THE NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, in partnership with government agencies and private landholders, will co-ordinate an aerial shooting program to cull the number of feral pigs across public and private land in the Gwydir River Valley near Bingara next week.
The program, starting May 11 and running until May 15, will target the growing impacts of feral pigs and deer across mixed land tenures in the region.
A total of $130,150 has been secured through the NSW Government’s Good Neighbours Program to support the initiative, which will operate east of Bingara and include Gwydir River National Park and surrounding State Conservation Area on the Northern Slopes of New South Wales.
Feral pigs damage crops, waterways and native vegetation, causing soil disturbance, reduced water quality and the destruction of sensitive habitats.
Deer contribute to erosion, overgrazing and the degradation of bushland, placing pressure on native plants and animals and reducing biodiversity. Both species can also spread disease and impact agricultural productivity.
NPWS Northern Inland director John Whittall said the Local Land Services’ Good Neighbours Program is a great example of a co-ordinated approach in managing feral animals.
“It brings together multiple land managers and landholders to reduce pest numbers on a regional scale,” Mr Whittall said.
“Working across boundaries and focusing on the landscape as a whole, we can achieve far better outcomes for the environment, neighbouring properties, and local communities.”
By reducing feral animal numbers across the landscape, the program will help restore and protect native habitats, improve water quality in river systems and support the recovery of native species. It will also protect crops, pasture, fencing and water sources, while reducing the ongoing cost burden on landholders managing these pests individually.
NPWS Barwon Area ranger Alissa Van-Klooster said pest animals don’t recognise property boundaries.
“This kind of co-ordinated effort is exactly what’s needed to make a real difference,” Ms Van-Klooster said.
“It’s encouraging to see agencies and landholders working together to tackle an issue that affects the whole region.”
The co-ordinated approach is designed to significantly reduce invasive species populations at scale, working across property boundaries to deliver stronger outcomes for biodiversity, river health and agricultural productivity.
NPWS delivered significant outcomes in feral animal management across the region, with a total of 13,787 feral animals removed through aerial shooting operations and a further 2027 removed via ground-based shooting activities.
Additional control measures included the deployment of 4280 meat baits, completion of 35,772 kilometres of aerial baiting and the removal of 1194 feral animals through targeted trapping programs.
Around 49 per cent of the 46,900 hectares covered by this particular co-ordinated effort is private land, with the rest made up of NPWS estate, State Forests and WaterNSW lands. Landholder advice and co-operation were sought during a series of cooperative public meetings in the area.
