Large areas of native forest have been burnt by bushfires during the 2019-20 bushfire season, from farm to coast across the Great Dividing Range. And the fires are still burning. Millions of native animals have perished – from insects, lizards, birds, frogs, to mammals. For these huge ‘armageddon’ bushfire impacted regions to be recolonised, nearby populations of native wildlife will need to survive and thrive.
There are over 300 native species in Australia using tree hollows for shelter and breeding, of which 114 species are birds, and 83 of these species are mammals. There will have been a significant loss of old hollow-bearing trees throughout the burnt zones. It is expected that some birds may have escaped the flames, but will be unable to breed in future years if they require tree hollows for nesting. Surviving nocturnal arboreal mammals will similarly struggle to find tree hollows to shelter in during the day.
This booklet series has been compiled from the ARCMMG from existing online resources to enable volunteer nest box makers to quickly learn how to make nest boxes, for the species that occur within the East Gippsland region.
Over the next few weeks the Woodend Men’s Shed will be building these nests and distributing them to much needed areas affected by the devastating bushfires.
For alternative regions, species and further information please visit Animal Rescue Collective MacGyver Makers Guild.
If you would like to donate to the Victorian Bushfire Appeal, follow this link and follow the instructions.
