Further to my postings last August about re-vegetation work occurring in
the box-ironbark remnants of Lurg, near Benalla Victoria.
The following is a summary of work conducted in 1998:
- No. of properties with fencing projects this year 14
- No. of sites fenced 24
- Length of fencing 13 km
- Area of habitat fenced 93 ha
- No. of properties with planting projects 29
- No. of planting sites 46
- Trees and shrubs planted 28 500
- No. of plant species per site 35 to 40
- No. of volunteers assisting the project 700
Unfortunately I don't have totals for the project since its inception at my
fingertips but it is impressive.
This is indeed a mighty effort and will greatly benefit Grey-crowned
Babblers and Regent Honeyeaters as well as many other bird species. A
Regent Honeyeater was seen recently at a site planted 5 years ago and
another at a site planted in August but realistically these sites have a
long way to go before they are of real value to this species. In the
interim, however, they are of real benefit to the babblers and curlew and
smaller birds are recolonising areas that were once completely without an
understorey
Funding has been received for several small projects in the Chiltern area
of north-east Victoria, and for more ambitious projects in the Capertee
Valley and west of Armidale. Volunteers will be required to plant trees at
these sites in autumn and again in spring. This will be the chance to get
out, get your hands dirty and do something positive for bird conservation
in a seriously endangered habitat. These things don't happen by wishing,
it takes people to make them happen.
David Geering
Regent Honeyeater Recovery Coordinator
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