Written by Carmelo Amalfi Friday, 26 February 2010 13:09
THE Federal Government has launched a $10 million biodiversity ‘blitz’ to describe new species occupying unexplored habitats across Australia
Western Australia will prove a challenge since the South-West of the State is classed as one of the top biological hotspots in the world.
The $10 million Bush Blitz program will send volunteers led by research teams of 10 to 12 members to search for new species and redefine old ones in the national reserves which make up 11 percent of Australia’s land mass.
Environment Minister Peter Garrett says the three year survey will help uncover some of the thousands of native species still to be found and described.
The program, jointly funded by the Australian Government ($6 million) and BHP Billiton ($4 million), will support survey trips and research studies managed by international conservation group Earthwatch and rangelands survey group National Scientific Reference Site Network.
The program has started with scientists setting traps for rare frogs, moths and marsupials.
Australia boasts more than 560,000 native species, yet scientists say only one-quarter of this biodiversity has been properly documented.
A Bush Blitz report also was released at the program launch - Focusing on the Landscape: Biodiversity in Australia's National Reserve System assesses the state of knowledge of biodiversity in Australia’s national reserve system based on records of 20,146 terrestrial fauna and flora species (54 percent of all known terrestrial species).
The survey is part of Australia's response to the UN’s International Year of Biodiversity.
