Flying-foxes in the Clarence Valley

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Clarence Valley Council are working to protect flying-foxes and their habitat and prevent negative interactions with flying-foxes in core habitats. To do this, we are developing a flying-fox management plan and communications strategy for the Clarence Valley, as well as working on habitat regeneration and revegetation in flying-fox habitats to increase buffers.

Clarence Valley Council are working to protect flying-foxes and their habitat and prevent negative interactions with flying-foxes in core habitats. To do this, we are developing a flying-fox management plan and communications strategy for the Clarence Valley, as well as working on habitat regeneration and revegetation in flying-fox habitats to increase buffers.

  • Who Gives a Flying-fox Trivia Night!

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    Hey trivia lovers...

    Grab a team and join us for a FREE fun-filled evening of batty brain teasers and a fly-out spectacle over the Clarence River.

    It promises to be an exciting night of nocturnal noggin nourishment where you can test your general knowledge and sharpen your wits around our winged wonders.

    WHAT: Who Gives a Flying-fox Trivia Night!

    WHEN: Flying off at 7pm Thursday 22nd February

    WHERE: Crown Hotel, Grafton

    WHO: Come with a team (max 10 people) or create one on the night

    Prizes for the top Wingding Whiz!

    Contact Rhianna.Faithfull@clarence.nsw.gov.au for any queries or just turn up.

    Don't miss out on this batastic trivia extravaganza!




  • Greg Clancy’s Susan Island Fauna Report Launch

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    On Thursday 23rd November Clarence Valley Council supported the launch of Greg Clancy’s most recent report: The Fauna of Susan Island (Nyami Julgaa) 2010-2022.

    The morning was spent listening to several talks about the island, including its land-use history, the island’s significance to the First Nations Nyami Julgaa women’s group, vegetation on the island and how the island is now managed for conservation. Council was also pleased to participate in the talks by presenting an overview and update on the Susan Island: Restoring to Reduce Conflict Flying-fox project that is funded by LGNSW Flying-fox Habitat Restoration Program.

    Greg Clancy presented the results of his report through a series of great photos of many of the fauna species he was able to survey in 2018 – 94 vertebrate fauna species and 103 invertebrate species. The report was then officially launched by Clarence Valley Council Mayor Peter Johnstone and will be made publicly available through the Clarence Valley Libraries.

  • Susan Island Women's Visit

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    On the beautiful morning of Wednesday 20th September Clarence Valley Council was thrilled to partner with the Nyami Julgaa Women’s group to take 25 local aboriginal elders and women out to visit Susan Island.

    Susan Island holds great significance to the Nyami Julgaa group, who are the cultural custodians of the island and have a close and ongoing relationship to the place and its rainforest. The women in this group have worked hard over the years to support and advise bush regeneration efforts by National Parks and Wildlife Services and the Susan and Elizabeth Island Recreation Land Manager, and are now seeing the revival of indigenous flora and fauna on the island that have traditionally been used for food, medicine and technology.

    Council supported this women’s visit to Susan Island by providing food, transport, safety, and other planning logistics. We were also excited to work with the Gumbanggyirr Rangers from Ngiyambandigay Wajaarr Aboriginal Corporation for the first time, who assisted with boat transport and safety procedures on the day.

    Council is fortunate to be able to support this type of community engagement thanks to the grant it received through the LGNSW Flying-fox Habitat Restoration Program. The Susan Island Nature Reserve, with its intact remnant floodplain rainforest, is a seasonal home to Grey-headed and Little Red flying-foxes each year. Clarence Valley Council has launched the Susan Island: Restoring to Reduce Conflict project to restore further flying-fox habitat on the island while also working to develop a greater understanding of flying-foxes amongst the community.

    Flying-foxes hold an extremely important environmental role as seed dispersers and pollinators and are intricately linked to the health of our forests, the other wildlife that depend on these forests and the communities that are connected to them like the Nyami Julgaa group on Susan Island.

    As part of the Susan Island: Restoring to Reduce Conflict project and events like this women’s visit, Council hopes to demonstrate the link between flying-foxes and their importance to the island’s natural rainforest and significant cultural heritage. We look forward to creating more opportunities for community engagement with flying-foxes and Susan Island through this project.

  • “Community attitudes towards flying-foxes in the Clarence Valley” Survey Results

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    The survey “Community attitudes towards flying-foxes in the Clarence Valley” has closed and the results are in!

