We had an awesome time at our citizen science camp over the weekend on unceded Bidewell and Monero Country. Was great to get out to the Errinundra Plateau and do some Greater Glider and Yellow-bellied Glider surveys. There were plenty of walks to do during the day, through ancient rainforest to a giant cut-tail Ash on Sellar's Road, and to the Cathedral Tree, a giant 14-meter circumference Manna Gum.
Thanks so much to everyone who came out and got involved! We regularly hold citizen science events, sign up to our email list to get updates and come experience East Gippsland's incredible forests and wildlife, still threatened by logging.
Giant 14m circumference Manna gum in forests scheduled for logging
We had around 20 people to help survey for Greater Gliders in areas scheduled for logging. A court case being run by Environment East Gippsland and Kinglake Friends of the Forest is temporarily halting logging in ALL areas where Greater Gliders are found. All glider records will be put into reports and submitted to the Environment Department. It was great to have so many new volunteers getting involved in on the ground surveying to save these precious forests.
The court case is the only thing standing in the way of bulldozers moving into critical Greater Glider habitat. Get involved with the fight to protect the gliders by donating to the legal defence fund!
Ancient rainforests on Sellers Road
We also did some screen printing of our new 'Defend Errinundra' design, and swam in the Brodribb River at the Goongerah camp ground. Volunteers learnt about East Gippsland's rare and endemic plants, how to use a GPS and spotlights to record nocturnal animals, and one group heard an endangered Sooty Owl while surveying.
Thanks again to everyone who came, new faces and GECO surveying camp veterans. Can't wait to do it all again soon.
This event was held on the stolen lands of the Bidewell and Monero First Nations peoples where sovereignty was never ceded. We pay our deepest respects to their Elders past and present. We acknowledge the thousands of years of custodianship and care of forests and Country, and the ongoing fight for land justice.
