Sessional Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development Written Submissions Received Volume 2 Issues associated with the progressive entry into the Northern Territory of Cane Toads October 2003
Tabled Paper 1123
Tabled Papers for 9th Assembly 2001 - 2005; Tabled papers for 9th Assembly 2001 - 2005; Tabled Papers; ParliamentNT
2003-10-16
Tabled by Delia Lawrie
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https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2019C00042
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/307061
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/346011
WWF FROGS! Program Written Submissions Cane Toad Inquiry Report Volume 2 72 habitat degradation through development-related activities such as roads and dams, as well as growing populations of feral and exotic species. The cane toad invasion will have a catastrophic impact on the ecosystems on which these communities depend by causing a drastic decline in the numbers of top predators such as pythons, quolls, goannas and crocodilians that are protein dietary staples of aboriginal people throughout Arnhem Land and Kakadu. The proposed cane toad control and eradication program will help to ensure the sustainability of traditional aboriginal culture in NT. It will provide training and employment opportunities for Aboriginals in the development and implementation of the control program. The education program will also help to restore ecosystem health through improving general awareness of conservation and species management problems and solutions. The Centre for Environment Education Australia (CEEA) proposes to control and eradicate the cane toad in the Northern Territory through the following scientific and educational activities: Develop, trial and implement techniques and methodologies for the total eradication of cane toads Educate and train volunteers and the general community to participate in the implementation of the control and eradication program The project aims to: Establish technical capacity to map distributions and monitor populations on an ongoing basis Eradicate and exclude cane toads from ecosystems in Kakadu National Park, Arnhem Land and surrounding areas Develop new and exportable techniques and methodologies Provide a model and skilled workforce for cane toad eradication elsewhere in Australia and the world Develop materials, methods and networks to mobilise entire communities for environmental protection Promote awareness and adoption of paradigms for sustainable income and employment generation from similar societies elsewhere in the world WHAT WE PROPOSE TO DO The proposed program will develop and implement an integrated science and education initiative to control and eradicate the cane toad menace from the Northern Territory. Rationale WHAT HAS BEEN DONE? WHAT HAS NOT BEEN DONE? WHAT THIS PROGRAM WILL DO. Queensland and NT problem analyses conducted and general recommendations made for more open-ended research Recommendations ignored Research direction will be strictly on application and development of techniques and strategies to contain and remove cane toad populations Incomplete documentation of the current distribution and rate of expansion Understanding the periphery of the distribution and pattern of invasion is key to effective eradication A systematic atlassing approach will fill the gaps in currently fragmented understanding of cane toad