By REBECCA BILLS
MONBULK Landcare had the assistance of 43 conservation volunteers in the final preparations of installing over 80 nestboxes for the Monbulk Wildlife Shelter.
Monbulk Wildlife Shelter owner and leader Carolyn Seeger said she is happy that the project is taking place as it will really help the native wildlife.
“People don’t realise it but there are yellow-bellied gliders, sugar gliders and greater gliders around and they need big hollows to nest in.” she said.
Sue Wansbrough from Monbulk Landcare said since the 2009 bushfires the group was concerned about the tree clearing that occurred and the subsequence loss of native habitats.
“Just the eucalyptus trees alone take up to 100-years-plus to grow,” she said.
“We’ve chosen this location at Monbulk Wildlife Shelter as it is backing onto the crown land which is where Carolyn is sending out rehabilitated animals.”
Ms Wansbrough said Monbulk Landcare has made hundreds of boxes for the local area and it is funded by volunteers.
“Monbulk College Ranges Tech, Bunnings, Bayswater Secondary, Billanook College have really helped us create the boxes,” she said.
“Hopefully by getting the students involved it will help them think twice about the environment and cutting down trees.”
Conservation Volunteers’ officer Travis Scicchitano said the group partners up with local council, Parks Victoria and various other people who work with the environment to get a group of volunteers together to help with various projects.
“A lot of people don’t have the ability to have a group of volunteers come out or locally assist,” he said.
Mr Scicchitano said the nest boxes are important owing to how young a lot of the trees in the area are – most trees are not mature enough to create a hallow that a native animal could live in.
“These nest boxes just speed up the natural process and it does make a huge difference,” he said.
“It’s a vital link in the system and it may not seem much to our naked eye but obviously to these small creatures moving around it really creates a safe environment for them to move between mature habitats.”
Shire of Yarra Ranges Bush Crew Team Leader Chris Mongan attended on the day to provide a free barbecue for the volunteers and help in the transportation of nest boxes.
