West Gippsland Dung Beetle Project

Latrobe Catchment Landcare in partnership with Maffra District Landcare are aiming to engage and involve community to increase their capacity to monitor and protect existing dung beetle populations in West Gippsland.

Dung beetles protect and improve soil by burying dung under and near dung pads. This improves soil aeration and moves the dung into the sub-soil providing plant-available nutrients. Most importantly, it prevents the dung’s high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus from washing into surface waters polluting dams, waterways and marine environments. There is a knowledge gap in what beetle species we have in our region, and where they occur.

This project will directly address this, involving the community to increase their capacity to protect existing dung beetle populations, as well as exploring the option of a beetle exchange. A beetle exchange involves swapping beetles of a species that are abundant in one location but uncommon in another (and vice versa).

There is strong interest in dung beetles amongst Landcare members in both MDLN and LCLN area. This project will invite landholders to participate in a 12-month citizen science dung beetle monitoring program. All monitoring will be undertaken by community participants, with support from Landcare Network staff and dung beetle experts as required.

An expression of interest form will be available in coming months and will be found on this page. There will be a training session held with Dr Russ Barrow from Dung Beetle Ecosystem Services to those successful applicants. A monitoring kit will also be provided to participants.

If you would like to know more about this project please get in contact with our Projects Officer or contact Maffra & District Landcare Network.