We had a fantastic time over the weekend with two of our members, Wombat Forestcare, and Wombat Action Group (WAG). On Saturday night WAG organised a community spotlighting event, where thirty people came out to do some nocturnal spotlighting for wildlife in forests scheduled for logging in the Wombat State Forest.
Across three groups we saw over ten Greater Gliders, four Koalas, feather-tail gliders and sugar gliders in forests still scheduled for logging. It was a still, crisp, clear evening. Thanks so much to Wombat Action Group for leading the groups and to all our enthusiastic volunteers and spotlighters. There was lots of excitement from all the folks attending, many who were seeing a greater glider for the first time. A magical experience - keep in touch with Wombat Action Group for more upcoming spotlighting events. If you weren't able to make it on the weekend, not to worry! We have heaps of upcoming events in the forest being run by our member groups.
Then on Sunday, Wombat Forestcare hosted a special event at the Trentham Neighbourhood house with ecologist and INaturalist expert Peter Crowcroft. Folks in attendance heard from Peter of his wonderful adventures collecting observations of different species on the much loved app, sharing his knowledge of its functions and in the evening, led a moth spotting workshop.
Later in the evening, folks gathered in the darkness at Trentham falls, awaiting patiently for some positively phototaxis night time critters to visit the glowing lights and white sheets. Even though it was quite cold and moths are beginning to drop in numbers this time of year, there was plenty of excitement over the few visitors that did arrive including a primitive cicada.
It was a fantastic afternoon where many went away with a new invigoration for bio blitzing and collecting inaturalist data adding to a globally significant database of nature observations. Keep in touch with Wombat Forestcare for more ways to get involved with their long and ongoing campaign to protect the Wombat State Forest from logging.
These events took place on the unceded lands of the Dja Dja Wurrung First Nations peoples. Sovereignty was never ceded and we pay our deepest respects to their Elders past and present.