By MELISSA MEEHAN
IT’S only a box made of donated wood – but it could ensure the survival of birds in the Dandenong Ranges.
In wet conditions last week, nest boxes were placed in the tree tops for local birds including the powerful owl and kookaburras.
Driven by Monbulk Landcare’s Sue Wansbrough, the boxes are put together by local schools with donated goods from local business.
“Without these boxes, birds that don’t nest like the yellow tail or a kookaburra, have nowhere to breed,” she said.
“After Birdsland burnt last year, and people are removing old trees, there are less places for these birds to go.”
Working with Monbulk College, Bayswater Secondary College, Bunnings Bayswater, Leaps and Bounds and Ranges TEC, which built the boxes, Ms Wansbrough had been relying on volunteers to climb up ladders to place the boxes.
Yarra Ranges Council staff also helped identify which trees were the best places to have the boxes, as well as helping out on the day they were put up.
But this year, she enlisted the help of energy provider SP AusNet which volunteered its staff and trucks at no cost to help out with the placement.
“It’s been so great that they have their help,” she said.
“We’ve been able to place the boxes on trees that are hard to reach.”
