2024 Strategies for success:

ENGAGING LANDOWNERS IN EFFECTIVE RABBIT CONTROL

Executive Summary

Acknowledgments

Throughout our research, we live, work, create and study on stolen land and acknowledge that sovereignty was never ceded. Our team is formed by people from different backgrounds and ideas who celebrate diversity and collectivity. We acknowledge that colonialism has impacted our lives in Australia, and it continues to create imbalanced relationships that have driven us to be where we are.

We proudly celebrate the Wadawurrung, Bunurong and Wurundjeri Country, sky, waters, underground, their people, Ancestors and Elders, with whom we learn and share our lives on their Traditional Lands. We value their culture, knowledge, their continuous custodianship and care for Country.

We are committed to nourishing our relationships with the Traditional Knowledge holders of this land and contributing to the shared responsibility in creating more sustainable futures for generations to come.

Authors

Erica Fridell, Payden Hancock, Holly Jenner Completed July, 2024

1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

European Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) were introduced to Australia in the late 19th century and is the most abundant and broadly distributed mammals in the country. Since their introduction, the species has caused significant ecological and economic damage including land degradation, overgrazing and competition with naïve species for resources. To reduce the invasive species population and minimise damage from rapidly growing population numbers, a combination of biological and conditional control techniques has been utilised over the years with varying success. Bellarine Landcare Group (BLG) is part of the Victorian volunteer Landcare movement, with the objective of protecting and enhancing the Bellarine Peninsula’s natural environment. One such initiative includes tackling the Peninsula’s population of invasive species, including rabbits through working with private landholders and community members to enact rabbit control measures on their property. In collaboration with BLG, the overarching aim of this study was to assess private landholder views and engagement with rabbit control in the Bellarine Peninsula and establish the best methods to further increase landholder engagement with this issue. Explorative and quantitative methods including surveys, interviews and desk studies were undertaken to grasp and better understanding of the views of private landholders in the Bellarine community in regard to rabbit control and how to best engage them with the issue. Fifteen interviews were taken from over 100 survey responses posted on social media community boards. The collated results from this study highlighted the observations and perceptions of private landowners within the Bellarine Peninsula, and their experiences with active issues regarding invasive rabbit populations. It was found that whilst the damage produced by rabbits is obvious and negatively impacts most landowners, there are numerous barriers for landholder engagement in effective control methods. These include limitations relating to age demographics, concerns for the wellbeing of the environment, and a lack of guidance and support from organisations, councils as well as other landowners. Therefore it is recommended that environmental action groups (including the BLG) and local councils should increase communication, awareness and assistance about issues surrounding rabbits and invasive species, establish local landowner groups to promote collaborative efforts, increase volunteering programs to further assist landowners in engaging with rabbit action, establish a monitoring program to local areas to monitor rabbit populations and the impact of control methods, promote current and new research and establish education programs. The results of this study may also validate landholder concerns and struggles regarding rabbit control through acknowledgment and considerations that solutions to the issue are being investigated.

2. INTRODUCTION

The European Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) thrives in ecosystems across Australia spanning from coastal plains to deserts but are most abundant in areas where soil is suitable for digging warrens, particularly deep and sandy soils of the north-east of South Australia. They can breed at any time during the year from the age of four months and, when conditions are favourable, can have up to four or five offspring per litter or one or two litters when conditions are unfavourable (Department of Sustainability, 2011). Although domesticated rabbits arrived on the first fleet, European rabbits were purposefully introduced for the sport of hunting in 1859. However, with no natural predators and litters occurring up to seven times a year, the species had spread across 70 per cent of Australia’s landmass within 70 years of their introduction (CSIRO, 2021). The species quickly became more than a nuisance as their fast-growing population numbers began having significant ecological and economic repercussions including competition with native wildlife for resources, contributing to land degradation and damaging native vegetation through ring barking, and preventing flora regeneration by consuming seeds and seedling. Given the expanse of ecological damage, rabbits are thought to have contributed to the population decline of native plants and animals as well as causing the extinction of multiple ground-dwelling small mammals of Australia’s arid lands. According to the CISRO, it is estimated this introduced species causes an estimated $200 million of economic damage annually.

