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Bandicoots at Balijup !

Bandicoots, Birds and Eco-restoration program at Balijup farm near Cranbrook 16-2- Jan 2020

This Green Skills camp involved four days of Bandicoot and fauna trapping and other environmental monitoring on Balijup, a special property forming part of the Gondwana Link conservation program.

14 participants worked with wildlife biologist Andy McCreery, Alisia Lampropoulos, & Basil Schur of Green Skills and others on a range of citizen science monitoring activities at and near Balijup farm including bandicoot re-trapping,bird surveying ( with Andrew Dickinson), woodland cockatoo hollow survey & Sanctuary fence maintenance. Thanks to Aunty Carol Petterson, Noongar elder, for participating and for the enthusiastic support of the Balijup owners, Alan Hordacre, Anne Vanderbyl and Richard Hordacre.

The 111ha Sanctuary was launched in May 2015 with Bandicoots ( Quenda), re introduced into the enclosure from whiich foxes and cats are excluded.A

This project was supported by the WA Government’s State NRM program and the Koorabup Trust. It also formed part of the Festival of Birds and Biodiversity 2020, supported by Lotterywest, Great Southern Development Commission, BirdLife WA and Green Skills

A Quenda ( Southern Brown Bandicoot) about to be released after capture, tagging and measuring.

 

100 cage traps were set out in the 111 ha fenced Sanctuary enclosure

 

Capturing and carefully handling the fauna caught

 

Group processing and measuring animals before release

University students getting experience handling native fauna

Releasing a Quenda

 

A Brush tailed Possum about to be released after capture

 

Brush tailed phascogale – first one caught and photographed at the Balijup Sanctuary. Very exciting !

 

Sarah and Andrew doing a standard bird survey

 

Anne Vandberbyl ( one of the Co owners of Balijup) brought out scones, cream and home made jam for the hungry team!

Participants on the Cockatoo nesting hollow survey of the wandoo and Jarrah trees

 

Setting up a wildlife detecting camera in the Sanctuary

 

Sanctuary Fence maintenance work

 

Eco-restoration visit to Green Skills and Greening Australian revegetation sites on the Sandiland farm near Kendenup

 

Visit to the Green Skills bird hideA fam at Lake Matilda, near Kendenup

 

Aunty Carol Pettersen, Noongar elder, sharing her knowledge, including about sandalwood nuts as valuable bushtucker food

 

Spotlighting excercise near Lake Nunijup during the event

 

Ecorestoration visit to the Martagallup Pony Club lake wetland restoration site and constructed islands.

 

Group enjoying watermelon brought up by Alan Hordacre and partner Kylie.

 

The group in the Sanctuary about to embark on a Cockatoo nesting hollow survey of the wandoo and Jarrah treas

Balijup Sanctuary Citizen Science Event Focusses on Elusive Native Fauna

For two days in mid-October, Green Skills held a Citizen Science  environmental monitoring event at the Balijup Sanctuary near Tenterden. 19 people participated in the activities, including  Conservation lecturer from TAFE South, Sylvia Leighton and 10 of her Cert III students.  Projects completed including monitoring of 24 Phascogale nesting boxes (some showing use), Wildlife camera monitoring,  a tree hollow survey of the wandoo/Jarrah woodland, Sanctuary fence maintenance, weedy wattle road verge removal, night spotlighting, and a survey of rabbit warrens. Balijup co-owners Anne Vanderbyl and Alan Hordacre were on hand  and provided valuable assistance to the activities.

Despite lots of indirect evidence of our elusive native marsupials, none were directly spotted during the two days.

The event was supported by the WA State Government’s State NRM program, the Koorabup Trust, Gillamii Centre,  Janicke Environmental Consultants,  enthusiastic volunteers  and the owners of Balijup Farm.

A four day Bandicoot and fauna survey project is planned  from Thursday  15th January 2020 to Monday 20 January 2020. Volunteer participants welcome to join in that event.

For further info on the Balijup Fauna project, contact Basil Schur, Green Skills  Project Manager on 0429481019 or [email protected].,au

 

Volunteer team checking Phascogale nesting boxes at Balijup Fauna Sanctuary, October 2019

 

Inside a Phascogale nesting box with scats visible. Balijup October 2019

 

Wandoo and Jarrah woodland tree hollow survey at Balijup

Fence check and upkeep at Balijup Fauns Sanctuary by Conservation TAFE students

Annie Vanderbyl, one of the co owners of Balijup farm,  with a photo acknowledging her parents, near entrance of the Balijup Sanctuary.

