Advocacy in action - Mountain Skinks halting logging of the Wombat Forest

Through the tireless and enduring efforts of Wombat Forestcare and its supporters, including a dedicated pro bono legal team - log salvaging works in the Wombat Forest are being continually challenged to protect the rare and threatened species that call the forest home.

Mountain Skinks found in the Wombat Forest - Photo credit: Gayle Osborne, Wombat Forestcare

Recently, Wombat Forestcare launched a legal case against VicForests claiming they had not carried out adequate surveys for threatened flora and fauna species at a salvage logging coupe. During the case, VicForests undertook reptile surveys, where they found nine endangered Mountain Skinks, Liopholis montana. This discovery led to a permanent injunction on further salvage harvesting. Although VicForests’ harvesting has been halted and its closure is to occur on 30 June 2024, salvage harvesting is continuing under emergency powers given to Forest Fire Management Victoria by the State Government.

The genetics

Wombat Forestcare raised funds to enable the genetic sequencing of samples that had been collected from Mountain Skinks throughout their known range - from the ACT to the Wombat State Forest. A prepared report on the genetics made a remarkable discovery - the Wombat Forest Mountain Skinks are special, they are genetically diverse from other populations located in the ACT, NSW and other parts of Victoria.

There are up to five distinct genetic populations of Mountain Skink across the region. However, genetic research indicates that the Wombat Mountain Skinks have 20% of the overall population's unique genetic diversity, this means they have genetics that aren’t found in the other populations. One of the possible indicators of this difference is that the Wombat Mountain Skinks are residing at lower altitudes than the other groups, showing an adaptation to warmer climates that could assist the species with adapting to climate change.

Finding this unique population, there is hope to improve the overall genetic diversity of the Mountain Skink through genetic rescue - a process where humans assist gene-flow through translocating animals and/or assisted breeding programs between the genetically diverse groups.

Despite holding a large proportion of the overall population’s unique genetic diversity, the Wombat Mountain Skinks have a low level of genetic diversity within their own population. This is a common trend among the other Mountain Skink populations as well, and implementing genetic rescue would likely benefit each population’s local genetic diversity, increasing the overall population's resilience.

The impact of this research also indicates that if we were to lose this localised group from the Wombat Forest, it would have a great impact on the overall genetic health of the Mountain Skink.

Protecting the Skink - protecting the forest

By raising the genetic findings with the Victorian Government, Wombat Forestcare hopes to finally secure the Wombat Forest as a safe haven for the Mountain Skink and many other endangered species that live within the forest. The importance of this discovery will add weight to Wombat Forestcare’s advocacy to hasten the legislation of the promised Wombat-Lerderderg National Park.

Find out more - read the latest Wombat Forestcare newsletter.

Published April 2024