The project kicked off last week, when ecologist Chris Pocknee from Biolinks Alliance delivered a presentation on gliders at Seymour College.
“Nest boxes are a great way to help endangered species like the squirrel glider, as even a small hollow in a eucalyptus tree may take 100 years to form naturally,” he said.
VCAL students from Year 11 and 12 will contribute to the initiative by building nest boxes in their woodwork class with technology teacher David Stute.
Vanessa Malandrin, project coordinator for Landcare at Hughes Creek Catchment Collaborative (HCCC), said that from now until November, there would be plenty of glider-related activities on offer.
“We will work in partnership with BEAM, Mitchell Environment Group and the Central Victorian Biolinks Alliance to deliver these activities,” she said.
“Our next public event is a tree planting day along Whiteheads Creek in Seymour on Sunday, June 25, after which all volunteers will be offered a warm lunch and hot drinks.
“On this occasion we will plant 200 seedlings to restore habitats that are essential for the survival of our native fauna.
“Shrubs like the winter-flowering wattles will provide food, while the trees will help to fill in the gaps in the green corridors that gliders use to move around town.
“If you want to learn more about these beautiful animals, then you should definitely come to our next presentation in Seymour. We’re aiming for July 9.”
In August there will be spotlight walks, looking for gliders and other nocturnal animals.
Then in spring the group plans to inspect 50 nest boxes that were installed about eight years ago when direct seeding was done along Lambing Gully Rd to create a wildlife corridor.
Anyone interested can join the exciting journey and become part of the new Seymour Urban Landcare group.
The glider project is funded by the Victorian Government, through the Environmental Volunteering New Growth Project.
To find out more about it, email Vanessa at seymoururbanlandcare@gmail.com
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