Biodiversity identification
Biodiversity identification
Identifying fauna as a baseline for improvement
Building our Future -
LLCI022-063
The issue
Maintaining a healthy and sustainable level of biodiversity in our ecosystems provides many benefits. A healthy and diverse population of fauna points to a healthy and balanced environment, with pest species kept under natural control and beneficial species thriving.
When planning to improve habitat for native fauna, it is important to start with a baseline of what is currently present in the locality. This requires the ability to locate and identify species present at the commencement of the process.
The solution
LPLM held a biodiversity identification workshop at Kelvin, near Gunnedah, with local ecologist Phil Spark. Phil brought numerous samples and photos of lizards, skinks, frogs, snakes and bats to show a fascinated audience of local landholders and many of their children.
After dark the group went for a walk through areas that were being developed as habitat corridors, examining a "harp trap" to catch bats safely, meeting some of the local bat species and looking for night birds and other nocturnal fauna.
The workshop was funded under LPLM’s RAINOOO project, supported by the NSW government’s Environmental Trust.
The impact
Key facts
- Microbats can eat several hundred insects per hour, making them as effective as toxic pesticides.
- Reptiles keep prey species under control, and are an indicator of environmental health.
- Frogs control insects and provide food for larger animals.