The Bellarine Landcare Group (BLG) is a non-government organisation that is part of the Landcare social movement. It is run primarily by community members and volunteers working, in collaboration with government bodies and business to enhance and protect the natural environment of the Bellarine Peninsula (BLG, 2024). BLG conducts a range of projects focusing on sustainable water and land uses and promoting biodiversity within the Bellarine Peninsula. One such project focuses on the eradication of European Rabbits from the Peninsula through collaborating with private landholders, providing education, advice and assistance to implement control strategies. Historically to combat rapidly growing populations on a large scale, the CSIRO released Myxomatosis, a poxvirus caused by the myxoma virus. Spread by insects like fleas and mosquitoes and through close contact, majority of infected animals die within 10-14 days (RSPCA, 2021). The Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Virus (RHDV), a calicivirus, was also released in 1996, causing fatal haemorrhagic disease specific to European rabbits, with infected animals dying within 24-60 hours post-infection (Schwensow et al., 2014) On a local scale however, some common strategies conducted by BLG, and private landholders include destroying and fumigating warrens, pindone poisoning and shooting/trapping.

In collaboration with BLG, the overarching aim of this study was to assess private landholder views and engagement with rabbit control in the Bellarine Peninsula and establish the best methods to further increase landholder engagement with this issue. This is supported by the research question as follows:

3. LITERATURE REVIEW

BELLARINE PENINSULA’S HISTORY WITH RABBITS

As mentioned in the introduction the Bellarine area has an extensive history with pest rabbits. There are many sources of literature from books like Braysher, 2017 that span decades of research, to meta-reviews and their resulting plans (Fitzgerald, et al, 2007; Cooke, 2012; The City of Greater Geelong, 2021), to highly specified peer-reviewed papers (Compton & Beeton, 2012; Woolnough, et al, 2020; Carter, et al, 2023) around effective management of the wicked problem that are European rabbits. After decades of combating populations literature presents that now we have a diverse array of methods of control of both physically, biologically and sociologically. This literature review intends to illuminate the frontier of these methods’ research and the relevance of application in a Bellarine context. Furthermore, the Bellarine Peninsula’s history of rabbit control is exemplary and worthy of case studies in the future as it has many different actors, stakeholders, and issues in this space that mirror many pest control issues that extend outside of Australia. This review is divided into interrelated sections of literature that explore the breadth of pest rabbits and people as private land holder stakeholders. What are the effective methods of controlling rabbits and the inherent ethical and stewardship implications; and why we should control rabbits? Why is literature trending towards social cooperation on this otherwise individualised problem? Why and how private landowners must be effectively engaged in rabbit control? Lastly, why is effective landowner and stakeholder engagement necessary for productive conservation efforts?

EFFECTIVE METHODS OF CONTROLLING RABBITS AND WHY WE SHOULD CONTROL THEM

Rabbits in this landscape have caused a plethora of damage. Whether its economic, ecological, or medical rabbit society is obtuse to Bellarine land uses. Medical implications are standalone in this context as warrens have been recorded to cause injury to people and livestock, although livestock is an economic implication rather than medical. Literature draws the relationship between economy and ecology to be intangible in the rabbit caused impacts, one that had flow on or feedback effects on the other (Cooke, 2012). Either rabbits destroyed soil and floral biomes that opens the door for weeds and border effect (Allred, et al, 2014; Lubeck, et al, 2019), or farming biosecurity and bush regeneration was impacted by rabbit invasions (Braysher, 2017).

