By Margaret Maccoll
A Maleny-based organization that has engaged the community to connect wildlife corridors across the Sunshine Coast since 2012 will soon be operating in Noosa Shire.
Hinterland Bush Links has been awarded $23,600 in Noosa Council funding to work in partnership with Noosa and District Landcare to replicate its successful Roving Restorers model in Noosa.
Hinterland Bush Links founder and coordinator Susie Duncan said since the organization began they had restored wildlife habitat from Gympie to Caboolture and west to Nanango.
Susie said the group identifies land that is privately or publicly owned that is important for linking corridors for wildlife and contacts the owners to assist those who are willing to join the program.
“We set up Roving Restorers with organized volunteer groups who go out fortnightly to assist landholders with weeding and tree planting,” she said.
“It’s been operating very well.
“The volunteers learn a lot and the landholders learn a lot and they take that knowledge and experience on to their properties.”
“This work is critical to the recovery of threatened ecosystems and native plants and animals.
“We are doing this restoration work to reverse the decline of many species as a result of habitat loss and fragmentation, and to assist their adaptation to Climate Change.”
Susie said the Environmental Grant projects funding from Noosa Council would enable them to engage someone to identify the important properties to operate on in the region and contact the landowners.
“They may be adjacent to National Parks and can benefit from being well managed and contribute to wildlife corridors,” she said.
Susie said the program also works in with the Land for Wildlife, a free voluntary conservation program that assists landowners to manage wildlife on their properties.
She said there were a large number of Land for Wildlife properties in the region.
“We have one year of funding and we hope we can apply again for another year,” she said.
“In the long term we hope this will become sustainable funding to continue it ongoing as we have funding with Sunshine Coast Council.”
