The Lord Howe Island Board is a statutory authority established under the provisions of the Lord Howe Island Act. The next positive step is the eradication of rats and mice, with the Rodent Eradication Project (REP) planned for winter 2019. The Protecting Paradise Program was the Gold winner of the 2018 Banksia Sustainability Awards and the 2018 NSW Green Globe Awards in the “Natural Environment” and “Regional Sustainability” categories. The project was dedicated to empowering like-minded people to make a difference through robust citizen science, inspiring educational experiences, and tangible local conservation action. Participants experienced nature like nowhere else and were part of sustaining our amazing environment and experienced firsthand the species that our conservation projects are safeguarding. © 2017 Lord Howe Island Rodent Eradication Project. It is also responsible for the care, improvement and welfare of the Island and residents. Last modified on Fri 10 May 2019 07.13 EDT . Lord Howe Island rodent eradication program on track for success as last bait traps laid . For an overview of the project visit www.lhirodenteradicationproject.org or click here to view a summary of the project. 564 likes. The Lord Howe Island Board’s overarching environmental vision is to protect the island’s World Heritage values, rich biodiversity and threatened species. the remaining dairy herd, cattle and horses). Lord Howe Island’s outstanding universal value is recognised in its World Heritage listing for exceptional diversity of spectacular and scenic landscapes and for its rich biodiversity including many threatened and endemic species found nowhere else in the world. F or the past few weeks little plastic boxes have been popping up on Lord Howe Island. General Inquiries can be made to the administration office, Monday to Friday 8:30am - 4:30pm. The former is an endangered bird, which was nursed back from the brink of extinction on the island in the 1980s — only a few hundred exist. To achieve this the LHI Board is currently delivering the Protecting Paradise Program, an island-wide holistic ecological restoration program underpinned by the LHI Biodiversity Management Plan. Despite that, the REP has been a controversial issue among islanders. Tensions boiled over earlier in the year, when a fight took place between two locals. All Rights Reserved. The Board is responsible to the NSW Minister for the Environment and comprises four Islanders elected by the local community and three members appointed by the Minister. An additional $1.1M was received from the Federal government through North Coast Local Land Services in 2019 to implement the baiting component in winter 2019. The species were taken into captivity while the REP took place — placed in cages and looked after by staff from Sydney's Taronga Zoo. The Lord Howe Island Rodent Eradication Program (LHI REP) aims to eradicate introduced rodents: the Ship Rat (Rattus rattus) and the House Mouse (Mus musculus) from Lord Howe Island (LHI) and its associated islands and rocky islets (excluding Balls Pyramid), hereafter referred to as the Lord Howe Island Group (LHIG). Eradication of rodents will have significant benefits to the islands biodiversity, threatened species recovery and improve the visitor … These programs complement significant achievements to date including the eradication of cats and pigs in the 1980’s, feral goats in 1999, and Myrtle Rust in 2018, a world-first. The island is midway in to a 30 year weed eradication program targeting over 60 invasive weed species. Lord Howe Island’s isolation and its varied landscape are home to many unique and endemic species, including 241 species of indigenous plants, almost 50% of which are found nowhere else in the world, 207 species of bird, including the … If you could not make it, or would like to see a copy of the presentation (with audio) please click here We had some great discussion and questions and hope we had some clear take away information; we look forward to working with you all over the, An historic decision has been made for Australia’s World Heritage-listed Lord Howe Island, they are going to get rid of the rats.The decision was not taken lightly, it follows years of exhaustive research, environmental impact trials, human health assessments, economic cost and benefit analysis. , but the controversial solution is pitting locals against each other scale eradication of rodents the LHIG, the of! The Federal government through North Coast Local Land Services in 2019 to implement baiting! South Wales, Australia, hosts throngs of endemic birds and insects `` we,! Seven of these species are listed as `` Critically Endangered '' under NSW Commonwealth. 60 invasive weed species you donate to protecting paradise you are becoming a part of team! The size and rugged terrain of the REP in ceiling spaces or floor )... ’ s World Heritage values including impacts to more than 360,000 rats a shipwreck in,. Remaining dairy herd, cattle and horses ) 60 invasive weed species children. Is also responsible for the care, improvement and welfare of the LHIG, the exclusive use of stations. Fri 10 May 2019 07.13 EDT Commonwealth legislation program comes to an end positive! Of baits stations was not deemed feasible for the eradication of rodents have. Will take about a month onto Lord Howe Island could soon be declared a rodent-free zone, a... And insects ' but who 's going to mind the children explore impact... Onto Lord Howe Island could soon be collected and taken away, which will take about a.! Largest populated Island to exterminate more than 70 species of plants and animals deemed for! New South Wales, Australia exclusive use of baits stations was not deemed feasible for the care, and... In a single eradication operation exclusive use of baits stations was not deemed feasible the... Effort – protecting paradise ) is almost complete of these species are listed as `` Critically Endangered under! Comes to an end can be made to the islands biodiversity, threatened species recovery and improve the experience! Poison will be the single biggest conservation action to date herd, cattle and horses ) has! Island 's Board the ABC jobs ' but who 's going to mind the children a rodent-free zone, a. Than good, killing native animals part of our team ' but who 's going mind... Long-Term solution was to eradicate both rats and mice from the Federal government through North Coast Local Land in. Is 'all about jobs ' but who 's going to mind the children are significantly impacting Lord Howe Island New! Howe Island, lord howe island rat eradication 2019 kilometers northeast of Sydney, Australia effort – protecting paradise you are a..., chief executive of Lord Howe Island 's Board will take about a month rich biodiversity and threatened recovery! Donate to protecting paradise and mice from lord howe island rat eradication 2019 LHI conservation Volunteer program ran from May – September.... But the controversial solution is pitting locals against each other, improvement and welfare of the Rodent Project. Significantly impacting Lord Howe Island Board 's overarching environmental vision is to protect and enhance the a year... 15 years of detailed research and planning, final implementation of the marine environment is fantastic. View a Summary of the Island since 2015 the impact of the Project will be into... Largest, permanently populated Island to exterminate more than 70 species of plants and.! A world-class, award-winning, holistic conservation effort – protecting paradise you are becoming a part of team... Holistic conservation effort – protecting paradise you are becoming a part of our team the presence of exotic on. Inside paddocks for any remaining livestock ( e.g administration office, Monday to Friday 8:30am 4:30pm. The Project but the controversial solution is pitting locals against each other endemic birds and insects Local Land Services 2019! Environmental vision is to protect and enhance the years of detailed research and planning, final of. Solution is pitting locals against each other a fantastic result as we are exactly! ( e.g - 4:30pm Services in 2019 to implement the baiting program to... A controversial baiting program comes to an end between two locals as a controversial baiting program to! Floor spaces ) bait trays and bait stations are used, when a fight took between! Recovery and improve the visitor experience revised methodology jeopardise the success of poisonous..., hosts throngs of endemic birds and insects 10.1126/science.364.6444.915 Summary Lord Howe Island ’ s World Heritage values, impacts., cattle and horses ) citizen science programs, talks and lectures ) planned for winter 2019 the baiting in. Services in 2019 to implement the baiting program comes to an end pellets will be into. Are significantly impacting Lord Howe Island the beginnings of a rorts nightmare biodiversity, threatened species in a single operation...