Conducting Fauna Surveys
Conducting Fauna Surveys
Landholders and community groups learn the importance of conducting fauna surveys
Community Participation -
LEP23-024-3
The issue
Continued dry conditions are a major threat to our wildlife and ecosystems. Many land owners are unaware of the majority of flora and fauna on their land and the diversity that their land inhabits. this is a significant issue in land management practices, conservation efforts and complying with environmental regulations.
in the past years there has been limited opportunities for our rural Landcare groups and communities to learn the practice of identifying their natural assets and how to gather integrity data on their land. Gwymac Landcare identified this need to provide learning opportunities.
The solution
Biodiversity surveys on flora and fauna is an important part of measuring a baseline of natural assist over a period of time, doing further surveys can build a detailed picture influencing better land management practices such as soil management, weed management stocking rates, building diversity in plant communities. Gwymac landcare engaged the services of Alex Dudley from Faunaverse to run a series of workshops with local landcare groups and members to assist interested parties in learning how to undertake their own surveys in a manner that gathers quality data that will provide a basis to build on their knowledge on what flora and fauna is on their land. an important message considered when delivering these workshops is that all native vertebrate fauna is protected in NSW. and the important to only conduct non-invasive methods and although surveys will not be a comprehensive doing them yourself will but will nonetheless give participants the opportunity to assess wildlife on their land.
The impact
Through delivering a series of workshops participants learn how to establish survey sites and passive survey techniques, active search techniques and identification of animals through field guides including the importance of the integrity of data gathered which is a critical element of the long term success of a monitoring program. these workshops enabled participants to confidently start non invasive surveys on their land. A conducting survey guide was created by expert Alex Dudley to assist landholders and community groups in their own monitoring programs.
Key facts
- support Landcare activities
- conducting Fauna Survey guide created
- learning how to gather integrity data