Protecting plant and animal biodiversity in the Otway Ranges, Bells Beach (Ironbark Basin) and Great Ocean Road hinterland from Phytophthora dieback

⁠⁠⁠The Corangamite CMA is seeking the services of an experienced consultant with relevant technical and scientific experience and expertise to deliver a project to reduce the impact of Phytophthora dieback (Phytophthora cinnamomi) on the biodiversity of the Otway Ranges, including EPBC-listed protected species e.g. Tall Astelia, New Holland Mouse, Southern Brown Bandicoot and Swamp Antechinus.

The project is to be designed to prevent the introduction and/or minimise the spread of Phytophthora cinnamomi (PC) into uninfected critical habitat areas (notably the Carlisle Heathlands) and reduce the impact of the pathogen at infected sites critical to the conservation of threatened species. The project is to be designed and implemented with public land managers (the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, Parks Victoria), Traditional Owners and relevant technical specialists while also incorporating learnings from across Australia, including Western Australia’s South Coast Natural Resource Management Inc.

The project scope includes:
• Identification and mapping of pathogen infested vegetation and risk areas where the pathogen is most likely to spread (Priority Protection Areas/critical habitat areas) in the Otways using GIS and remote sensing technology;
• Exploration and possible development of an Otways PC Threat Abatement Plan and Standard Operating Procedures to reduce the spread of the pathogen;
• To apply and monitor the application of phosphite at landscape and site scales to reduce the impact of the pathogen on priority protection areas (with land manager approvals).
• To establish active biosecurity behaviour across the Otways through ‘Green Card’ training for public land managers, farmers, professionals, local communities and volunteers.

The project design proposed should also demonstrate how project outcomes will be maintained and built-upon, post-investment, including a post-project monitoring to demonstrate how project outcomes can be maintained into the future. The sub-projects will be of an iterative nature and contain data collation and monitoring interdependences that will need to be managed by the consultant through the delivery process.