Restoring the Roost
When the future of the grey-headed flying-fox camp in Bega was under threat, the Friends of Glebe Wetlands stepped up with a long-term vision to restore vital habitat for one of Australia's most important forest gardeners.
Capacity building - LEP036-LLC-009
The issue
The grey-headed flying-fox is listed as Vulnerable under both NSW and Australian environmental legislation. Habitat loss, urban development, climate change and increasingly frequent heatwaves continue to place pressure on this remarkable species.
They may not be everyone's favourite neighbour, but they are among Australia's most important pollinators and seed dispersers. As they feed on nectar, pollen catches on their fur and whiskers and is carried from tree to tree, helping native forests reproduce. They also spread seeds across vast distances, supporting natural regeneration after fire, drought and other disturbances.
Flying-foxes roost in large colonies known as camps, where they rest, raise their young and socialise. The camp at Bega's Glebe Lagoon is recognised as a nationally significant camp, and is one of only seven identified high-priority breeding sites in NSW. Over time, however, the camp had become increasingly degraded, with ageing willow trees providing much of the available roosting habitat.
The solution
Recognising the importance of this site, Friends of Glebe Wetlands developed a long-term restoration plan to create a healthier, more resilient flying-fox camp.
Rather than simply replacing trees, the group designed the site to function as a thriving ecosystem. The restoration included planting native roosting trees to replace ageing willows, establishing a diverse rainforest understorey, and incorporating food trees such as flowering gums. The planting design considered the surrounding urban environment while giving the new trees the best opportunity to develop into quality roosting habitat. River she-oaks—the preferred roosting species—were planted in clusters of 3, spaced 10 metres apart, to encourage the trees to grow tall with open branching structures that provide ideal roosting conditions.
The impact
The efforts are already delivering tangible results. River she-oaks planted in 2019 have now provided successful roosting habitat for two consecutive seasons. Even more exciting is what lies ahead. As the trees continue to mature, flying-foxes disperse new seeds beneath their camp, returning biodiversity and creating a self-sustaining native ecosystem.
The Friends of Glebe Wetlands deserve to be proud of their hard work and thoughtful planning. Their efforts are helping ensure this vulnerable species has safe places to roost and thrive.
Key facts
- Just how far can they travel? Recent radio-tracking research followed a female from the Bega camp. In a single night, she flew to the forests around Tantawangalo, across to the Brogo Wilderness, down to the coast at Bournda NP and back home again! That's more than 150 kilometres, pollinating flowers and dispersing seeds along the way.
- Despite their name "Fruit Bat", nectar constitues most of their diet, making flying-foxes critical polinators.
- The restoration works were funded through Bega Valley Shire Council's Community Environment Grant.