Trees For Life is calling on landholders with properties in the south east — near Hynam, Kybybolite, Frances, Mundulla and Wolseley — with suitable sites to plant buloke (Allocasuarina luehmannii) to help the endangered South-eastern Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus banksii graptogyne).
Buloke is one of only three native tree species that Red-tails will feed on, and is by far the rarest. With less than three per cent of the original amount of buloke trees remaining in the south east our red-tailed cockatoos urgently need more.
Trees For Life Habitat Officer, Cassie Hlava said, “With only 1,500 Red-tails remaining in the wild, it’s critical that trees are planted now to provide future feeding habitat. The Communities helping Cockies project is providing funding to cover the cost of plantings but we really need help to find more suitable sites.”
The Communities helping Cockies project is supported by the Limestone Coast Landscape Board, through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program and is delivered in partnership by Birdlife Australia, Zoos SA and Trees For Life.
The project is flexible to fit in with what farmers want and they are supported through every step of the process to ensure the project is successful.
Jess Livingston, a participating landholder, wanted to create a shelterbelt on her place near Frances. Jess was able to incorporate 200 buloke trees with other shrub species to create a shelterbelt that will also provide food for Red-tails.
“Participating in the project was great. We were involved in the planting and fencing aspects. The team who completed the work were all very lovely and they involved our children in the aspects that they could help with, so that made it a really enjoyable process. For us it is a nice continuation of the work that has already been done here by previous owners and custodians of the land that we hope to continue on with.” Jess said.
If you have buloke on, or near, your place and may have a site suitable for revegetation please contact Cassie Hlava on 08 8406 0500 or [email protected] to discuss your project idea.