Managing invasive species

Co-op residents watching a demonstration of fox control measures

Community Bank Warrandyte’s funding has enabled us to engage consultants to advise on techniques for management of invasive species that threaten our wildlife. We recently held an invasive species workshop for our dedicated Fauna Group in which we focussed on the problem of foxes and the use of new technologies for controlling them while minimising harm to non-target species.

Fox predation threatens many of our native species, in particular ground-nesting birds, for example Lyrebirds and White-throated Nightjars, and ground-foraging mammals such as Phascogales.

Motion-sensing cameras, also purchased with the financial support from Warrandyte Community Bank, has enabled us to monitor wildlife activities, and obtain first-hand evidence of the effectiveness of fox control measures. This has benefit beyond our Co-op land, as it adds to the body of research into the efficacy of fox control measures that have application across a much larger area.

Left: workshop participants. Centre: the target invasive species. Right: a Brushtailed Phascogale.