The grant will also help the City to improve community knowledge and skills and improve its dieback management infrastructure, as well as continue its detailed mapping of dieback within the region.

Mayor Margaret Thomas said the City is committed to tackling the important issue of dieback.

“Dieback has the potential to devastate entire ecosystems, affecting biodiversity as well as ecological and cultural values.”, she said.

“By protecting bushland not yet affected by dieback, this project will help maintain amenity in our natural areas, including the diversity of wildflowers, and will be to the benefit of everyone in the community.”

“I am delighted that the City has been successful in acquiring this grant funding to help us to further protect local biodiversity and conservation, with ongoing treatment, management and community engagement in environmental management.”

The City of Kalamunda contains natural areas that are susceptible to dieback including Banksia Woodland and Jarrah Forest. The vegetation in these areas is a critical food source for species listed on the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Act 1999 (EPBC Act) including the three species of Black Cockatoos.

Phytophthora (Dieback) species are extremely destructive pathogens. Management of dieback affected areas is very costly to industry, Government and landowners each year in their attempts to mitigate the impacts of dieback.

This project is supported by funding from the Western Australian Government’s State NRM Program.

More Information

• Phytophthora dieback
• Weeds
• Planting Recommendations
• Friends Groups

For more information, please contact the City of Kalamunda on (08) 9257 9999, email enquiries@kalamunda.wa.gov.au.

For more information on the Western Australian Government’s State Government’s NRM Program, visit www.wa.gov.au

Phytophthora dieback (Phytophthora cinnamomi) is a devastating plant pathogen which kills susceptible plants by attacking their root systems and stopping the uptake of water and nutrients. Symptoms are wilting, yellowing and retention of dried foliage and darkening of root colour. It is spread through the movement of soil, mud, water and root-to-root contact between plants and is often transported by human activities.