 

The Citizen Science Group on the edge of one of the 13 lakes and wetlands on Balijup Farm. October 2019

Bushland Survey on Currawong farm- Draft Report Available for feedback

Bushland Survey on Currawong farm- Draft Report Available for feedback

On Monday 9th September 2019  Green Skills conducted its fourth  ‘ Rapid Snapshot Bushland Assessment and Eco Planning’  survey on Currawong farm, near Boxwood HIll.
Done in conjunction with the Stefani family, the aim was to  do a snap shot biodiversity assessment to assist with planning for bushland conservation and revegetation planning for this 990 hectare farm that is strategically located next to Bush Heritage’s North Monjebup reserve as well as the Corackerup Nature Reserve. This farm, which has about 269 ha of remnant bushland  27 %)  is thus situated in the heart of the FItzgerald to Stirling section of Gondwana LInk ( http://www.gondwanalink.org/)

The survey team comprised Melissa Howe ( Ecologist), Basil Schur ( Green Skills) , Angela Sanders ( Bush Heritage), and Jane THompson ( co owner of Yarraweyah Farm). Also in attendance was Freya Spencer ( Gillamii and North Sirling Pallingup NRM officer), Leoni McMahon ( FGB Executive Officer and Reaghan Shalders ( FGB NRM Officer)

Green Skills has now collated the  results of the day’s survey and prepare a draft a report for feedback from the landholding family and other stakeholdersThis document will prove valuable in accessing further bushland fencing and revegetation assistance for priority sites.

For further info contact Basil Schur, Green Skills Denmark office  08 98483310

Draft Survey report c

Planning for on farm Biodiversity conservation in Gondwana LInk

Snap-shot Bushland Survey and Eco-Assessment on Currawong farm, Monjebup

On Monday 9th Green Skills conducted its fourth  ‘ Rapid Snapshot Bushland Assessment and Eco Planning’  survey on Currawong farm, near Boxwood HIll.
Done in conjunction with the Stefani family, the aim was to  do a snap shot biodiversity assessment to assist with planning for bushland conservation and revegetation planning for this 990 hectare farm that is strategically located next to Bush Heritage’s North Monjebup reserve as well as the Corackerup Nature Reserve. This farm, which has about 269 ha of remnant bushland  27 %)  is thus situated in the heart of the FItzgerald to Stirling section of Gondwana LInk ( http://www.gondwanalink.org/)

The survey team comprised Melissa Howe ( Ecologist), Basil Schur ( Green Skills) , Angela Sanders ( Bush Heritage), and Jane THompson ( co owner of Yarraweyah Farm). Also in attendance was Freya Spencer ( Gillamii and North Sirling Pallingup NRM officer), Leoni McMahon ( FGB Executive Officer and Reaghan Shalders ( FGB NRM Officer)

Green Skills will collate the results of the day’s survey and prepare a draft and then final report for the landholding family. This document will prove valuable in accessing further bushland fencing and revegetation assistance for priority sites.

For further info contact Basil Schur, Green Skills Denmark office  08 98483310

Meeting with Jeremy Stefani, farmer, using aerial maps to show the history of the property.

Currawong farm remnants with the magnificent Stirling Range National Park in the backgroun

FItzgerald to Stirling Section of Gondwana LInk  Strategic map

 

Survey team on a propose revegetaiton site with Jeremy

 

Angela, Jeremy and Melissa  assessing a biodiverse remnant bushland area

Aerial view of Currawong farm, close to other extensive bushland areas

Red Moort – Eucalyptus nutans- endangered tree species see https://bie.ala.org.au/species/http://id.biodiversity.org.au/node/apni/2910953)

 

Red Moort – Eucalyptus nutans- endangered tree species

 

Emus in the Canola on Currawong

Linking Students to Landcare

Cranbrook School Tree Planting Outing to Tom South Lake – Tuesday 30th July 2019

Cranbrook Primary School Tree Planting Event Links Students to Landcare

The Cranbrook School Tree planting day held on Tuesday 30th July at Tom South Lake went well. Green Skills coordinated the provision of local native plants grown in the Katanning Landcare nursery, and guidance for the students on the day

The Gillamii Centre and the Shire of Cranbrook provided assistance in terms of planning and site preparation.

Forty or so students accompanied by several teachers and supporting adults from the Cranbrook Primary School participated in planting and watering around 1100 local shrubs and trees around the fenced off edge of the lake foreshore. Thanks also to the Jones and Williamson farming families for providing permission and support for the plantings. . This landcare project has been supported by the Koorabup Trust, Green Skills, Gillamii Centre, Shire of Cranbrook and the Cranbrook Primary School.

For a number of years bird enthusiasts including Steve Elson from Ongerup and others from BirdLife Australia have been surveying the birdlife of Tom South Lake, noting that it is an important haven for shorebirds including the threatened Hooded Plover, In 2018 Green Skills and the Gillamii Centre organised support for a 3.7km fence to be built protecting the foreshores of this lake from sheep grazing.

Last summer, it was noted that Hooded Plovers were breeding on the edge of the lake, the first time in years. The proximity of this lake adjacent to the main road between Cranbrook and Katanning makes it an ideal demonstration site to promote lake conservation to the broader Great Southern farming community.

 

Cranbrook School tree Planting Outing to Tom South Lake – Tuesday 30th July 201