    We received 56 submissions. Thank you to everyone who participated. You can view the whole Survey Response Report, but here are some of the highlights…

    KEY STAKEHOLDERS with an interest in flying-foxes are:

    • Local residents or community groups; and
    • Environmental/conservation organisations.

    The community’s general KNOWLEDGE AND AWARENESS of flying-foxes in the Clarence Valley is extremely high. Everyone who took the survey know that flying-foxes live in the Clarence Valley area and have seen or encountered them. A high majority of participants are also already aware that:

    • Flying-foxes are a native species protected under legislation;
    • Flying-foxes are important seed dispersers and pollinators;
    • Flying-foxes contribute to the preservation of native vegetation;
    • Grey-headed flying-foxes are listed as a threatened species; and
    • Disease from flying-foxes can be prevented by not handling them.

    Understandably, there are mixed FEELINGS AND ATTITUDES towards flying-foxes and habitat restoration amongst the Clarence Valley community. 59% of participants are either currently affected by flying-foxes or have been in the past, but more expressed positive feelings (46%) towards flying foxes than negative ones (34%). More participants also described their overall experiences and interactions with flying-foxes as positive (46%) rather than negative (39%).

    The top 3 flying-fox topics of most concern or interest are:

    1. Smell
    2. Flying-fox droppings
    3. Damage to vegetation

    70% of participants think flying-foxes are good for the environment, with most agreeing that:

    • Flying-foxes are environmentally important and should be protected;
    • Flying-fox habitat should be protected and restored; and
    • Council has a role to play in protecting flying-foxes and restoring their habitat.

    More than half of the participants, however, also agree that:

    • Flying-foxes are a nuisance that need to be managed;
    • Living/working/studying near flying-foxes has its challenges; and
    • Council has a role to play in managing flying-foxes.

    When asked what role Council should have in flying-fox management when camps occur on public land, some common responses include:

    • Community education and information;
    • Managing, restoring, and protecting flying-fox habitat away from residential areas;
    • Maintaining street trees and vegetation on public land; and
    • Relocating flying-foxes when camps set up in residential areas.

    Just under half of the respondents showed an interest in participating in community education and/or events about flying-foxes and habitat restoration, with some common suggestions for Council including:

    • Educational materials and events for the community, including for school children;
    • Promoting flying-foxes positively;
    • Creating opportunities for people to see and experience flying-foxes in person e.g. tours/events; and
    • Opportunities to participate in bush regeneration and tree planting.

    Thanks again to all the community members who participated in this survey. Council will be using these results to help inform a Community Engagement Strategy for our Susan Island: Restore to Reduce Conflict flying-fox project. We look forward to sharing this with you soon.

  • Susan Island Volunteer Days

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    Do you want to get involved in restoring flying-fox habitat on Susan Island?

    Join the Friends of Susan and Elizabeth Islands this Saturday 19th August for their monthly volunteer day. Spend the morning learning about rainforest regeneration by liberating native trees from vines or planting new natives. These activities contribute to the overall work Council is doing as part of the new Susan Island - Restoring to Reduce Conflict Flying-fox Project.

    Find more information and follow the group at Friends of Susan and Elizabeth Islands or email nick.reeve@icloud.com to register your interest.

  • Take our new survey - Community attitudes towards flying-foxes

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    Please take our online survey - https://www.clarenceconversations.com.au/flyingfoxes/survey_tools/community-attitudes-towards-flying-foxes-in-the-clarence-valley

    Clarence Valley Council is seeking to better understand the target stakeholder groups and community attitudes towards flying-foxes and habitat restoration projects in the Clarence Valley Council local government area.

    Your contribution will help guide Council's direction for community engagement and education about flying-foxes and their projects.

    If you cannot take the survey online paper copies will be made available at Clarence Valley Council Customer Service Centres.

    The survey will close 31st July 2023.



  • New Project: Susan Island – Restoring to Reduce Conflict

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    Clarence Valley Council is excited to announce a new flying-fox project: Susan Island – Restoring to Reduce Conflict. This project is grant funded through the Local Government New South Wales 10-year Flying-fox Habitat Restoration Program and aims to improve flying-fox habitat on Susan Island.

