Planting swift parrot habitat on Bruny Island

On a chilly Saturday morning in July, Landcare Tasmania team members jumped on the ferry and headed down to Cloudy Bay on Nueonne Country to help the Cloudy Bay Restoration Landcare Group with their project of restoring old regrowth pine plantation back into foraging habitat for the critically endangered swift parrot (Lathamus discolor).

Landcare Tasmania is grateful for the funding of this Landcare Tasmania Project Bank project through the Australian Government’s Natural Heritage Trust and delivered by NRM South, a member of the Commonwealth Regional Delivery Partners panel. The project demonstrated the value of community-led conservation, generating more than $9,500 in in-kind contributions through volunteer labour, donated plants and materials, effectively doubling the value of the grant for this project. 

Background story

In the 1930s, Cloudy Bay was turned into pine plantation, parts were logged and parts were burnt in a major fire in 1945, resulting in a landscape that is now dense with pine regrowth and pasture. Riq is a local landholder and convenor of the Cloudy Bay Restoration Landcare Group, who has been living in Cloudy Bay for over 20 years, and his property is serving as a pilot site for restoration to show other landholders what can be achieved. 

The chosen restoration site was logged back in 2016, however, the logging company has since folded. One of the biggest barriers for landholders who want the pines harvested and native bush restored is that it is not economically viable on a small scale to harvest and process the pines off island. This pilot project is looking at the bigger picture to see if there are opportunities to make this more viable by processing the logs on-island and establishing the project as a Nature Repair Market project. 

Community planting day kicks off

 

20 Landcare Tasmania members and local community members braved the frosty morning and after four hours of hard yakka (and some well earnt lunch), they managed to get about 500 plants in the ground, staked and guarded. A big thanks to the Bruny Island Men's Shed for making 80 wire cages for the Eucalyptus and to the Bruny Island Environment Network (BIEN) and volunteers for pre digging the holes!

The species was a mix from seed collected from local native plants and specifically Eucalyptus ovata (Black gum) and Eucalyptus globulus (Blue gum), as that is the preferred foraging habitat for swift parrots. 

 

Swift parrots are critically endangered. Swift parrot's population currently is estimated at 1,000 and projections suggest their population could dwindle to less than 50 individuals in the next decade. The survival of these birds depends on preserving their nesting and foraging habitats. On Bruny Island there is some remaining habitat, which makes it a good place for a refuge and restoration site. Swift parrots are very selective about nesting sites, with only about 5% of hollows being suitable. They prefer deep chambers, small entrances, and wide floor spaces.

Planting the right trees, like blue and black gums, is crucial for swift parrot survival, but it's a waiting game as these trees take years to mature and flower. 

Thank you

Thanks to everyone who came and spent their Saturday restoring this important part of our state.

If you live in Cloudy Bay and would like to learn more or join the Cloudy Bay Restoration Landcare group, please reach out to [email protected] or Riq de Carvalho, 03 6293 2011, [email protected]