UBAG - Gembrook Fauna & Flora Friends Group

Gembrook Flora and Fauna Friends Group

Mr Jim McNabb, prominent field naturalist and forest-owl specialist, established the 'Gembrook Flora & Fauna Friends Group' (GFFFG) at a meeting at Kurth Kiln on Saturday 27 July.

The first field-working day of the new group was held on 24 August, 2002, at Kurth Kiln

The first field-trip at Kurth Kiln was organised to begin the mapping out of all of the 'feeder trees' of the Yellow-bellied Glider (Petaurus australis) in the area. With this knowledge Parks Victoria will be able to manage better and maintain the Yellow-bellied Glider population and keep the feeder trees undisturbed for future generations. There is a number of species of 'Gum Tree' that they feed on in the Bunyip State Park and Kurth Kiln Park. These trees can be distinguished and located by the shredded bark on the tree and at the base of the tree (for stringy-bark types of gum trees) or, for the grey trunk types of gum trees, by very heavy scarring of the trunk with a characteristic V-shaped tick (as seen on the video shown at the first meeting at Kurth Kiln).

The first task in this on-going project is to find these feeder trees and make out a data sheet with the road name, distance from last intersection and the side of the road that the tree is on eg N.S.E.W. of the road, and the distance from the road/track. Then a GPS reading will be taken (from a 'geo-positioning satellite!) or, failing that, the location will be tagged with tape. The tree will be identified (using 'Trees of Victoria' by Leon Costermans) and it will be measured for gurth and height. This data will be added to the database, and we will put markers on the map to establish a pattern of where they feed; with this information and the information we already have from past sightings, we will be able to see where the Yellow-bellied Gliders live in the parks today.

As the database grows, we may be able to pick up areas that should have a population of these gliders but do not for some reason or other. Then we can look at the area for suitable tree hollows; if the area is lacking in these we may need to install some nesting boxes to encourage the Yellow Bellied-Gliders to move into this area. Through these actions we will help to maintain a stable and diverse population of Yellow-bellied Gliders across the Parks.