The literature on the damages all stem from the fact that they are invasive and destructive and so warrant the extensive studies into managing them (Allred, et al, 2014; Woolnough, et al, 2020). Therefore, there is impetus to continue managing if not eradicating the problem as there have been hurdles around accessing all warrens, due to property boundaries, that are harbouring many populations. This avenue of engagement with stakeholders and the wider public will be more relevant later in the literature review. The list of rabbit culling controls range from physical: with poisoned bait, shooting or warren destruction to biological: with deadly virus’ (Taggart, et al, 2022), castration or fumigation, to natural: with predators, resource reduction and hunting (Cooke, 2012; Carter, et al, 2023). All are still relevant and effective measures today with the caveat that some are season specific. The Bellarine today has biologically resistant rabbit populations to what were devastatingly effective applications of biological controls from the 80s on. This is crucial, as shown in the literature like Carter, et al, 2022 and Taggart, et al, 2022 about these methods that infants, as they are still growing and born in times or at the end of food abundance, are resistant and can reproduce these resistances on to the next generation. This renders these applications ineffective, costly for future biological orientated control research and development, and therefore warrants the literature on appropriate handling and community education. Although, there are common albeit less generally appealing inhumane methods of poisoned baiting and fumigation that have very effective results according to literature that don’t lead to off target, or secondary killing due to seasonal application again (Braysher, 2017). This leads into the crux of this literature review and report at large. The focus is how to to solve pest rabbits through engaging private landowners effectively and the novel socio-economic strategies. The methods of erradication or management have been shown to work, but efficacy hinges on scale of application that is determined by collective of landowner size.

THE SOCIAL SPHERE PERSPECTIVE ON EFFECTIVE CONTROL MEASURES

Emerging in the literature is the efficacy of authorities promoting a social method of eradication and reduction. The Bellarine Landcare Group (BLG) is attempting such new angles. The literature around Landcare’s role in advocacy and community organising shows that it is effective in conservation (Curtis & Lockwood, 1998; Kelly & Stannus, 2002). This is backed-up by the uptake of Landcare’s roles and model by overseas countries as seen in EIT, 2020s congruent review on landholder perceptions of predator controls in New Zealand. This all culminates in Landcare’s primary function of involving the public in conservation, filling in gaps or generating large task forces to circumvent the costs of conservation (Curtis & Lockwood, 1998).

This is a socially effective management method when it comes to the rabbits in the Bellarine, as seen historically. Today the Bellarine Landcare Group isn’t getting the desired results as seen in their program uptake and our results from private landowners of the Bellarine. This informed the direction of literature we investigated on how to implement the needed conservation works on private land and their resistance to BLG (Kelly & Stannus, 2002; The City of Greater Geelong, 2021). The major hurdle in reducing the tide of multiplying rabbits isn’t necessarily the development of the next virus, castration, or resource reduction technology rather the social vehicle that will utilise them. There is rising resistance, as seen in pockets of our data and presented in the literature, that a problem with onboarding stakeholders and communities with rabbit programs (Fitzgerald, et al, 2007). This is from the methods of control being inhumane. So, we see a relationship between the attitudes around the ethics of culling versus the ethics of rabbits as our responsibility and their inherent destruction of other species habitat and resources (Cooke, 2012). There are concerns around secondary poisoning and other killing implications that are in friction with social concept of stewardship and the innocence of rabbits. Issues of misinformation and malpractice have exacerbated such social perceptions creating further hurdles. This encourages government, authorities and conservation groups to improve research availability during the community and landowner engagement process. Furthermore, policy updates explored in the literature has shown better reputations and relations between government and landowners surrounding conservation works (Cooke, et al, 2011) The importance of landowners participating in rabbit management is paramount but most efficient when its large land parcels or multiple smaller properties that work together (Raymond & Brown, 2011; Uebel, et al, 2021; Woolnough, et al, 2020). This is due to border effect that can undo works (Niemiec, et al, 2017). So, what does the literature say about creating these scenarios?

