THE state-wide Invasive Species Program at the Department of Energy, Environment, and Climate Action (DEECA) in partnership with Up2Us Landcare Alliance is starting a new community feral pig program in the Mansfield area.

The program which aims to support community efforts, will be coordinated by Mick Freeman from DEECA and is based on similar pest animal programs he has been working on with community landholder groups across Gippsland and the North-East since 2016.

The project is funded by the Livestock Biosecurity Grants Program and has been provided to monitor feral pigs on private land, to manage feral pigs, determine the presence or absence of disease and grow community capability in the effective management of feral pigs in eastern Victoria.

The program aims to provide community support through:

• Adopting a collaborative approach to feral pig management

• Increasing community awareness and capability in best practice feral pig management techniques

• Working closely with Agriculture Victoria to provide samples for disease monitoring

• Provision of training events on feral pig management and control, use of reporting tools and sampling

• Provision of traps for landholder use

• Coordination with any public land works in the area

Both DEECA and Up2Us Landcare would like to reach as many impacted landholders (and those with the potential to be impacted) as possible in the area, so are encouraging residents and landholders to mention the program to friends and neighbours.

Proposed field/training days will have plenty of useful and practical knowledge so come along if you are able and encourage others to attend.

A community meeting will be held at 6pm Thursday August 15 at the Delatite Hotel to provide further information and detail around the program and what you can get out of it.

The local program includes follow-up with community training and provision of traps with a process in place for their collection.