More than 200 people converged on Walpole at the end of September, with one common goal – to capture a snapshot of the plant and animal life hidden in the nooks and crannies of the Walpole Wilderness Area, the only gazetted wilderness in Western Australia.
On the 17th of July, a group of Biologic employees assisted the Friends of the Western Swamp Tortoise group, DBCA, Chittering Landcare, & members of the community to begin revegetation of the Ellenbrook Nature Reserve following the devastating Wooroloo fires in February. This reserve holds the last self-sustaining population of the Western Swamp Tortoise Pseudemydura umbrina, classified as Critically Endangered under the EPBC Act & with less than 50 adult tortoises living in the wild.
The morning was started with a really engaging Welcome to Country by Jesse J Fleay (Candidatee for Pearce). We headed out, trowels in hand & gumboots on feet, to replant the edges of six lakes immediately outside the Ellenbrook Reserve fenceline, already filling up with rain & full of life – we found tadpoles, worms, snails, quacking frogs, Antichiropus (millipede), skinks (Leristas, Hemiergis, & Menetias), harvestman, & more. In total, around 7000 seedlings were planted out around these lakes throughout the morning. This will ensure in the future that there is protection & resting areas for tortoises when they leave the water after feeding. Biologic is incredibly motivated to be involved in crucial projects such as these, that support the conservation of endangered species in the Perth region.