A TEAM of researchers from Deakin University has been recognised for its outstanding research investigating the effects of fire and climatic changes on native mammals in the Grampians National Park.
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The Nancy Millis Science in Parks Award recognises outstanding contributions to fostering excellence in applied science for the benefit of park management.
The project began in 2008, to investigate how small mammals re-colonised after the bushfires that affected the park in 2006.
It then evolved into an ongoing program and each year since, 36 sites throughout the Grampians National Park have been monitored by Deakin University honours students.
During this time, nearly 5,500 small mammals have been trapped, recorded and released, giving detailed information about the factors that are important for their survival after periods of flood, drought and fire.
"This long-term research and monitoring project is greatly improving our understanding about how native mammals respond to major climatic changes and fires in the Grampians landscape," Parks Victoria Chief Executive, Dr Bill Jackson said.
"The research is directly helping to guide how we manage the park to help protect native mammals in this region."
Dr Jackson said the project is part of Parks Victoria's Research Partners Program that fosters collaborative applied research with universities and other research organisations.
"This has been a remarkable team effort, led by Deakin University's Associate Professor John White, Dr Raylene Cooke and Dr Dale Nimmo and including work by 13 Honours students over the past seven years," Dr Jackson said.
"Such long-term scientific monitoring projects are rare but highly valuable for helping us to understand what's happening in our parks and ecosystems, particularly in a changing climate.
"The data collected has given us important insights into the native mammals' 'boom and bust' cycles that are weather dependant.
"Detailed maps using satellite images have shown the importance of wet gullies for refuges and maintaining healthy native mammal populations.
"The research has also shown that the Grampians is a much more 'rainfall driven' area than previously thought and rainfall is a key factor for these small mammals' survival after fire, drought and flood.
"I congratulate the team who have worked closely with Parks Victoria staff locally and are making a real difference to how we manage the park.
"This includes how and where Parks Victoria and the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) run planned burn and fire ecology works and pest predator control programs such as fox baiting to best protect the native mammals."
