Glossy Black Cockatoo Post Bush Fire Habitat
Glossy Black Cockatoo Post Bush Fire Habitat
Opportunities to work with the glossy black cockatoos have increased with funded projects and a targeted education program.
Collaborations -
LP-022-031
The issue
The habitat of the Glossy Black Cockatoo (GBC) in the North Coast Region of NSW was greatly impacted by the 2019-2020 bush fires with 45% of their habitat burnt. In the Clarence 50% of the catchment burned with areas of Glossy Black habitat in the Nymboida sub catchment burned with such intensity that many locations suffered total canopy consumption. The impact of the fires on the GBC food trees, the Forest Oak - Allocasuarina torulosa and Black She Oak Allocasuarina littoralis in the local Nymboida area was not known, and we can only assume many nesting hollows were lost.
In the past Clarence Landcare had not worked specifically with the Glossy Black Cockatoo, our knowledge was limited and we had a lot to learn.
The solution
Clarence Landcare is being funded through a partnership between the Great Eastern Ranges (GER) and WIRES to roll out 'Glideways, Flyways and Stepping Stones' in the Nymboida region - a large-scale project to support wildlife across south-eastern Australia still recovering from the Black Summer bushfires.
As part of this project we have a focus on the NSW Threatened Glossy Black Cockatoo, looking at 10 properties in Nymboida to determine the impact the fires have had on the local GBC food trees. As a result of this survey and mapping work we may undertake weed control needed to assist in the regeneration of the Allocasuarina's.
Clarence Landcare staff have been fortunate to be involved in a series of workshops and training run by the Department of Planning and Environment (DPE) to increase knowledge and awareness of the Glossy Black Cockatoo. We have learnt more about the ecology of the GBC including identifying breeding pairs and hollow tree nesting requirements. We now are part of the Glossy Black network on the north coast which will lead to further knowledge and experience about the birds, which in turn will be imparted to the many private landholders we are working with.
Clarence Landcare have been engaged by DPE to collect seed from known GBC feed trees, propagate the seed and grow on to tube stock for planting to enhance GBC habitat. We are working with local Landcare nurseries to propagate seed collected from known GBC food trees.
The impact
Having the opportunity to learn more about this species and become part of the GBC network has increased our capacity to engage with local landholders and to undertake actions to assist in the local knowledge gathering and rehabilitation of habitat.
Key facts
- Little is known about the impact bushfires have had on local food trees.
- Working with landholders leads to an increase in their knowledge about the GBC on their properties.
- We are working toward gaining more understanding of the local GBC populations
- Seed collection and propagation from known feeding trees.