Byron Shire Council’s Draft Pest Animal Management Plan (PAMP) for the next five years is on public exhibition.

Claudia Caliari, Council’s Biodiversity Projects Officer, is encouraging people who are interested in the environment and protection of native plants and animals, to review the plan.

The Byron Shire Pest Animal Management Plan is a document that explains how Council will manage or control pest animals on Council-owned land.

“Pest animals are a significant threat to biodiversity and can cause enormous damage to our natural environment, and can be a burden to local farmers,” Ms Caliari said.

“It focuses only on land-based vertebrate pests, which, put simply, means animals with backbones like foxes, rabbits and deer that live on land,” she said. 

“Many people in the community will find this document relevant and interesting because pest animals such as feral cats, foxes, wild dogs/dingoes and Indian mynas don’t respect property boundaries, and each landowner therefore has a role to play in their control.

“The document also provides information about dingoes and wild dogs, highlighting the need to better understand if and how their management can be improved.

“There are also emerging pest animals like feral deer, goats and pigs that could pose enormous problems should they get established in the Byron Shire, so community awareness is key to making sure they don’t become a problem,” Ms Caliari said.

The PAMP is on display until Thursday, 12 June.

Information about the Pest Animal Management Plan and how to make a submission is on Council’s website.