COLLECTIVE LANDOWNER AND STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT FOR EFFECTIVE CONSERVATION WITH COMMON BENEFITS

This section is the primary content explored for this literature review. It concerns the interconnected importance and encouraging characteristics of successful rabbit control and the stemming benefits. Much of the literature around what successful landowner engagement and the success of policies, incentives, and conservation methods, mirrored our study through gathering data by surveys. A common theme was that landowners are diverse – our data backed this up – and
so approaches must also be diverse (Cooke & Lane, 2015). The exemplary rabbit control plans and source of successful results are surrounding the power of stakeholder engagement to deal with populations protected by the border of their property perimeter. 9

These results are improved by as shown by the literature through multiple parties working together, either in application or, the most effective result, when multiple landowners conduct works on each of their properties (Niemiec, et al, 2016). Private land means landowners are responsible and therefore would have to wear the cost. The literature regarding this is showing policy and market-based solutions and incentives overcome the hurdle of lower-socioeconomic groups enabling more groups (Moon & Cocklin, 2010; Compton & Beeton, 2012; Cooke & Corbo-Perkins, 2018). This can be compounded with policy change that encourages better support and plans for conservation on private property, alleviating effort on behalf of the landowner (Moon & Cocklin, 2010; Cooke, et al, 2011; Farmer, et al, 2016). Due to the differing values, socioeconomic position and interests around land use of landowners as seen in Brenner, et al, 2013, common values must be advertised as a benefit from rabbit works on private land. This has an underlying motive to improve biodiversity, which improves visual quality and ecological performance that in turn feeds back into ecosystem services for all residents and landowners (Januchowski, et al, 2012; Drescher & Brenner, 2018). The literature shows this occurring and the reception from public and landowners being positive, which socially incentivises uptake of control works (Fischer & Bliss, 2008; Farmer, et al, 2016). In turn this phenomenon is moulding culture and social norms away from issues around ethics and beliefs of rabbits place within biodiversity (Fitzgerald, et al, 2007). The literature speaks to what improved cohesion and cooperation between local communities and landowners achieves an affinity for the co-created biodiversity that becomes a rigid part of society due to placemaking attachment and stewardship values (Jansujwicz & Calhoun, 2010). O’Donnell, 2023 analyses farmers and their perspective on biodiversity and restoration of native vegetation to discover much of what was mentioned above. This paper also illuminates that knowledge around terms like biodiversity or ecosystem services are not widely understood, representing the lack of commonality about such concepts. Therefore, further requiring public and private perceptions and reception to be positive to encourage like-works and normalising the benefits of land ecosystem performance (Woolnough, et al, 2020).

4. RESEARCH METHODS

The explorative quantitative methodology for this study was divided into three parts over the course of 12 weeks. This comprised of desk studies, surveys and interviews. Initially, it was hoped to engage with landholders and community members in person at various markets around peninsula. However, after a struggle to get resources and participation at the Geelong waterfront market, as well as our constrained time frame to collect data, an online approach was subsequently taken through various community groups on social media with greater success.

4.1 DESK STUDIES

Over the first few weeks, roughly 25 various articles and papers were collated to explore similar issues and approaches towards invasive species control and landholder engagement. These studies assisted with broadening understanding and effective methods of similar issues and developing questions for landholder interviews. The relevant papers are outlined in depth in the above literature review.

4.2 SURVEYS

Surveys have often proven to be an effective method of qualitative data collection due to their ease of accessibility and non-time-consuming nature. It was hoped that an online survey wouldtherefore increase landholder and community engagement, as well as line up potential interviews. A survey was posted to 16 Facebook community pages with 10 questions guided by studies done by Cooke and Lane (2015), and Niemiec et al., (2016). It focused heavily on current landholder engagement and views on/with rabbit control, with the final question tailored to gaining potential interviewees. Over the course of two weeks, collated 147 responses from community members and landholders within the Bellarine peninsula.

4.3 INTERVIEWS

Following survey responses, some precipitants voluntarily offered to be interviewed. From the 147 responses, 15 private landholders volunteered and undertook 10-20min interviews. These interviews consisted of 20 questions formulated using a combination of data from past research and relevant subjects related to the invasive species issue deemed necessary for the aim of the study and answering the research question. They also assisted in filling some gaps of previous studies and focusing on the unique concerns of the Bellarine Peninsula. Questions focused on rabbit population issues and landholder opinions regarding control measures including: identifying potential education and awareness gaps in land care and invasive species knowledge, likelihood of lasting engagement strategies, influence of secondary methods or focusing on native flora and fauna survival rather than rabbit culling.

