Goanna photo © Tracey Reed Mansted
The Landcare group encourages everyone to remove rubbish and clear environmental weeds. But Mark Fitzgerald, wildlife ecologist, from Mullumbimby Creek cautions us to take it easy and keep in mind the wildlife habitat values of our environment as we tidy up.
Dense ground-cover vegetation, leaf litter and logs and even rubbish dumps are important resources for ground-dwelling animals. Removal of cover may expose animals to greater risks of predation, and remove cover used for shelter, foraging or breeding sites. For instance, the Bush Hen, a Threatened species founding our valleys, favours thick vegetation including the introduced Lantana and other tall rank weedy vegetation as well as native Lomandra (Matrush). Similarly, the Threatened Giant Barred Frog relies on dense groundlayer vegetation, including Lantana, and accumulated leaf litter for daytime shelter sites.
The Common Planigale uses old car bodies and discarded sheet iron, cardboard and masonry for shelter. Though its name suggests otherwise, the Common Planigale is a Threatened species which can easily be mistaken for an introduced House Mouse. It is recorded from Upper Mullumbimby Creek and from Mt. Jerusalem and is likely to be here. Many species of snakes and lizards also use dumped rubbish for shelter.
Snake havens should usually be removed near houses, but where human safety is not an issue , Mark suggests that we consider leaving building material or other solid debris in place. If necessary, more aesthetically and ecologically appropriate cover (planted groundcover, logs, mulched or piled weed material) can be substituted for car bodies and sheet iron, Weed removal should be gradual, leaving clumps and strips of dense weeds until they are replaced by plantings or regeneration of medium height native groundcovers. Lomandra, clumps of Native Ginger, prickly native shrubs, ferns and tangles of native vines can all be planted or encouraged.
Wallaby photo © Dean Shawcross