$32.9 million investment in Lord Howe Island benefits both the environment and tourism

A $32.9 million NSW Budget investment aims to protect Australia’s World Heritage listed Lord Howe Island and the future of some of the world’s rarest species of plants and animals. The  funding will help biodiversity while ensuring the natural values that attract people from around the world are protected in perpetuity.

The funding over four years will support delivery of a comprehensive biosecurity regime which will include infrastructure upgrades to prevent rats and other pests accessing the island, quarantine programs using trained detector dogs, as well as other measures to inspect boats and planes that arrive at Lord Howe Island.

NSW Treasurer Matt Kean notes “Lord Howe Island has many threatened unique species that are found nowhere else on earth, and this $32.9 million being delivered in the NSW Budget will help us protect biodiversity on the island for generations to come.”

NSW Minister for Environment James Griffin said this investment is a critical step towards protecting a global conservation icon and added “this is one of the biggest funding announcements for the Lord Howe Island in many years. It’s a win for the environment and for tourism, and builds on years of intensive work to control invasive species.

“Our pest control program has already doubled the population of Lord Howe Woodhens and supported the regeneration of many other native animals and plants.”

Before the rodent control program began in 2019, there were thousands of rodents on the island, which decimated native plant and animal species, driving some to the brink of extinction.

Since the rodent eradication program began in 2019:

• the population of Lord Howe Woodhens has more than doubled

• there are increased numbers and breeding success for birds such as the black-winged petrel, masked booby and Lord Howe currawong

• endemic ground geckos and invertebrates such as land snails are recovering

• numerous plant species including the critically endangered little mountain palm have increased seedling and seed numbers.

Image: Terry O’Dwyer releases Lord Howe woodhen Credit: NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment