ABC TV - How to build a nest-box

THANKS to ABCTV and Wild Pacific Media's recent (and truly amazing!) wildlife documentary Australia's Wild Odyssey, we were privileged to be able to appear in this 'how to' video!

Hollowed Out? book - launched!

Hi folks, Simon here!

After nearly 10 months of late nights assembling such a huge jigsaw puzzle that is a 300+ page book with over 500 colour photographs, it was an AMAZING feeling today to launch 'Hollowed Out?' today! One of the highlights was having such a warm group of friends, family and mentors attend today's official launch ceremony hosted by the Shire of Mundaring Libraries at the Mundaring Arena. I am super grateful to all those people who attended, the Shire staff who worked so hard to make this event happen, the event sponsors MBC Trees and of course all of YOU who supported the original pre-sale campaign that brought the final hard-copy books to fruition!

So, where to now? Feel free to read more about the book launch below, or the subsequent author talk, or visit our new 'The Book' tab to order your copy online now!

 

"Hollowed Out?" book - Coming Soon!!

We're THRILLed to announce that after many, many years in the making, Simon's Nest-box/Tree-hollow book is very close to completion! "Hollowed Out?" is a story about the journey hollow-dependent fauna living in south-west Western Australia have endured, and how nest-boxes not only help these important animals survive, but foster custodianship for them into the future. It contains a wealth of information about habitat trees, the hollows they form, how human activities have impacted and continue to impact these precious natural resources, and, most importantly, the most up-to-date designs for a range of wildlife nest-boxes you can build in your backyard!

Click here to order your copy now!

We had hoped to time the launch of this book with Simon's appearance on the ABC TV programme Gardening Australia, which aired on Friday 22nd October as part of National Bird Week (you can watch this story, named 'Bird Box', by clicking here). But as often happens with creative projects, a few delays emerged! But now the book is available for purchase via the PRE-SALE crowdfund!.

After the initial launch of a paperback book, "Hollowed Out?" will be launched as an e-Book, to allow a fast, green way of getting it out there.

Follow us on Instagram for the latest news and updates on the book's launch!

Why Did the Possum Cross the Road?

Is that a very white powerline, or a funny piece of rope hung across the road?? You can keep guessing but we could also kill the suspense now...

A female Koomal or Common Brushtail Possum carrying her joey :-)

The funny bridge strung across Beeliar Drive is designed for this animal, the beautiful Koomal or Common Brushtail Possum (Trichosurus vulpecula). Recent surveys carried out in two local reserves revealed possums were present in one (Lake Kogolup), but not in the other (Yangebup Reserve). The fragmentation of wildlife habitat is one of the key reasons preventing some animals, particularly tree-climbing mammals, from moving around the landscape. The City of Cockburn therefore designed and installed a special 'possum bridge' to allow these excellent climbers to move across the road, and hopefully expand their population northwards. In order to inspire the next generation about possums, other wildlife and environmental education in general, the City supported a Re-Cyc-Ology Workshop at a local primary school, Mater Christi. This aimed to construct and install nest-boxes suitable for possums to enhance the habitat value of native bushland at Yangebup Reserve. So, with recycled materials and enthusisam, we headed to Mater Christi this morning to inspire some more kids!

The beautiful grassed workspace above was located outside one of the school's classrooms, and it provided the perfect environment for groups to work on assembling each of the 6 boxes. Then, after a lick of paint and some great discussions about the importance of tree-hollows as habitat, we set off into Reserve to install the boxes. Each one was hung on the trees using our usual tree-friendly, wire and hosepipe method. You can just make out in the below photo the entrance hole that is located at the rear of the box (against the tree), which makes it perfectly suited to the target species.

We are already looking forward to seeing who moves in! :)

Rivercare + Recycology = love for Jarrah Creek

A Phascogale nest box with a view!

We are very excited to have just completed a Re-Cycl-Ology Nest Box building workshop at Sawyers Valley Primary School, thanks to our friends at the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions through their Community Rivercare Program! 

The Jarrah Creek wetland, spot Simmo and the little fella!

This workshop, the second to be carried out at this (very lucky!) Perth Hills school focused on enhancing habitat for wildlife using the school's local Jarrah Creek wetland as a corridor to move throughout the hills. 

Brush-tailed Phascogale photographed in Mundaring, WA

The main target species was the Wambenger or Brush-tailed Phascogale (Phascogale tapoatafa), a rare local mammal that has been recorded in the area previously.

After a fascinating and entertaining whole school presentation about the importance of tree hollows and biodiversity in South West WA, the student 'Green Team'-ers got busy with the construction of six nest boxes.

Noongar Seasons sign on the Heritage Trail funded by State NRM

The students at this school have been caring for the Jarrah Creek Wetland for many years.  The head of Jarrah Creek is located at the base of the school and the students recognise that this wetland would have been significant to the indigenous Noongar people of this area.  

The school has engaged in annual monitoring of these nest boxes and we were all thrilled to discover Wambenger scats in one of the phascogale nest boxes!  They have had successful Red-capped Parrot fledglings two years in a row and each year, Australian Wood Ducks use the box close to the wetland.

Australian Wood Duck female sitting on eggs

This nest box project will provide much needed habitat for wildlife in an area that is predominately regrowth vegetation and lacks natural tree hollows. 
It was a unique opportunity to link a Re-Cyc-Ology nest box workshop with the Community Rivercare Program as it was our intention to inspire and motivate the next generation to care for this beautiful little wetland for years to come!