Homes Tasmania is extending and protecting the natural habitat for local flora and fauna in the Huntingfield subdivision, including the endangered forty-spotted pardalote.

The Rehabilitation and Revegetation Plan negotiated under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 will provide significant protections for the site by restoring native vegetation, managing invasive species and improving conditions for native fauna.

More than 8 000 native plants will be planted on almost 12.5 ha of the subdivision under the plan, connecting the subdivision with the Peter Murrell Reserve and providing a wildlife corridor and protected habitat for native fauna.

The Huntingfield site also contains significant Aboriginal artefact scatter, and the revegetation plan will ensure the enduring conservation of those artefacts.

Local Aboriginal land management business, Pakana Services, working closely with native seed and plant nursery, Wildseed Tasmania, are delivering the conservation work.

The rehabilitation work also includes the establishment of a wetlands covering almost 1.5 ha in the southeast section of the subdivision.

It will include a sediment basin, planted native vegetation, a dewatering area and fauna habitat installation.

The wetlands are designed to capture surface water runoff before it enters the Peter Murrell Reserve, providing natural filtration and helping protect the area’s natural values.

The revegetated and rehabilitated areas will be subject to an irrevocable conservation covenant and permanent fencing will be installed, ensuring the new habitats have enduring protection.

A planned cat management covenant will provide further protection to local fauna by prohibiting cats from the subdivision unless approved by the Kingborough Council and prohibiting cats on all public land in the subdivision.

The Rehabilitation and Revegetation Plan includes significant monitoring with annual visual inspections, photos, surveys and compliance reports for the first six years of establishment.