A fence to exclude deer from an endangered wetland habitat has been installed in the Upper Murray.
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The fence aims to keep the pest out and protect an endangered flower that has continued to grow following the 2019/20 summer bushfires.
The five-hectare fenced area is located within the 170-hectare Pheasant Creek Flora Reserve near Shelley and will protect the critically endangered Summer leek orchid, sometimes called the Shelley leek orchid, and more than 40 other threatened species.
Department of Environment Land Water and Planning regional biodiversity recovery coordinator Glen Johnson said fence provides long-term protection and security for the "sensitive ecosystem".
"Deer can overgraze native habitat and their hard hooves damage soil and vegetation in sensitive grassy wetlands and drainage lines," he said.
"The fence protects the only known population of the critically endangered Shelley leek orchid, which has responded surprisingly well to the fires last summer.
"There are now more than 250 individual flowering plants, up from only 30, recorded in the first spring post-fire."
Parks Victoria ranger John Silins said the fence will not only keep deer out, but allow other native animals to pass through.
"The fence is designed to exclude introduced deer but allows native animals such as wombats, wallabies, and kangaroos to come and go," he said.
Mr Sillins said the fence can also be changed to keep out other pests.
"It can also be adapted to exclude feral pigs if they become a problem in the future," he said.
"Our deer and weed control programs will continue in the surrounding areas to reduce the pressure on the reserve.
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"We are working closely with DELWP, Hancock Victorian Plantations (HVP), and community groups to manage these threats and ensure these endangered species thrive long-term."
The Upper Murray-Walwa fire started by lightning on December 29, 2019 and burnt approximately 226,000 hectares of public and private land.
The fence project was delivered by DELWP in partnership with Parks Victoria with support from the Koetong Landcare Group, Upper Murray Landcare Network, HVP and the North East Catchment Management Authority.
The collaborative project was funded by the Victorian Government's $22.5 million Bushfire Biodiversity Response and Recovery program, which supports on-ground action to help species impacted by the bushfires across the state.
