Community Conversations about Hollows

Hosting innovative events that attract a broader range of community members increasing local awareness about the importance of hollows.

Community Conversations about Hollows

Hosting innovative events that attract a broader range of community members increasing local awareness about the importance of hollows.

Community Participation -

LP032-004

The issue

Hollows are declining in our landscape. Wide spread clearing in the past, ongoing firewood collection and limb pruning, all contribute to our current shortage of hollows. Remaining trees are in a fragmented, modified landscape and experience reduced lifespans.

Every year the impact of this increasing decline in hollows adds more and more pressure to the survival of our birds, gliders, possums and bats. We also suffer from a less diverse landscape.

We need to engage more community members in a conversation about hollows. Local community action can impact the decline in hollows by planting more trees, protecting existing hollow bearing trees and more thoughtful firewood collection.

The solution

Upper Lachlan Landcare partnered with local Aboriginal artist Jodie Munday and local landholders to host a series of two innovative workshops exploring hollows in our local community.

Local landholders who had recently installed Habitech nest boxes on their property, shared with participants their experiences seeing native fauna make use of the nest boxes and explained why they felt it was important to support hollow utilising animals.

Jodie showed participants how to weave and guided them as them as they undertook their own weaving project. Participants created something they can place in their garden at home and become more connected with local fauna.

The impact

Both workshops attracted participants who don’t normally attend Landcare events.

During both workshops participants chatted as they worked and shared stories of why they came to the workshop and their own experiences with local native fauna. People connected. With fresh perspectives and new insights, people felt empowered and inspired to continue the hollows conversation beyond the workshop, with friends and family.

Author: Ruth Aveyard

Key facts

  • Do something different
  • Personal stories connect people
  • Feelings motivate action

Project Partners