5. RESULTS

5.1 SURVEY RESPONSES

Table 1: Responses to question 2 of the survey: ‘What do you use your property/land for?’

Figure 1: Responses to question 3 of the survey: ‘How concerned are you by the rabbit population in the Bellarine Peninsula?

Figure 2: Response to question 4 of the survey: ‘Were you aware of why rabbits are considered an invasive species on the Bellarine Peninsula?’

Figure 3: Response to question 5 of the survey: ‘Were you aware of the financial and ecological benefits to landowners who participate in rabbit control?’

Figure 4: Response to question 6 of the survey: ‘Do you want to become more involved in rabbit control?’

Figure 5: Responses to Question 7 of the survey: ‘What is the primary reason for not engaging or participating in rabbit control?’

Figure 6: Responses to Question 8 of the survey: ‘Would you be more interested in rabbit control if it focused on secondary methods of control? (e.g. planting specific bushes on your property that rabbits typically avoid, or constructing rabbit proof fences)’.

Figure 7: Responses to question 9 of the survey ‘if given assistance from/worked together with other local landowners and professionals, would you be more likely to engage in rabbit control on your property?

5.2 INTERVIEW RESPONSES

Table 2: Overview of respondents that participated in the interviews. These included:

Question 1 - what is your current employment status?
Question 2 - what is the size of your property?
Question 3 - how long have you live on your property?
Question 4 - where have you lived prior to your current residence?

Transcriptions of the interviews for each participant’s answers for questions 5 - 20 can be found in ‘9. Appendices’.

6. DISCUSSION

Overall, through the findings of the survey and interviews conducted, this report will examine the perspectives and concerns expressed by respondents. This discussion aims to highlight and address the potential barriers and reasons for uncertainty (as seen in Figure 4) when participating in effective conservation efforts as well as the implications of societal and organisational influences. Quotations from the interviews are included to provide firsthand insights of landowner experiences. Through this analysis, the report seeks to offer a comprehensive understanding of how to foster landowners to effectively respond to rabbit control methods.

6.1 SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS

The ways in which landowners engage with rabbit control methods are predominantly influenced by the social demographics and geography of the land. Due to the significant area and spread of people on the Bellarine Peninsula along with its varying property uses (see Table 1), sizes (see Table 2) and different demographics, residents ultimately preserve diverse values and priorities from one another (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021). Therefore, the ways in which they care for their property and focus on the issue of rabbits is also reflected within the results. This is supported by Januchowski-Hartley et al. (2012), who suggests that the societal and demographic factors that ‘influence landholders’ participation and adoption of actions’ is needed to be better understood within environmental management.

Furthermore, whilst an increase in age can exhibit an increase in ‘pro- environmental behaviour’ and a motivational shift that focuses on the environment (Wang, Hao and Liu, 2021), it is concerning that older individuals are expected to solely conserve their land, and in this situation, participate in physically taxing rabbit control methods, when their health and physical ability is vulnerable. Following the 2021 census, The Bellarine Peninsula has a median age of 45, which is older compared to other surrounding suburbs. These results, along with the age ranges of participants provided in the interviews, indicates that the area has increased population of older individuals and potentially, increased age barriers when engaging in rabbit control.

Additionally, the increase in large housing developments on the Bellarine Peninsula also influences the management of the land. Several respondents believe that due to the rabbits moving away from the cleared land into their larger and rural properties, residents of the developments are not impacted by the rabbits, and therefore demonstrate a lack of action towards the issue. Raymond and Brown (2011) further establish this notion, suggesting that landholders who are “disengaged” with the problem are subsequently less likely to conserve their land without “significant...incentives”, creating additional barriers outside of societal characteristics that will be focused on later in this discussion.

