These grasslands are now mostly utilised as pasture with overgrazing, increased occurrence of fire and urban development all causing damage, while waterways are subject to alteration. Original wildlife has also been damaged by introduced plants including lodgepole pine broom and sweet briar while hawkweed and other weeds can more easily establish themselves when land is overgrazed. Introduced species of animals that cause damage including possums, goats, red-necked wallaby, and red deer along with predators such as cats, rats, stoats and ferrets. Protection of the tussock grassland is an ongoing concern and a project of the Department of Conservation working with local communities to establish protected areas and restrict grazing. A number of areas have already been set aside and formal protection is being established in Rock and Pillar Range, Lammermoor Range, Old Man Range, Old Woman Range, Pisa Range and The Remarkables. However these are all upland areas and the original habitats of the lowlands are in a much more precarious state having almost entirely disappeared. Separate initiatives have been set up to preserve habitats in the Canterbury lowland riverbeds and their endangered black stilt population.