A new webinar on the importance of preserving Central Coast bushland to protect the critically endangered swift parrot and regent honeyeater is now available online.
Hosted by Greater Sydney Local Land Services (LLS), the Saving the Swifty and reporting a Regent webinar attracted 100 participants.
“There was a huge amount of interest on the day, so we decided to make the event accessible for everyone,” Greater Sydney Senior Land Services officer, Mick Budden, said.
“The event was part of our ongoing project in partnership with local landholders, councils and the broader community to undertake weed control and revegetation activities on properties to improve swift parrot and regent honeyeater habitat.”
The webinar features presentations on the importance of the birds from a range of expert speakers from Birdlife Australia, Taronga Conservation Society, Central Coast Council and Greater Sydney Local land Services.
Budden said the birds were known to inhabit the bushland of the Central Coast and neighbouring areas.
“We have worked with a number of landholders to restore Swamp Sclerophyll Forest on Coastal Floodplains, a Threatened NSW Ecological Community,” he said.
“These sites were selected due to their proximity to recent swift parrot sightings.
“Swamp mahogany (Eucalyptus Robusta), native to the Central Coast, is also a prime winter foraging gum for nomadic pollinators including the swift parrot.
“Recent studies indicate there could be as few as 750 swift parrots left in the wild with the remaining regent honeyeater population estimated at around 250-350.
“We are blessed to have these rare birds living amongst us; anything we can do to raise awareness about the importance of habitat protection is so important.”
You can view the webinar via https://vimeo.com/599510135 (using Google Chrome for the best viewing experience).
For more information on the birds visit https://birdlife.org.au/projects/woodland-birds-for-biodiversity.
The project is delivered by Greater Sydney Local Land Services through the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program.
Source:
Media release, Oct 11
Greater Sydney Local Land Services