As challenging as managing pests may seem, stepping through a hierarchy to protect your natural assets, monitor impacts, coordinate activities and control pests may support your plans. This should all be done with an eye to ethical, humane management, and open communication with neighbours and others in your community.
The NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust’s Education Team sought advice from
Senior Regional Conservation Officer Kersten Tuckey and NSW Department of Primary Industries research leader and member of the Vertebrate Pest Research Unit, Guy Ballard, on how to manage pests for conservation.
When it comes to pest management, our experts said success should be determined by how much you have reduced the negative impacts of pests on native species.
We recommend following the pest management hierarchy:
- Protect
- Monitor
- Coordinate
- Control
You can learn more about these principles in our online conservation management course’s module on pest management.
Protect with non-lethal options
Exploring opportunities to use fencing, habitat supplementation, vegetation restoration and weed removal as non-lethal pest management methods can support your conservation goals, and assist in managing pest species.
"It is often good to start looking to see if you can implement some property based non-lethal management methods that make conditions favourable to native species, as in some cases these can be cheaper and more effective over the longer term," Kersten said.
We have resources available that can help guide your fencing, habitat supplementation and vegetation restoration.
Monitor the results
Ongoing monitoring is an essential part of pest management, and according to Guy, expensive hi-tech methods of monitoring, such as camera traps and DNA analysis, are not always needed.
"You don't need to buy the $1000 camera trap," Guy said.
Talk to us about how you can monitor pests, as well as native species, as part of your conservation agreement.
If you are interested in putting a camera trap in place on your property, take a look at our video Bio Bite on setting one up.
Phone or email your local landholder support staff, or email [email protected]
Coordinate with your neighbours
Most pests aren’t confined to a single property, so engaging with your neighbours and stakeholders and coordinating your pest management plans can lead to better outcomes.
Coordinating and working with others may, depending on the pest, offer efficiencies and economies of scale.
Control with humane choices
"I can't stress enough how important humaneness is for effective pest management," Guy said.
Sometimes, controlling pests through lethal control techniques may be the best option to achieve an outcome.
If using lethal techniques these must be undertaken in line with the relevant Codes of Practice and Standard Operating Procedures.
Guy emphasised making responsible and humane decisions to achieve the best outcomes.
You can learn more about making humane and ethical decisions about pest management through our online conservation management course.