Site Menu Image Courtesy of Clay Meyer About the Committee Feral Pig FAQ Downloads/ Reports Gallery Contact Details Related Links Home		About The Lake Muir/Denbarker Community Feral Pig Eradication Group History. Ten years ago, feral pigs were difficult to find along the south coast of Western Australia. Significant change to this situation occurred during the 1990s with increased reports of feral pig damage to farmland and increased sightings of feral pigs. The latter period also heralded a significant change in land use along the south coast with the establishment of tree plantations across large areas of what was grazing land. Tree plantations provide shelter, cover from detection, a food source, and water in dams that are maintained for fire control. This change in the landscape has enhanced the opportunity for feral pigs to spread. Concerns that feral pigs were increasing in number and distribution prompted action from two local farmers to improve existing control efforts. Mr Darrel Drage and Mr Tony Fox met with the then Minister for Agriculture, The Hon. Monty House MLA, and a Department of Agriculture representative Dr Tony Higgs. At that meeting it was agreed that a pilot project should be established to evaluate a trapping program in the late summer or early autumn of 2001. It was also agreed that the project should follow the general approach of shared responsibility as it was recognised that feral pigs cross many artificial boundaries of land ownership and a coordinated approach was far more likely to be successful. During the latter part of 2000, the major landowners and managers in the project area were approached for their possible contributions. Support in the form of funds, equipment and/or staff availability were provided by: Department of Environment and Conservation Water and Rivers Commission Department of Agriculture, and Great Southern Plantations Limited Funds available for employing contract trappers in 2001 totalled $17,000. The pilot trapping project was conducted in 2001 under the guidance of a Steering Committee that was created in December 2000. Results of the pilot project were made available to the community via a public meeting held in Mt Barker in May 2001. At that meeting there was wide ranging discussion about alternative options for controlling pigs including bounties, volunteer hunters and pressuring government ( in particular Department of Environment and Conservation) but the final recommendation was for a continuation of the current project. Pledges of financial support were given at that meeting. In July 2001, members of the committee and the President of the Plantagenet Shire, Mr Kevin Forbes, met with the Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, The Hon. Kim Chance MLC who was also representing the Minister for the Environment and Heritage, The Hon. Judy Edwards MLA. At that meeting Mr Chance indicated support for the project from both portfolios of government. In view of the support from both the public meeting, and from Mr Chance, funding was sought throughout the community in the latter part of 2001 for the trapping season commencing in the autumn of 2002. A total of $27,781.82 (excluding GST) was raised in 2001/2002. Trapping was conducted in the autumn and spring of 2002. Project Aim To facilitate the involvement of all landholders in the Lake Muir and Denbarker areas to contribute to the initial reduction of the feral pig population and the subsequent maintenance of low pig densities. Project Objectives The project was developed with multiple objectives that reflected the broad cross-section of community groups who have an interest in controlling feral pigs. A summary of these objectives follows: To minimise the effects feral pigs have on the likelihood of spreading exotic diseases To slow if not stop the effects feral pigs have on the quality of the natural environment To curb the effects feral pigs have on the quality of water in catchment areas. To reduce the effects feral pigs have on private property adjoining forest areas. To share the cost and effort for feral pig control. To enable an immediate response to complaints from landholders who have pigs emanating from neighbouring land. Reduce illegal pig hunting and release of pigs into forest areas. Encourage the presence of participants in the forest "after hours" Improve the community image of government agencies, plantation owners and farmers as responsible managers of feral animals on their lands. Augment current Department of Environment and Conservation trapping and poisoning programs. Collect relevant statistics on the distribution and number of feral pigs. Monitor the effectiveness of hunting with dogs as a means of feral pig control. The purpose of this project is to enable a cooperative approach to feral pig control where relatively small contributions can be pooled to enable a larger scale effort to initially halt the advance of the pig population, reduce densities and, if possible, to eradicate them from the project area. The Lake Muir/Denbarker Community Feral Pig Eradication Group Members Chairman: Mark Muir (Farmer Unicup) 2005-2006 Other Committee Members: Mark Barley (Department of Environment and Conservation) Ian Wilson (Department of Environment and Conservation) Darrel Drage (Farmer Denbarker and foundation Chairman) Tony Fox (Farmer Lake Muir) Murray Gangell (Dept of Environment) Tony Higgs (Dept of Agriculture and Food) Ted Knight (Dept of Agriculture and Food) Ashley Muir (Farmer Lake Muir) Joeri Mak (Integrated Tree Cropping) Bob Edwards (Great Southern Plantations Ltd) David Townsend (WA Plantation Resources Ltd) Lynn Heppell (NRM Coordinator) Melinda Lyons (Green Skills) Accredited Contractors Peter Cochrane Kevin Machen
© Copyright 2007 All rights reserved