Alpine Frogs a Calling

Community Conservation Grants 2021

  • YEAR: 2021
  • STATE: Victoria
  • FOCUS AREAS: Environmental Education/Saving Species/SDG 15: Life on Land/SDG 17: Partnerships for the goals/SDG 4: Quality education

Frogs provide critical ecosystem roles within Australia’s unique and diverse habitats, yet species and populations countrywide continue to decline. In Victoria’s high country, conservation efforts are often hampered by the lack of knowledge about habitat and seasonal use within this landscape and regular, on-going monitoring is often hampered by accessibility and adverse weather at key locations. These data are critically needed to address on-going threats to frog populations, including bushfire, disease, and climate change. This project will address key knowledge gaps in our understanding of distributional and seasonal habitat use by frogs across a subalpine region of Victoria through the development of an innovative and on-going acoustic monitoring and community engagement program.

FNPW support

This project was funded through generous donations from FNPW supporters across Australia and beyond.

Grant Round: Community Conservation Grants 2021

Project overview

This is a unique project that looks to promote conservation of Victoria’s high country frogs in two primary ways; 1) To directly contribute to the greater understanding of alpine frog species and their habitat needs and 2), Educate the public and garner support for their long-term conservation and protection. It will focus on frogs around Lake Mountain and Yarra Ranges NP.

Museums Victoria, in support with Lake Mountain Alpine Resort, Parks Victoria and Dr Matt West at the University of Melbourne will:

  1. Establish strategic acoustic monitoring sites within Lake Mountain Alpine Resort and Yarra Ranges National Park to document seasonal patterns of habitat use by frogs
  2. Provide species occurrence records (backed by acoustic recordings) to the Victorian Biodiversity Atlas
  3. Provide professional training in acoustic monitoring and analysis tools to local researchers and scientific staff
  4. Develop a community engagement program to promote environmental awareness of Victoria’s high country frogs and their calls
  5. Encourage citizen scientists, including high school students, to document frogs in their local areas using the FrogID app.

Results from the study will be used to assist in identifying priority areas for feral herbivore enclosures to allow for natural and assisted restoration of these habitats for frogs and other alpine wildlife. The community level support and grass-roots action is necessary to protect alpine frogs and ensure the conservation of their habitats within parks in the long term.

LOCATION

This project is undertaken on the traditional lands of the Taungurung people in the Lakes Mountain area, Victoria.

FNPW supports projects across Australia. In the spirit of reconciliation the we acknowledge the Traditional Owners of Country and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture.

PROGRESS OF THIS PROJECT

The project is ongoing. Scroll for project updates.

This project was funded by FNPW in 2021.

PROJECT PARTNERS

Museums Victoria is the lead organisation for this project.

Further information about our project partner can be found on their website: https://museumsvictoria.com.au/