Southern greater gliders living in the western Strathbogie Ranges will be helped with new nesting boxes and local ‘citizen scientists’.
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The survival of a favourite arboreal mammal is set to be boosted by funding granted to a local Landcare group.
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The Strathbogie Ranges Conservation Management Network (SRCMN) is one of seven Victorian conservation groups to be awarded a share in $300,000 worth of funding granted to 26 groups nationwide.
The network was awarded $20,000 to support habitat for the southern greater gliders that live in the western Strathbogie Ranges by installing nesting boxes and recruiting an army of ‘citizen scientists’ to collect biodiversity data as part of the group’s Last Stand conservation program.
There are now less than 100 greater gliders in the Strathbogie Ranges compared to an estimated ‘thousands’ before land clearing started 150 years ago.
Nesting boxes are being built using a $20,000 Landcare grant to help increase numbers of southern greater gliders.
SRCMN project officer Bertram Lobert said a 2023 survey of the species in the western Strathbogies was the first systematic one of the fauna of the area.
“From that, we knew the species was really localised,” Mr Lobert said.
“The surveys were done as part of a project to understand the area’s flora and fauna and the impact the projected (Fera Australia) wind farm would have — particularly on arboreal mammals.”
Fera Australia is proposing a large wind farm and transmission line network in the area.
According to Strathbogies Responsible Renewables Community Group (SRRCG), Fera is planning to build the network and wind turbines over 50,000 hectares.
The SRRCG’s website says the project will impact 400 properties.
Mr Lobert said the western Strathbogie community initiated the survey.
“They thought it would be good to know about the ecological values of the area,” he said.
“And from that, we know that the species was really localised, and so nesting boxes seem to be a good solution to past land clearing.
“There is simply a lack of big old trees.”
Landcare Australia CEO Shane Norrish said the calibre of grant applications this year had been “exceptional”.
“It clearly demonstrates that the Landcare movement is still as passionate and determined to restore and protect our nature and landscapes, as it was 35 years ago.”
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