On Wednesday 14th February 2018 , Green Skills and Gillamii Centre held a “Help The Hoodie” field trip around salt lakes on farms in the Cranbrook area.
The field trip commenced at the Bob’s Lake Bird hide, on the Lehmann farm, north east of Cranbrook and visited 4 lakes on farms, The event provided a focus on this special bird and how conserving foreshores of local lakes will benefit the Hooded Plover, a species at risk of becoming endangered. Green Skills working with the Gillamii Centre, is keen to provide ongoing assistance for farmers to fence off their salt lakes and control feral predators, such as foxes. in 2018 three local farming familties ( the Lehmann, Pech and Bradshaw families) will be undertaking salt lake foreshore fencing programs supported through landcare grants.
This project is supported by funding from the Western Australian Government’s State Natural Resource Management Program, supported by Royalties for Regions. The event is part of Green Skills’ wetland conservation activities and has also been supported through local farming families and also formed part of the South Coast Festival of Birds, supported by Lotterywest ( see https://birdfestival.greenskills.org.au/ ) . The Gillamii Centre is supported by the Shire of Cranbrook.
Pair of Hooded Plovers visit from Bobs Lake Bird Hide, Cranbrook
Poster promoting the event
Sheep on the edge of Cranrbook’s salt lakes pose a big threat to shore nesting shorebirds such as the Hooded Plover, a species at risk of becoming endangered
Field Day participants at Tom South Lake, a hooded plover hot-spot near Cranbrook. Green Skills is developing plans for a 3.5 km fence to protect this lake from stock.
At the Bob’s Lake Bird Hide on the Lehmann Farm near Cranbrook.
Sandy Lehmann looking at Hooded Plovers from the Bird Hide
The Field Trip visited a recently fenced lake on the Lehmann farm, a project supported by Gillamiii, Green Skills and the National Landcare Program
There are many salt lakes on the North side of the Stirling Ranges, many in need of fencing and feral animal control