The 2019/2020 bushfire season in NSW was horrific and unprecedented on so many levels, which resulted in the unfortunate loss of life, significant damage and losses of properties, and brought unfathomable devastation to our vast and unique flora and fauna species.
RARE was a proud partner assisting in the clean-up effort within the communities who had lost everything which included the safe and concise demolition and asbestos remediation works. However, RARE’s environmentally consensus project team also wanted to give back to the local environment which desperately needed assistance with its recovery.
Tree hollows provide vital nest habitat for many bird and mammal species and are only generated by old growth trees. As these trees fall and die or are logged, cleared, or burnt, they cannot be replaced without 100 or more years of growth, maturity, and decay.
To assist in the hollow recovery RARE procured various species-specific nest boxes which were deployed into surviving trees in around our various project sites. Species accommodated by our installed boxes included microbats, owls, possums, gliders, and small and large parrots.
“Previous experience with the observed utilisation of these nest boxes by the species they were designed for, is primarily attributed to proper installation within a known ecological niche of that species. Research (desktop/literature review and colloquial) undertaken prior to installation gave us confidence that when installed each box would have maximum efficacy in providing supplementary shelter and nesting habitat for many species – including endangered species such as the Greater Glider.” said Tomas Anderson, Environmental Scientist at RARE Environmental.