Skip navigation

Pages tagged "citizen science"

VFA citizen science program heads to Mount Alfred on Gunnai Kurnai Country

Citizen scientists supported by the Victorian Forest Alliance visited Mt Alfred on Gunnai Kurnai Country last weekend to join local environment groups Gippsland Environment Group and Friends of Bats and Habitat Gippsland to survey for endangered Greater Gliders in forests scheduled for logging. Surveyors also stumbled across a large population of Long-flower Beard-heath (Styphelia sieberi) in an area scheduled for logging. This rare plant has a small distribution in East Gippsland, sadly the protections for the species mean that logging can still go ahead where populations are found.

A number of gliders were recorded and reports have been submitted to the government. The glider was only listed as endangered under federal law earlier this month, yet critical Greater Glider habitat is still scheduled for logging by the Andrews government.

Right now, forests where Greater Gliders are found are being temporarily protected thanks to landmark legal action taken by Gippsland Environment Group, Kinglake Friends of the Forest, and Environment East Gippsland. Without the work of these community groups, their legal team, and passionate citizen scientists, many areas would have been logged already.

You can help to stop logging in precious Greater Glider habitat across Victoria by donating to support the case!

 

 

 

 

 

Night-time photos by Lisa Roberts from Friends of Bats and Habitat

 

Read more

Friends of Alberton West raffle to raise funds for wildlife

VFA members Friends of Alberton West Forest are hosting an online raffle to raise much needed funds for wildlife surveying equipment for their local group. The Alberton West State forests have incredible diversity, with its closeness to both Wilson’s Promontory and the Strzeleckis makes it a host for many of Victoria’s most endangered plants and animals.

The forest largely hasn't been surveyed, so this a great opportunity to support the local group to save the habitat of the genetically unique Strzelecki Koala, the Powerful Owl, Lace Monitor, Bush Orchids, Greater Glider and endangered Gang Gangs. Help them raise funds for scientific equipment to assist the group to record the endangered forest species. These tools will enable them to run education programs for all ages within the community. 



Searching for wildlife in threatened forests, VFA project to support citizen science

We are so excited to share that we are working closely with citizen science groups like Wildlife of the Central Highlands (WOTCH) to conduct paid wildlife surveys in forests up for logging. Together we've already saved a number of areas by detecting the cryptic (and incredibly cute) critically endangered Leadbeater's Possum. We've also spotted lots of Greater Gliders. Thanks to a court case run by our members Kinglake Friends of the Forest Inc and Environment East Gippsland EEG every scheduled logging area with a Greater Glider within 240m is temporarily protected.
 
We've also visited the beautiful remote Little Dargo River area, getting out into some of the remotest areas across the state to try and protect these incredible forests, home to plants and animals found nowhere else in the world.
 



Read more

Dargo High Plains survey trip

Over the long weekend the VFA survey team and volunteers got out to the Little Dargo area where a number of logging coupes are scheduled in the pristine catchment of the Little Dargo river. The area is a rare alpine refuge of mature forests, home to threatened species like Masked Owl, and rare Alpine and Spotted Tree Frog. Thank you so much to VFA members, Save the Little Dargo, for hosting us at the homestead. The team put out wildlife cameras and did some spotlighting for forest owls.

Want to get involved in the Save the Little Dargo campaign? Join their Facebook group to get updates and take action

Read more