“Because the new estates are getting so ripped up, [the rabbits] are coming over to our side of the road - they were forced out of the residential zone across the road and have all segregated down to here”.

“A lot of people don’t know [or] realise the damage rabbits do. A lot of people who kick up about it are city dwellers who’ve never been on the land and don’t know – they think they do but they don’t....They don’t know the damage it does to properties – especially the big ones where it’s hard to get to the rabbits because other places are so big”.

“The neighbour’s horses are hurting themselves stepping in the burrows. I don’t think residential areas realise how problematic it is on land”.

6.2 DESIRE FOR DIRECTION

Engaging landowners in conservation action against rabbits on their property necessitates an understanding of the issue, and the ways in which to conduct control methods. The results within the survey determine that whilst respondents are concerned by the rabbit populations (as seen on Figure 1) and demonstrate a good understanding of the presence of European rabbits (identified in Figure 2), there are significant discrepancies in the awareness of the benefits of controlling them (only 52% as shown in Figure 3). This subsequently reveals that landowners are uncertain as to why they should control rabbit populations as well as demonstrates that there is an overall lack of education and promotion surrounding rabbit control. Moreover, this absence of direction and education is further supported by the results in figure 5 , which illustrates that the primary reason for individuals not engaging in rabbit action is due to the problem appearing ‘too big’ and individuals not knowing where to start. As such, several respondents within the interview also revealed that this lack of direction, particularly from organisations like local councils and environmental management organisations such as Bellarine Landcare Group impedes their ability to participate in engaging with effective control methods.

Additionally, the results depicting the significant lengths of time participants length lived on their properties, as well as where their previous residency, both identified on Table 2, further demonstrate that participants are familiar with the environmental needs and requirements specific to the Bellarine Peninsula; it is the complexity and size of this issue that causes uncertinaty on how to act. Furthermore, Kueper, Sagor and Becker’s (2013) research findings reveal that when landowners were provided with education programs, Dalrymple Landcare Committee had an increase in credibility and trust with the local community. As such, through providing a voice to landowners and direction to combat the issue, the committee ultimately equipped landowners with the knowledge and motivation to engage with the conservation efforts on their properties. This results show potential for amending this absence of education and overall direction and can be mirrored to the Bellarine Peninsula.

6.3 DESIRE FOR COLLABORATION

A recurrent theme highlighted by respondents throughout the interviews, and is supported by Figure 7 from the survey, was the desire for collaboration of neighbouring landowners, volunteers and Landcare officials to produce efficient and long-lasting reductions in rabbit populations. According to Raymond and Brown’s (2011) research, they revealed the necessity to bring together engaged landowners to “share their knowledge and information”. As such, partnerships between individuals experiencing similar rabbit issues could provide valuable direction and support, which was a concern mentioned in section 5.2, as well as aid those experiencing different situations and barriers, such as age and those with disabilities. Collaboration also allows for the development of methods targeted to the local area’s specific needs (Raymond and Brown, 2011).

Additionally, Cooke and Corbo-Perkins (2018) reveal that the movement of rabbits “across boundaries can challenge the logic of property-centricity in the process of conducting conservation work, reinforcing the importance of working collaboratively across boundaries”. Therefore, engaging neighbours and other landowners in conservation efforts can address the issue on a larger scale and therefore reduce the possibility of rabbits returning to the neighbourhood area. This collaboration will not only assist in managing rabbit populations more efficiently, but also foster a sense of community and shared responsibility among landowners. It is necessary, however, that all landowners partake in collaborative efforts as a lack of consistency, as aforementioned above, will prevent lasting eradication.

