2021 – 2022 Activity Report
The members who participated in the WIRES tree restoration grant in the previous year had a day visiting properties where trees had been re-established following losses due to the drought. Many commented that it has been the most successful plantings they have been involved with due to the three wet seasons. Some trees are over 8 meters tall in two years. Properties closer to the Abercrombie River where tree plantings segue into stands of Casuarina cunninghamiana reported increased sighting of Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos and Gang-gang Cockatoos.
We were fortunate to be involved in the K2W Hollows for Habitat glider possum nesting box project with Habitech boxes being installed on properties in Peelwood. A very successful afternoon was held at Tuena Hall with Habitat Innovation providing a very interesting and insightful talk on the plight of birds and possums due to the ongoing land clearing for urban and rural development. They demonstrated how to install a nest box in the camp ground at Tuena to raise the awareness amongst locals and tourists about who we share our environment with.
The wet seasons have come with different challenges to the dry. Feral pigs are a major problem in the district with the Landcare pig traps in high demand. Due to the high pasture food source, it is proving difficult to trap the pigs as they are not taking the grain and progressing to the traps. People are reporting major damage to cropping paddocks with pigs ploughing large tracts of cultivate land.
We are all positive about the coming Spring with anticipation to observe the Glider possums in their new nesting boxes and be involved again in the Aussie Backyard Bird count in October to report the increase in bird varieties and numbers in our WIRES tree rehabilitation areas.
