Land added to SA conservation park
More than 300 hectares of wetlands in South Australia's southeast have been added to a conservation park to protect local wildlife, including an endangered parrot.
Environment Minister Paul Caica said the extra land would increase the size of the Piccaninnie Ponds park by 58 per cent.
"This extra land means we can provide better protection to the existing area of valuable aquatic habitat in South Australia," he said.
"The addition to the park will also allow us to re-establish a large area of coastal wetland and improve the connection to the nearby Discovery Bay Coastal Park and the Lower Glenelg National Park in Victoria.
Piccaninnie Ponds supports silky tea-tree wet shrubland that provides valuable habitat for the critically endangered orange-bellied parrot.
Mr Caica said protecting habitat in conservation parks and wetlands such as Piccaninnie Ponds contributed to the social and economic well-being of South Australia.
"We have a history of biodiversity loss through over-clearing and the impact of introduced feral animals and weeds, which is why the state government believes conservation parks and wetlands are so important," he said.