Between mid-August to mid-October 2023, Biodiverse Environmental conducted fauna management services for a Predator Proof Fencing Project within Ngambaa Nature Reserve (New South Wales). The services carried out involved pre-clearance surveys and fauna spotter catcher and relocation services.
Works for the project involved the clearing of native vegetation for construction of feral predator proof fencing (cats and foxes) as part of a ten-year rewilding project by NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service. The NSW Rewilding Program aims to reintroduce native fauna and restore ecosystems in NSW.
Ngambaa Nature Reserve
Ngambaa Nature Reserve is one of four selected locations in NSW for the establishment of a feral predator-free area to enable the reintroduction of locally extinct species. The Reserve contains areas of old growth forest and large numbers of hollow-bearing trees. These trees contain potential roosting and nesting habitats for a wide variety of fauna species, including microbats, birds and mammals.
As well as hollow-bearing trees, the reserve is also home to a large abundance of Koala Food Trees, including species such as Tallowwood (Eucalyptus microcorys) and Small-Fruited Grey Gum (Eucalyptus propinqua).
A number of different threatened fauna species have also been identified to occur within the Reserve, including Powerful Owls, Koalas, Squirrel Gliders, Little Bent-Wing Bats.
Biodiverse Environmental’s contribution to the project
Due to the ecological significance of the site within the Ngambaa Nature Reserve, pre-clearance surveys were conducted by Biodiverse Environmental each morning, prior to vegetation being cleared. This was done to identify any fauna, breeding places or habitat present that needed protecting within the area, and to capture and relocate any fauna located on-site.
The pre-clearance surveys included a visual inspection of the tree canopy and project area. The habitat surveys involved the following activities: inspecting for nests, hollows, scratches, burrows, arboreal termitarium, scats and tracks.
Biodiverse Environmental also provided Fauna Spotter Catchers on-site during all clearing activities to capture and relocate any fauna that was impacted during the clearing works.
