora
example-meri-plan.docx