What does it look like? Toolibin Lake is a seasonal , meaning it only has water at certain times of the year. When the wetland is full its woodland trees, sheoak (Casuarina obesa) and paperbark (Melaleuca strobophylla) are partially submerged in water. The wetland has some of the richest habitat found in the region and provides a home for many kinds of plants and animals including waterbirds. An impressive 41 species of waterbirds have been recorded at the wetland, including rare species like the freckled duck. The threatened red-tailed phascogale also lives there.

Where is it found? Introduction Toolibin Lake is found in the Upper ConSERvATIon STATUS Toolibin Lake, in , catchment, 200km south east of . It occurs in a low : is an area of high conservation value being one of the last remaining inland rainfall area of the Wheatbelt with endAnGered average annual falls between 370mm Environment Protection and freshwater lakes found there. It is Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 an ecological community, an area and 420mm. Some years, rainfall is of unique and naturally occurring well below average. Unfortunately, : groups of plants and animals, and is Toolibin Lake is one of only half a crItIcAlly endAnGered the largest remaining wetland of this dozen of its type remaining. Wildlife Conservation Act 1950 type in south west Australia. This type of wetland used to be common throughout the Wheatbelt The Australian Government has listed it but most have now become saline. as a threatened ecological community and it is internationally classified as The Upper Blackwood River a wetland of international importance catchment is in the Southwest under the . Australia Ecoregion, a biodiversity hotspot. The area is high in plant and animal diversity but has also

Image credit: Audrey Bird been severely degraded.

1930s 1950s 1970s 1990s 2000s 2008+

Tasmanian tiger Pig footed bandicoot Carnaby s black cockatoo Gilbert s potoroo Flatback turtle What s going to be eXtInct eXtInct endAnGered crItIcAlly endAnGered vulnerAble neXt...? The Wheatbelt has been extensively cleared for sheep grazing and wheat crops so there are now limited areas of native habitat left. threats to toolibin lake The Toolibin Lake threatened ecological community has been reduced in size by at least 90 per cent because of a number of threats.

Salinity natural vegetation has been removed in the past to make way for agriculture resulting in the water table rising and bringing salt from underground aquifers. This causes the soil and water systems in that area to become saline, which impacts on the health of Toolibin Lake’s fragile lake floor vegetation.

Weeds Sadly, it is thought to have disappeared i• v sit nearby Taarblin Lake, a Weeds change the structure of from the eastern states in the late 1800s neighbouring lake that has been this delicate ecosystem and in turn and is now endangered, being found heavily degraded by rising salinity. decrease natural vegetation available only in small, scattered populations visitors can see the possible future for food and shelter for animals. across the Western Australian Wheatbelt. fate of Toolibin Lake here, if rising salinity is not managed into the future. Grazing With help from a TSn community grant the Friends of Wagin Lakes are Join the Toolibin Lake Recovery Grazing by sheep damages the Lake’s • conserving habitat for the red-tailed Team for their annual field day and natural vegetation and compact soil, phascogale. The project is developing look at recovery actions at the lake again changing the natural habitat. a better understanding of phascogale and in the surrounding catchment. ecology, and improving corridors of case Study – Conserving the • Join the Friends of Wagin Lakes and high quality habitat with the help of red-tailed phascogale help with activities such as fauna landholders and local government. The Friends of the Wagin Lakes is monitoring, revegetation, fencing, over 5000 endemic native trees were a community group dedicated to weed control and surface and planted, primarily Casuarina obesa the conservation of the ecosystem ground water monitoring, to assist the and Eucalyptus wandoo, and corridors and environment surrounding the recovery of Toolibin Lake. Contact the fenced to assist with regeneration. Wagin Lakes, including the nearby Toolibin Lake Recovery Catchment Toolibin Lake threatened ecological The Friends of the Wagin Lakes officer at the WA Department of community. The Wagin Lakes provide continue to work with Southwest Environment and Conservation. habitat for the red-tailed phascogale Catchments Council, local government, and a number of water birds. Wagin Woodanilling Landcare Zone and community partners to protect this contacts The red-tailed phascogale, known unique ecosystem and special animal. by the nyoongar people of Western TSN Coordinator: Australia as the Kingo, was once What you can do Southwest Australia Ecoregion found across Australia from the WWF-Australia visit the nature-based recreation south west of Western Australia to • area at Toolibin Lake – enjoy the P (08) 9387 6444 the Great Sandy Desert and across picnic ground and walk trails while E [email protected] to the eastern states. learning about the lake from the W www.wwf.org.au/tsn interpretive signs.

references Department of Environment and Conservation (WA), http://www.naturebase.net/content/view/451/950/. Department of Environment, Heritage and the Arts, www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/communities/toolibin lake.html Toolibin Lake Recovery Team and Toolibin Lake Technical Advisory Group (1994) ‘Toolibin Lake Recovery Plan.’