Environmental water is being used to keep baby birds alive in Gunbower Forest in the north of Victoria after a colony of Little Pied Cormorants (Phalacrocorax Melanoleucos) started breeding there in August.

Department of Sustainability and Environment Executive Director of Sustainable Water Jane Doolan said the breeding was in response to a previous autumn water release into Gunbower Forest as part of the Victorian Government’s environmental watering program and an extra 500 million litres has been allocated for the breeding season to keep the baby birds alive.

“The Little Pied Cormorants need this water because if water levels drop, their ecological response is to abandon their nests,” Ms Doolan said.

“The extra allocation of water for the baby birds will inject new life into these precious wetlands and help to provide a sustainable food source for the Little Pied Cormorant Colony.

“The autumn water has resulted in successful breeding by 40 Little Pied Cormorant pairs in the Gunbower Forest Little Gunbower Wetland Complex.

The environmental watering in Gunbower Forest has been managed by the North Central Catchment Management Authority (CMA) in partnership with Goulburn-Murray Water.

North Central CMA Chief Executive Officer Damian Wells said protecting strategic sites as drought refuges for plants and wildlife means the environment has the chance to recover for when conditions improve.

“With the ongoing dry conditions it is

“The future health of the internationally significant Gunbower Forest depends on the ability to deliver managed floods to the forest. This is vital for colonial waterbird and native fish breeding, as well as for the health of flood-dependent species such as iconic River red gums.

“The local community needs to be aware of possible road closures in the areas receiving water. We ask that the public be careful when entering Gunbower Forest to keep an eye out for signs advising of possible road closures, and not to access these paths whilst water is being delivered or throughout the time when the forest is flooded. This is important for both public safety reasons and the maintenance of forest paths”, Mr Wells said.

Environmental water is water legally set aside for protecting important sites and does not affect farmer’s water allocations or town supplies.

Victoria’s environmental watering program delivered 9.5 billion litres of water to protect strategic wetlands in autumn and winter this year. Autumn and winter waterings are effective because the cooler weather reduces evaporation and allows the most efficient use of environmental water.

-ENDS-

Media Contact: Kim Payne (DSE)                      Sonia Robinson (North Central CMA) 0400 983 471                            
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