Protected Species and Communities Branch
Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water recoveryplans@environment.gov.au

Re. Draft National Recovery Plan for Four Grassland Earless Dragons (Tympanocryptis spp.) of Southeast Australia

Friends of Grasslands (FOG) is a community group dedicated to the conservation of natural temperate grassy ecosystems in south-eastern Australia. FOG advocates, educates and advises on matters to do with the conservation of native grassy ecosystems, and carries out surveys and other on-ground work. FOG is based in Canberra and its members include professional scientists, landowners, land managers and interested members of the public.

FOG welcomes the preparation of the draft recovery plan, and believes it addresses the major issues and action requirements for the four species.

We have the following points we wish to stress in relation to the draft recovery plan:

1. The recovery plan should identify the requirement to develop detailed recovery actions to be prepared for each of the four species, including the resources required to implement these actions. This is particularly important given the requirements for recovery of the four species are very different, reflecting what is known about the four species’ distribution and abundance and very different threats to the species.
2. It is imperative that the Commonwealth and relevant state and territory governments commit to support implementation of the plan, specifically to provide resources for recovery actions based on clearly identified actions for each species (as per 1. above).
3. Reports on the process of recovery should be provided regularly to the general public and relevant stakeholders including affected land owners.

FOG looks forward to engaging with other stakeholders in the recovery of the Grassland Earless Dragon species.

Yours sincerely

 

Professor Jamie Pittock

President, Friends of Grasslands

3 November 2023