Tweed residents interested in creating wildlife habitat are encouraged to come along to the ‘Nest Boxes for Wildlife’ Workshop on Saturday, April 9 from 10.30am to 2pm at Pottsville Environmental Centre.
Council’s Invasive Species Officer Pamela Gray explained that there are approximately 300 vertebrate species in Australia which use tree hollows and could benefit from artificial nest boxes as appropriate hollows become harder to find.
“Many bird species, most arboreal marsupials (‘arboreal’ means living in trees) and over half of the microbat species in Australia are dependent on tree hollows for shelter and breeding sites. Arboreal species play an important part in our ecosystem through pollination of plants, dispersal of seeds and regulating insect population,” Ms Gray said.
Land clearing, urbanisation, logging and firewood collection have significantly reduced the availability of tree hollows, impacting on hollow-dependent species and the ecosystem services they provide.
Artificial tree hollows, or ‘nest boxes’, have been identified as a management tool which can be used by a range of species as a replacement for natural hollows in the landscape. At least 10 mammals, 15 birds and eight micro-bat species, as well as some reptiles, have been recorded using nest boxes in Australia.
“Nest boxes in backyards are a great way to encourage many birds around your house, while boxes in rural areas can provide important habitat for a range of species including birds, arboreal mammals and bats,” Ms Gray said.
The Nest Boxes for Wildlife Workshop is the latest Landcare education event in the Tweed and Byron Shire Council’s Bush Futures Urban Sustainability Project.
“Come along to learn about the species that use nest boxes, how to make your own nest box and join a field trip to see nest boxes in situ,” she said.
If you’d like to join the field trip, please wear sunsafe clothing and covered shoes and bring drinking water. Morning tea is provided and participants can bring their own lunch.
The Pottsville Environmental Centre is located at the end of Centennial Drive, Pottsville.
Places are limited so please register with Claire on (02) 6670 2199 or csotweed@tweed.nsw.gov.au
