Knitting Nannas joined other citizen scientists last week in the Tallaganda State Forest for a truly memorable couple of nights spotting Greater Gliders emerging from their tree dens just after dusk.
This event was hosted by Andrew Wong of Wilderness Australia and Heidi Yuko Lincoln, Doro Babeck and Joslyn van der Moolen of the Bob Brown Foundation. (Jos is also a Knitting Nanna.)
There’s a hidden scandal happening now in NSW’s native forests. Endangered Greater Glider habitats are being destroyed by NSW Forestry Corporation. And, since it’s against the law, Forestry has been found guilty and is facing yet more charges in court.
Citizen science is playing an important role in exposing this scandal.
While in the Tallaganda State Forest, we learned a lot from ecologist, Andrew Wong of Wilderness Australia. Trees in glider forests can live for 400 years if allowed to stand. From the age of about 80 years, they enter their senescence stage and begin to develop hollows and lose some branches, which creates entrances for gliders and safe dens inside the tree trunk hollows. From this time for the rest of the tree’s long life, it becomes habitat for gliders along with many other creatures.
While there was still light at sunset, we staked out our area looking for the trees we had learned to recognise. At dark, by scanning with our spotlights we were amazed to see glider eyes shining like reflected diamonds in the light.
So how are we helping to save the gliders? By law a verified sighting of an endangered Greater Glider emerging from its den will create a 50m radius of protection from logging. By recording enough sightings 50m apart, a large area of protection is created, which impedes further efforts to log the forest.
There’s an urgency to this work because in most South Coast forest areas, Greater Gliders have become regionally extinct except for the three stronghold forests of Glenbog, Badja and Tallaganda. If these forests can be protected, they will become refugia for the species. Once native-forest logging ends, these forests could recover, allowing the gliders to spread back to their previous wider habitats.
But, the logging machines which destroy everything in their path are at Glenbog forest now! Last August, Andrew Wong took a group of Nannas den spotting through this magnificent forest.
Nanna Cathy exclaimed at the time, “It will be beyond heart-breaking if that complex, beautiful habitat is destroyed! And, for what? Most becomes woodchip, tomato stakes and pallets. The Nanna motto is ‘saving the planet for future generations’ so we can’t let this happen.”
The data created from the work of forest protection organisations with citizen scientists’ help is documented and uploaded to the NSW BioNet. There is currently a stay of logging in the Tallaganda as a result of this work. Andrew showed us exactly the spot where the logging ceased after the Environmental Protection Authority ordered a stop. In front of us was the beautiful intact forest where the logging had ceased, and behind us was the devastated forest the machines had destroyed, covered in broken branches and weeds.
Speaking of his experience as part of the citizen science crew, participant Paul said, “It has been inspiring to learn about the ecology of the forest from people who are dedicated to saving what’s left. It’s also a great feeling to make a real contribution to help save the native trees and the creatures that rely on them. It’s quite addictive to spot the gliders. They are so cute.”
Nanna Bron, who joined the August citizen-science events in Glenbog and this one in Tallanganda, expressed her excitement saying, “Spotting a glider coming out of its den, apart from being an amazing experience, is a way of stopping logging in its tracks. How wonderful!”
Every person joining the citizen-science weekend expressed their amazement at the opportunity to learn so much and to participate in the project. Heartfelt thanks to Andrew, Heidi, Doro and Jos, who put in so much work to make the excursion truly memorable.
For opportunities to join a future citizen-science events contact us for more information.
Nanna Cathy G