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By Catherine Watson
Dr Sera Blair calls it “searching for life after a fire”. Exactly four weeks after the Gurdies fire, she and Victorian National Parks Association colleague Jordan Crook began the process of documenting the return – and survival – of wildlife.
They were not yet permitted into the Gurdies Nature Conservation Reserve due to Parks Victoria’s concerns about hazardous trees, so they began work in Bass Coast Shire Council’s adjoining 52ha Native Vegetation Offset Reserve.
The fire started near the Sand Supplies quarry, and burned through this reserve on the first day, threatening homes in Woodland Close. A wind change the following day pushed it north, threatening homes along the Gurdies Road and Island View Road.
Dr Sera Blair calls it “searching for life after a fire”. Exactly four weeks after the Gurdies fire, she and Victorian National Parks Association colleague Jordan Crook began the process of documenting the return – and survival – of wildlife.
They were not yet permitted into the Gurdies Nature Conservation Reserve due to Parks Victoria’s concerns about hazardous trees, so they began work in Bass Coast Shire Council’s adjoining 52ha Native Vegetation Offset Reserve.
The fire started near the Sand Supplies quarry, and burned through this reserve on the first day, threatening homes in Woodland Close. A wind change the following day pushed it north, threatening homes along the Gurdies Road and Island View Road.
Sera and Jordan set up five camera traps in the burn area near a large dam which was fortunately untouched by fire. The motion-sensor cameras are strapped to trees to focus on bait stations containing a sticky mixture of rolled oats, peanut butter and golden syrup designed to attract small mammals including wombats, wallabies, echidnas, possums and bush rats.
Sera says most small mammals including wallabies, wombats, antechinuses and echidnas will check out a bait station. Foxes will come and have a look but leave without touching it. Animals often sniff the cameras too, which makes for some interesting photos.
They map the camera locations and tie pink tape to nearby trees to help locate them on the return trip in about three weeks, the expected battery life of the camera.
They also search for any signs of life, including scat and nibbled plants. There were limited signs of life on their first visit – epicormic growth had not yet started on the burnt trees – but the area will explode into life as regeneration occurs over the next few months.
They map the camera locations and tie pink tape to nearby trees to help locate them on the return trip in about three weeks, the expected battery life of the camera.
They also search for any signs of life, including scat and nibbled plants. There were limited signs of life on their first visit – epicormic growth had not yet started on the burnt trees – but the area will explode into life as regeneration occurs over the next few months.
With so little food in the burn area, Sera says it’s vital that logs are left on the ground after fires and wind storms rather than be cleared away. “You need stuff to be left to break down. Rotten wood is vital because it has insects and fungi. That tends to be what the animals are going to survive on initially.
“In a couple of months’ time, it’ll explode. After the Bunyip fires we saw the fungi appear along the root lines of the trees. It was wild. It's definitely a source of food. You can see a lot of nibbles.”
Local volunteers from Save Western Port Woodlands will help to document the post-fire recovery over the coming months. The work involves camera trapping, scat surveys and documenting the recovery. It may also involve constructing “bandicoot bungalows” in burnt areas.
If you would like to be involved , please email savewesternportwoodlands@gmail.com.
“In a couple of months’ time, it’ll explode. After the Bunyip fires we saw the fungi appear along the root lines of the trees. It was wild. It's definitely a source of food. You can see a lot of nibbles.”
Local volunteers from Save Western Port Woodlands will help to document the post-fire recovery over the coming months. The work involves camera trapping, scat surveys and documenting the recovery. It may also involve constructing “bandicoot bungalows” in burnt areas.
If you would like to be involved , please email savewesternportwoodlands@gmail.com.
Dr Sera Blair after a couple of hours in the field.
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