4 Recovery Planning

4.1 Vision

In 2044, wild self-sustaining populations of the Pookila persist in a greater area of occupancy than at present across Qld, NSW, Vic, and Tas. Known threatening processes are well understood and successfully managed in collaboration with First Nations people, land management agencies, conservation organisations and private landowners. The public embrace the Pookila as a native rodent species worth protecting.

4.2 Objectives and performance criteria

Recovery of the Pookila is a continuing commitment. The focus of recovery actions is to prevent local extinctions, improve genetic diversity, increase the population size, and expand the area of occupancy by gaining a greater understanding of the ecological requirements of the Pookila, threatening processes and addressing other knowledge gaps.

Objective 1: The Pookila’s area of occupancy has increased

Performance Criteria:

• Within 10 years, the area of occupancy has increased within known existing areas with reintroductions into historically occupied areas in Qld, NSW, Vic, and Tas (see Table 7).

Objective 2: The Pookila’s national population size is stable or increasing

Performance Criteria:

• Within 10 years, the sizes of identified important populations are maintained or increased from the baseline (see Table 8).

Objective 3: The genetic diversity of the Pookila is improved

Performance Criteria:

• Within 10 years, there is increased gene flow within Evolutionarily Significant Units (ESUs). Genetic health of important populations is stable or improving (see Table 9).

Objective 4: First Nations people are collaborators in the management and recovery of the Pookila

Performance Criteria:

• Within 10 years, long-term partnerships have been established with First Nations people and representative organisations across the species’ range are collaborators in Pookila recovery efforts. Where they choose to be, First Nations people are leading or actively engaged through partnerships in recovery actions on Country (see Table 10).
• Where First Nations people have chosen to share knowledge and perspectives on Pookila, these have been respectfully acknowledged, incorporated, and managed as desired by those First Nations people and organisations (see Table 10).

Objective 5: Community awareness of the Pookila and engagement with recovery efforts have increased

Performance Criteria:

• Within 10 years, habitat protection has increased by collaborating with landowners and land managers (see Table 11).