6.4 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS

Both the survey and interviews revealed that landowners were hesitant to implement rabbit reduction strategies due to concerns over the environmental impact of these control methods. This predominantly focused on the of potential consequences of secondary poisoning on native wildlife and landowner’s pets following the baiting of rabbits. Despite these uncertainties and apprehension, the respondents still exhibited significant care for the environment and their properties, which is identified in appendices 5 and 6 Some methods undertaken included general property upkeep, the planting of endangered native tress, bee keeping and promoting native birdlife. It is through this care that ultimately demonstrates that there are landowners who are willing to engage in conservation methods but are limited due to impacts of their environmentally focused morals and values. Gorgan and Bavorova (2022) supports this notion, suggesting that the ‘belief that the method[s] will be unjust’, is a significant factor to landowners not contributing to certain conservation methods. Furthermore, the potential loss of personal identity of ethics and attitudes are also internal factors that prevent conservation participation (Januchowski-Hartley et al., 2012).

Upon questioning, most respondents have not personally seen any impacts of death that is confirmed to be related to secondary poisoning. Despite this, however, landowners remain hesitant and believe there is a lack of resources to justify the potential environmental benefits of utilising baiting methods. Niemiec et al. (2019) proposes that the influence and beliefs of neighbouring landowners are considered more credible to landowners in comparison to environmental management staff, particularly due to sharing similar values. This is supported by the participant’s desires to promote research that has already been conducted to either confirm or deny the concerns of landowners. Moreover, several landowners also expressed enthusiasm for research into immunocontraception and secondary methods of control, as seen in Figure 6 that will ultimately align more with their morals and values, compared to that of baiting.

Additionally, it is important to report that landowners were questioned if promoting the re-establishment of the Eastern Barred Bandicoot through controlling rabbit populations instead of specifically highlighting the culling of rabbits would encourage landowners to engage in rabbit control more. The responses were mixed; however, it did ascertain that, despite an appreciation for native wildlife, landowners would prefer to focus on rabbit control specifically and the barriers of conservation efforts, rather than introduce another aspect to the already complicated problem.

6.5 LIMITATIONS

It is necessary to consider the limitations of the research when interpreting the results. Whilst the sample size collected was larger than expected, as identified in the results on Table 1, the participants involved were predominately retired individuals with large property sizes. As such, with less limitations due to employment and an increased time to focus on their property’s maintenance and wellbeing, there is potential bias to respondents who are more willing to engage in rabbit control, as supported by McKelvie- Sebileau (2020). Individuals who are uninterested in acting against rabbits on their property, as demonstrated within the discussion, would be less likely to respond to the survey and subsequently the interview process. This would influence the results collected as the views do not accurately mirror those of all of the Bellarine Peninsula.

Additionally, it is important to acknowledge that there is the possibility of unconscious interviewer bias, within both the survey questions, and particularly the interviews. It should be considered that the interviewees maintain pro-environmental perceptions when understanding the results collated.

7. CONCLUSION

Ultimately, the results from the survey and interviews demonstrated the perceptions and observations of landowners within the Bellarine Peninsula and their experiences with actively undergoing issues concerning the invasive rabbit populations. This report found that whilst the damage produced by rabbits is obvious and impactful to most landowners, there are numerous barriers to landowners engaging in effective control methods that produce meaningful results. These include limitations relating to demographics, a lack of guidance and support from other landowners, environmental organisations and councils as well as concerns for the wellbeing of the environmental. As such, through these findings, we have recommend the following as the best methods to further engage landowners in action against the European rabbit populations on the Bellarine Peninsula.

