birding-aus

Re: relocating hollow-bearing trees

To: <>, <>
Subject: Re: relocating hollow-bearing trees
From: "Scott O'Keeffe" <>
Date: Wed, 11 Jul 2001 14:58:26 +1000
Thanks for that story Chris.

It would be nice if we had a web site where we could report on these
positive stories. Have a few pictures and an explanation of the project,
etc.

Scott O'Keeffe

-----Original Message-----
From: 
 Behalf Of

Sent: 11 July 2001 09:15
To: 
Cc: 
Subject: Re: relocating hollow-bearing trees




G'day Chris and others,

In response to a request for information regarding the use of relocated
hollow-bearing trees.  A good friend of mine, John Robinson, who lives in
Strathfieldsaye south of Bendigo, has put a great deal of effort into
relocating
a dead tree on his 'Land for Wildlife' grassy woodland property.  The tree
was
blown-over in a wind storm several years ago and fell over the creek running
alongside his property.  The tree was of no real habitat value where it fell
so
being slightly eccentric, John decided he would convert the fallen tree into
an
apartment block for local hollow-dependant fauna, raising a few of his
neighbours eye-brows in the process!  At his own personal expense, he hired
in
some excavating equipment to dig a deep hole, hired a crane for half a day
to
remove the tree from the creek and place it in the hole, then ordered a
truck of
pre-mix to cement the thing in (that process totalled close to $3000).
After
erecting the tree, he used silicone and pieces of natural timber to alter
the
diameter of many of the natural hollow openings to specifically target
different
species.  He also created new hollows using a chainsaw and a chisel.

Since completing the project, John has observed the following species either
nesting or sheltering in different hollows in the 'habitat' tree:

Sacred Kingfisher
Musk Lorikeet
Purple-crowned Lorikeet
Eastern Rosella
Red-rumped Parrot
Cockatiel (rare breeding record for Bendigo district)
Galah
Laughing Kookaburra
Striated Pardalote
Sugar Glider
Yellow-footed Antechinus
Lesser Long-eared Bat
White-striped Freetail-bat
Little Freetail-bat

This is a very interesting and encouraging tale of what can be achieved to
successfully provide habitat for hollow-dependant fauna by relocating
hollow-bearing trees.  However, I don't think there is any substitute for
retaining hollow-bearing trees where they occur naturally, and I think it
would
be a dangerous practise to recommend otherwise.

Cheers,

Chris Tzaros
Land for Wildlife Extension Officer
Department of Natural Resources & Environment
Box 3100
Bendigo Delivery Centre 3554

Ph. (03) 5430 4368


Birding-Aus is on the Web at
www.shc.melb.catholic.edu.au/home/birding/index.html
To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message
"unsubscribe birding-aus" (no quotes, no Subject line)
to 


Birding-Aus is on the Web at
www.shc.melb.catholic.edu.au/home/birding/index.html
To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message
"unsubscribe birding-aus" (no quotes, no Subject line)
to 


<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>
Admin

The University of NSW School of Computer and Engineering takes no responsibility for the contents of this archive. It is purely a compilation of material sent by many people to the birding-aus mailing list. It has not been checked for accuracy nor its content verified in any way. If you wish to get material removed from the archive or have other queries about the archive e-mail Andrew Taylor at this address: andrewt@cse.unsw.EDU.AU