    The Susan Island Nature Reserve – which has a significant area of intact remnant floodplain rainforest once covering the banks of coastal rivers throughout northern New South Wales - is already an important roosting and breeding area for the threatened Grey-headed and Little Red flying-foxes. In recent years, however, we have seen a dramatic decline in seasonal flying-fox numbers on the island due to the 2019 influx of Little Reds and the vegetation damage they caused in the reserve. Subsequent seasons have instead seen ‘spill-over’ influxes of flying-foxes into residential areas in South Grafton and Grafton, causing much conflict in the community.

    Habitat restoration of this Susan Island camp is therefore essential to encourage flying-foxes back to the island and minimise these 'spill over' events into neighbouring urban areas. The Susan Island – Restoring to Reduce Conflict project plans to do this through restoration activities like weed control and revegetation in the island’s remaining Crown Land to extend the existing rainforest canopy. This will not only increase suitable habitat that supports healthy flying-fox populations but will have positive flow on effects for the overall biodiversity of Susan Island. Council will work closely with NPWS and the Susan and Elizabeth Island Recreation Land Manager (SEIRLM), who already manage bush regeneration work on the island.

    Council will also work closely with Nyami Julgaa, the cultural custodians of Susan Island. This group of Aboriginal women have a close and ongoing association with the island and its rainforest, with an important women's site located there. The project seeks to enhance community engagement around the cultural practices and use of the island, as well as increase general community understanding of flying-foxes and their importance in wider ecosystem health. Through this project Council is excited to improve overall attitudes towards flying-foxes by providing the community with more opportunities to view and engage with our local batty friends.

  • The survey results are in!

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    Clarence Valley Council is working to protect flying-foxes and their habitat as well as prevent negative interactions with flying-foxes through a Local Government NSW-funded project ‘Maclean Flying-fox Management’. We are developing the Clarence Valley Council Flying-fox Management Plan. One aspect of the plan development is to decide which flying-fox camp management actions would be best suited for residents that are most affected. To gauge the opinions of community on the matter, we asked the public to complete a Flying-fox Camp Management Consultation Survey.

    The survey was available on Flying-foxes in the Clarence Valley from the 9th of January 2020 to the 2nd of March 2020. During this consultation period the survey received 75 valid submissions.

    Impacts

    With 75 valid submissions, respondents felt that smell, faecal drop, noise and fear of disease were the most concerning impacts from flying-foxes. The respondents favoured flying-fox camp management measures that do not harm flying-foxes and provide a long-term solution, as well as not degrading the ecological values of the site and ensuring that disease transmission remains low.

    Management Options

    Based on the cumulative preference totals of the top five options of all respondents, revegetation for alternative habitat, and education/ awareness programs ranked highest as the most preferred management options. Research, early dispersal, active nudging, and active dispersal through disturbance were ranked equal third and fourth as preferred management options. This is supported by the finding that the majority of respondents that lived in close proximity of a camp were aware of the flying-fox camp prior to moving in. For a priority action, revegetation for alternative habitat ranked the highest, with education/ awareness programs and active dispersal through disturbance ranking second and third. Level 1 actions were ranked the highest of the priority actions, followed by level 3 actions.

    Culling flying-foxes (an illegal activity) was the most preferred management option by several respondents, ranking 5th overall; with passive dispersal, protocols, artificial roosting habitat, subsidies and advising of property modification without subsidies attracting no priority preferences; and artificial roosting habitat attracting no cumulative preferences.

    Subsidies

    Subsidising property modifications or subsidising services were not priority management options for the respondents, but was selected when allowed up to five preferred options. Based on the cumulative preference totals of the top five options of all respondents, covering commonly used areas, vehicle covers, and double-glazing of windows ranked highest as the most preferred subsidy options. For a priority subsidy option, covering commonly used areas ranked the highest, with rainwater first-flush diverters and air conditioners ranking second and third.

    Interactions with Flying-foxes

    The majority of respondents experienced the camp as flying-foxes flew over their residence, business or child’s school and felt extremely positive towards them. Of those that were not directly affected by the flying-foxes, respondents enjoyed visiting them. Respondents that were not directly affected by a camp felt overall extremely positive about flying-foxes, while those that were directly affected by a camp felt overall extremely negative about flying-foxes. Of the respondents that were directly affected by a camp, active dispersal through disturbance was the highest ranked priority management action, while revegetation and management of land for alternative habitat was the highest ranked priority management action for those that were not directly affected.


    For more information, DOWNLOAD THE FULL REPORT showing all survey results.