1. Bellarine Landcare Group to increase communication and awareness to landowners across the Bellarine Peninsula on their efforts on rabbit control. This should involve promoting their online presence such as their rabbit action website and through physical methods including letter drops and increasing local meetings.
2. Establish local landowner groups to promote collaborative efforts between landowners on area-specific rabbit issues. These groups should be assisted by Bellarine Landcare to identify what to do to create and maintain a large and effective environmental impact.
3. Establish a monitoring program to local areas to monitor rabbit populations and the impact of control methods. This is also to ensure rabbit populations remain reduced and not out of control.
4. Increase volunteering programs to further assist landowners in engaging with rabbit action, particularly those with age-related restrictions. This should include both verbal assistance on what to do and physical assistance like the filling in of warrens or construction of rabbit-proof fences on these properties.
5. Increase both new research and promote current research already conducted regarding the effects of baiting. This is to include the potential impacts of secondary poisoning. This research available could assist in easing the concerns of landowners apprehensive of using baiting.
6. Establish education programs in local areas. This should focus both on the issues of rabbits specific to the local area, methods on how to control rabbit populations and increase awareness of the ecological and financial benefits when rabbit populations are controlled.
7. Increase the assistance provided by local councils. This should incorporate financial incentives to reduce the barriers of rabbit control, such as subsidising baited carrots, trapping gear and rabbit- proof fencing. There also needs to be a change in perception and consistency from local council to understand that the invasive rabbit population is a collective issue and not solely the responsibility of individual landowners.

The results collected and the recommendations established will be essential for many groups within the Bellarine Peninsula. This includes environmental action groups including Bellarine Landcare Group as well as the local councils including Surf Coast Shire Council, Greater Geelong City Council and the Borough of Queenscliff Council. The results will also be beneficial to landowners affected by rabbits. It will validate that their concerns and struggles are being acknowledged and considered that solutions to the issue are being investigated.

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9. APPENDICES

APPENDIX 1 - Raw data of survey participants’ responses to survey question 1: ‘What is your postcode?’

APPENDIX 2 - Raw data of survey participants’ responses to survey question 7: ‘What is the primary reason for not engaging or participating in rabbit control?’

APPENDIX 3 -Transcriptions from each interview participant on question 5: ‘How concerned are you for the ecological health and performance of your property?’

APPENDIX 4 - Transcriptions from each interview participant on question 6: ‘Have you noticed any damage caused by rabbits on your property? Have you seen rabbits?’

APPENDIX 5 - Transcriptions from each interview participant on question 7: ‘Are there other areas of conservation or the environment that you care significantly about?’

APPENDIX 6 - Transcriptions from each interview participant on question 8: ‘Do you partake in conservation methods on your property? If so, what are they?’

APPENDIX 7 - Transcriptions from each interview participant on question 9: ‘Have you contributed in rabbit control actions previously? Were they successful/unsuccessful, why?

APPENDIX 8 - Transcriptions from each interview participant on question 10: ‘Can you go into further detail as to why you are not involved in rabbit control’.

APPENDIX 9 - Transcriptions from each interview participant on question 11: ‘Are you interested in rabbit control? Why?’

APPENDIX 10 - Transcriptions from each interview participant on question 12: ‘How would you want to help control the rabbit population? Are there any secondary methods you would do?’

APPENDIX 11 - Transcriptions from each interview participant onquestion 13: ‘What do you believe are the best methods to engage your more in rabbit control? Are there any incentives?’

APPENDIX 12 - Transcriptions from each interview participant on question 14: ‘Do you feel your participation in rabbit control will make an impact?’

APPENDIX 13 - Transcriptions from each interview participant on question 15: ‘Why do you think landowners in the Bellarine Peninsula are not collectively engaging in rabbit control?’

APPENDIX 14 - Transcriptions from each interview participant on question 16: ‘Do you feel yourself and others in the community know enough about the rabbit issue on the Bellarine Peninsular? Is there enough education about it, or the benefits of controlling rabbits?’

APPENDIX 15 - Transcriptions from each interview participant on question 17: ‘What do you believe are the best methods to enagge the community in rabbit control? Are they are incentives?’

APPENDIX 16 - Transcriptions from each interview participant on question 18: ‘If the survival of native species like the Eastern Barred Bandicoot was promoted through the contrl of rabbit populations, would you and the community be more interested in conducting rabbit control?’

APPENDIX 17 - Transcriptions from each interview participant on question 19: ‘Do you believe that collaborative efforts within the community, other landowners and Landcare officials would be beneficial in creating significnat change? How/why not?’

APPENDIX 18 - Transcriptions from each interview participant on question 20: ‘Do you have any questions or anything you would like to add?