A dedicated team of Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater (FoHH) citizen science volunteers hit the tracks earlier this month to survey various species in Yellingbo.
Over two days, on 10 and 11 of August, young people from the youth reference group and the general citizen science program went out in force to survey and collect vital data.
Amy Gregorovich, FoHH Committee Member and Youth Reference Group Convenor said that regular activities now happen about once a month.
“We do things like creating mesh cages to protect endangered orchids from browsers, weed removal, habitat revegetation, twilight frog surveys, and much more,” she said.
The group said was great to see quite a number of moths and other insects buzzing around – which is a sign of spring warmth coming.
Zali Clark who is part of the youth reference group said that she has gained a deep love and respect for Yellingbo from working with the FoHH.
“I appreciate all the diverse work being done to support and restore its beautiful ecosystem,” she said.
FoHH is a volunteer run non-for-profit working to improve the status of the Helmeted Honeyeater, Victoria’s critically endangered bird emblem.
The group’s scope of work includes habitat restoration, revegetation programs, community education and advocacy, and numerous collaborations with partner organisations.
The FoHH’s citizen science program recognises that Yellingbo Nature Conservation Area (YNCA) is a refuge for many threatened, regionally significant and common species, all of them having importance to a healthy ecosystem.
Through events that require little to no specialist equipment or prior knowledge, community members of all ages and backgrounds help in gaining a wider understanding of the current and changing ecology of the YNCA, whilst learning and having fun.
Data is uploaded to scientifically rigorous online platforms, which is then used by scientists to understand where species live, when they’re active, and any changes happening in the local environment – in this way anyone can be a citizen scientist.
FoHH’s Youth Reference Group was formed in 2022 to offer citizen science opportunities for young people aged 18 to 31+ who have an interest in conservation.
Ms Gregorovich said the youth reference group was formed as an opportunity for young people to gain transferable skills in the environmental sector whilst giving back to local conservation efforts.
“It’s a two-way relationship where the Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater receive volunteer support for our programs, and young people can get field work experience working alongside like-minded individuals,” she said.
Since the youth group formed Ms Gregorovich said they have partnered with different organisations to have experts attend workshops, which teach various skills.
“This has included frog surveys with Melbourne Water, adaptive planning workshops with Parks Victoria, and wetland ecology surveys with researchers from the University of Melbourne,” she said.
The whole team also recorded the following six mammal species – common wombat, ringtail possum, brushtail possum, sugar glider, yellow-bellied glider and swamp wallaby and 21 bird species including at least one Tawny Frogmouth and a Southern Boobook heard calling.
Invertebrates were not left out of the survey and the team found along with land slug species, a few leeches were found hitching the occasional ride.
The group is always looking for new members, and schedules activities on different days to consider work and study commitments.
“I have also made lifelong friends who like me find joy and purpose in making a difference for the better here in Yellingbo and for the Helmeted Honeyeater,” Zali said.
For more information and to sign up to an event, please visit https://www.helmetedhoneyeater.org.au/volunteer-query-form/