    Stay tuned for the one-page infographic summarising the results.

  • Protecting fruit with wildlife-friendly netting

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    The use of netting to protect fruit is a great way to reduce the impact of wildlife on crop loss; however we need to ensure that hungry animals do not become entangled.

    IMPACTS ON WILDLIFE

    All kinds of animals can get caught in improper fruit netting, including flying-foxes, birds, and reptiles. Mesh netting with wide spacing can entangle the feet or wings of animals. When animals are caught they may struggle to escape; which can result in the animal becoming stressed, developing wounds from the mesh, or event death of the individual.

    APPROPRIATE NET DISPOSAL

    Unwanted netting can even harm wildlife once discarded. Ensure you dispose of netting in a manner that will not allow it to become a hazard.

    WILDLIFE-FRIENDLY NETTING

    There are several ways that you can install wildlife-friendly netting to your fruit trees, with varying levels of cover. Wildlife-friendly nets can also help to exclude fruit fly and other insects.

    Cover Individual Fruit: If you have a fruit tree that produces bunches of fruit, or a few miscellaneous larger fruits, you could consider using fruit protection bags. These can be purchased in bulk and are an economical way to be selective about fruit protection. You could even use this method to leave some fruit uncovered for the wildlife to feed on if you have an excess supply.

    Cover a Whole Tree: Large box-shaped nets with a fine 2 mm woven mesh are available that can be used to cover a large shrub or small tree. Boxed nets have a skirt that should gather around the trunk of the tree to prevent animals accessing the fruit from below. Most nets do not need a frame to support them, as they are light but If you have a larger fruit tree, a supporting frame can be constructed with Polypipe or wooden posts. Consider how you will access the protected tree once covered (some nets have built-in access flaps).

    Cover a Whole Garden: Mesh netting on a roll can be used to cover a custom-built frame and protect a large area, such as a garden bed. This is a good option if you have many small shrubs that you would like to protect.

    CHOOSE THE RIGHT NETTING

    Wildlife-friendly netting will have densely-woven fibres, with a spacing that does not allow a finger to poke through. Most recommended brands have a woven mesh net with 2 mm spacing, but any net with spacing of less than 1 cm is suitable. Nylon monofilament netting or other bird netting should be avoided, as these are commonly the cause of wildlife entanglements. White coloured netting is best as it has a high reflectance and white it is the most visible colour at night, helping to prevent nocturnal pollinators from becoming trapped. Appropriate mesh can be purchased in rolls of netting that can be adapted to your needs, in large boxed covers for use on small fruit trees/ shrubs, or smaller mesh bags that can be used to cover individual bunches of fruit.

    NET CARE

    • Remember to remove nets after fruiting has completed so that new growth and further flowering is not restricted.
    • Prune your tree to promote a bushy shape and prevent exposed branches from damaging netting.
    • Check your nets regularly (preferably twice daily) to ensure that no wildlife has become inadvertently trapped.

    SICK, INJURED OR ORPHANED WILDLIFE

    If you suspect an animal needs help, please contact WIRES on 1300 094 737. Experienced and trained handlers will advise what should be done to help the animal. Please do not attempt to handle the animal yourself, as some animals may bite or scratch when stressed, and may carry diseases.


    DOWNLOAD THE FULL PAMPHLET


  • Flying-foxes in your backyard

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    Flying-foxes are increasingly moving into urban areas in search of food and shelter, due to the loss of their natural habitat. This can sometimes cause conflict between flying-foxes and local residents, because of concerns about health and amenity impacts. When flying-foxes are present in large numbers, their noise and smell can be a nuisance for residents.

    There are some simple measures that the community can take to minimise conflict when they are living close to a flying-fox camp:

    • Don’t disturb the flying-foxes as this causes them to become stressed, in turn resulting in squabbling and associated noise. They are quietest when left alone.
    • Flying-foxes roost in tall vegetation and so may be deterred by trimming and removing branches from around houses or public buildings (subject to approval from the NSW Government if flying-foxes are present).
    • Plant low vegetation (shrubs) to act as a buffer, providing a screen between your residence and the flying-foxes.
    • Create additional habitat by planting food trees preferred by flying-foxes away from houses and orchards.
    • Install properly constructed netting to protect fruit crops.

    Download the Flying-foxes in Your Backyard information pamphlet for more information.

Page last updated: 27 Feb 2024, 01:15 PM