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BCG project - Frogs on Farms

What is the 'Frogs on Farms' project?

This two-year project aims to determine the best approach to conserve frog populations in the Wimmera and Mallee once the channel system is de-commissioned and develop strategies for maintaining biodiversity values on farms that are efficient in terms of farming resources, cost and water usage.

How will it be done?

The project will test an innovative approach to maintaining frog populations in the Wimmera and Mallee farming landscape. It will determine the use of wildlife ponds by frogs, their ability to disperse from existing water sources into wildlife ponds and the potential to re-establish frogs in areas in their former range.

This map shows the sites of the wildlife ponds in the Wimmera and Mallee. Click on the map to enlarge.

Why do it?

A high level of interest in conserving biodiversity on farms has led us to develop a project that will provide further knowledge and support individuals on farm and local communities to actively participate in establishing, monitoring and learning from wildlife water ponds.

Given the last decade of below average rainfalls and the devastating drought of 2006, providing communities with a water conservation and biodiversity conservation project that can practically be implemented at the local level, will result in a more enjoyable environment in which to live – and give people something positive.

Completed pond near Culgoa

Social benefits

The outcome will be the best design and application of wildlife ponds to maximise individual participation, community involvement and biodiversity benefit, particularly for frogs, and a better informed community armed with confidence and the knowledge to act.

Guidelines on best environmental design and use of wildlife ponds for frogs.
Community involvement through landowner participation in installing wildlife ponds and through reporting frog populations on their farms.
Local learning opportunities through public talks, school groups, seminars, written publications and field days based on the knowledge generated by the project.
Regionally relevant knowledge that will help to maintain and enhance frog populations.
A better informed community able to implement sound environmentally sustainable on-farm practices.

Economic benefits

The installation of wildlife ponds in farm woodlands in the Wimmera and Mallee is a cost effective and water efficient method of enhancing biodiversity values on farms. This project will determine the best approach to conserve frog populations that are efficient in terms of farming resources, cost and water usage.

The establishment of a wildlife pond in a woodland will lead to improved sustainable farming through the ecosystem services that these environmental asset provides. Environmental, or natural assets, include soil, plants and animals, water and air. These assets provide inputs into production through the conservation of soil health and moisture, moderation of paddock climate, salinity control, pest control and firewood. They also provide a focus on the values that people discern from nature, including recreational, spiritual, and aesthetic value.

Environmental benefits

Farm dams, the ‘wetlands’ on farms, are (or were) the stronghold of frog populations in woodlands and are the sites of greatest biodiversity value. In the region serviced by the Northern Mallee Pipeline, farm dams dried out after decommissioning of the channel network and now lie idle. Prolonged drought and a lack of water in storage resulted in no water being released down the Wimmera channel system in 2006, and consequently no filling of farm dams. Water conservation and wise use is thus becoming a critically important factor in the region both for farming and local community needs.

The Diversity in a Piped System project (DIPS) has demonstrated that the installation of a wildlife water point in a farm woodland can increase the biodiversity value of the woodland, and that the absence of open water in the Wimmera and Mallee has serious consequences for frog populations. Frogs eat a wide range of insects, and because they susceptible to pollution, are good indicators of landscape health. Frogs are not only a useful form of pest control but monitoring frogs can also help assess the environmental impacts of land management practices.

Communicating results

The following activities will be undertaken by BCG to ensure effective communication to the industry and community:

Public seminars and talks to local communities, schools and interest groups such as Landcare and natural history groups,
Half day hands-on workshop involving the installation, cost and management of a wildlife pond.
Step by step ‘how to’ booklet for farmers including the cost of materials and inputs, construction, maintenance and management and also feature frog species that will use the wildlife ponds.
An article in a regional coloured new research and innovation manual – distributed to 2,500 farm businesses.
Dedicated project webpage with ‘virtual pond’ page showing the progress of a wildlife pond from start to finish.
Rural media targeted to promote project awareness, results and field days.
Papers and posters presented at scientific conferences.
Fauna monitoring night - limited numbers, bi-monthly during spring and summer.

Knowledge and results will be shared with scientists (through partnership with Ballarat University and publications in scientific journals), with organisations whose charter it is to implement regional catchment strategies for natural resource management (CMAs), with water authorities whose charter is to supply and manage an effective and efficient water delivery system, and with landholders and local communities who can implement change on ground.

Read about the Frogs of Farms Sticky Beak mornings proudly supported by Australia Post and Landcare Australia.