MODULE 3 RESOURCES
Core document
Managing threats
Managing threats is your go-to guide for tackling the challenges posed by invasive species. This resource helps you understand the impact of invasives on native flora, fauna, and ecosystems, while providing practical strategies for creating an effective management plan. Explore common control methods for both invasive plants and animals, with recommended resources and guidelines to guide your decisions. Learn the difference between controlling and eradicating invasives and discover how to navigate environmental and cultural considerations to ensure your efforts are both sustainable and impactful.
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PestSmart offers resources, tools, and best practice guidelines for managing invasive species. It features case studies and detailed management resources to protect native ecosystems as well as the Feral Scan app, a valuable tool for recording and reporting pest sightings, aiding in the monitoring and management of invasive species.
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The Invasive Species Council offers educational materials, practical advice, and best practice guidelines to help identify, monitor, and control invasive species effectively. The website provides case studies and updates on relevant policies, funding opportunities, and emerging issues in invasive species management. Landowners can connect with networks, community groups, and advocacy campaigns, fostering collaboration and collective action.
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Weeds Australia is a vital resource offering expert advice on managing invasive weeds across Australia. It features detailed profiles of high-priority species, an interactive tool for reporting weed spread, and best practice guidelines for effective control. The platform also connects users, provides case studies, and supports sustainable weed management strategies.
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ReHabitat is a project focused on providing biodegradable wildlife habitat units, known as ReHabitat Pods, to assist with wildlife recovery after disasters like bushfires. These pods offer shelter for small marsupials such as bandicoots, pygmy possums, and antechinus, helping protect them from predators like foxes and feral cats. The pods are designed to biodegrade naturally, leaving no trace on the environment, and are part of an emergency response to support wildlife during habitat restoration and recovery efforts.
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The Victorian Rabbit Action Network is a community-led program helping landholders manage rabbit impacts across Victoria. By providing practical tools, training, and collaborative support, VRAN empowers land managers to work together on effective, landscape-scale rabbit control.
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Seeding Victoria is a non-profit organisation supporting ecological restoration across Victoria by supplying locally sourced native seed and tailored seed mixes. They offer practical guidance and workshops on seed collection, storage, propagation and planting techniques, helping landholders and farmers restore biodiversity and manage land more sustainably.
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AdaptLog is an online, searchable repository of conservation interventions for climate adaptation. It has been designed to help you access and understand information on a wide range of adaptation options. It includes many instances of novel and transformative approaches to conservation under rapid climate change.
Data, lists and tools
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ABC News, 2024
This article explores emerging evidence that the traditional biological control viruses (myxomatosis and calicivirus) used to manage rabbit populations in Australia may be losing their effectiveness. As rabbit numbers rebound in some regions, experts discuss the need for new approaches and coordinated control efforts to stay ahead of this persistent pest.
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The Conversation, 2025
This article explores the risks of using 1080 poison baits to control foxes, cats and dingoes, revealing that native wildlife are often more likely to take the baits than the intended pest species. It highlights the unintended impacts of this management tool on biodiversity and the challenges of balancing invasive species control with protecting native fauna.
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The Conversation, 2025
Baiting is a controversial invasive species control method due to the risk of poisoning non-target wildlife. This article shares results from a study tracking the effectiveness of poison baits used to manage feral cats, foxes and dingoes, showing that they can significantly reduce pest numbers. However, the findings also reinforce the need for thoughtful, targeted use to minimise unintended impacts on native species.
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ABC News, 2025
Flinders Island, Tasmania, is becoming a wildlife sanctuary through a large-scale conservation project focused on removing invasive pests like feral cats, mice, and rats. Using cutting-edge tools like thermal drones alongside traditional baiting, the project aims to restore the island’s natural ecosystem and bring threatened native species back from the brink.
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Watchorn, D. J., et al., 2022
This paper explores how artificial habitat structures like nest boxes and burrows can help wildlife survive habitat loss by providing alternative homes. It also highlights potential risks, such as attracting predators, and stresses that these structures must be carefully designed and monitored as part of broader conservation efforts to truly support species recovery.
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NESP Threatened Species Recovery Hub, 2021
This project factsheet presents early results from restoring rocky habitats for the threatened pink-tailed worm-lizard on farmland. Using rock addition and grazing exclusion, the restoration has encouraged positive reptile responses, offering hope for conservation in agricultural areas.
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NESP Threatened Species Recovery Hub, n.d.
This study examines how well nest boxes and chainsaw-cut hollows support hollow-dependent wildlife in temperate forests. It found that nest boxes can reach extreme temperatures which may stress animals. The research highlights that using lighter colours and better positioning can reduce heat risks, while chainsaw hollows provide more stable, natural-like conditions, offering a valuable conservation tool.