Goulburn Broken CMA – Build us a (nest) box

Project Profile

Name of Project	Build us a (nest) box
Name of group(s) involved	Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority
Location	Shepparton/Bayswater/Pakenham
State	Victoria
NRM Region	Goulburn Broken/Port Phillip and Westernport
What industry does the group belong to?	Landcare
Corporate Partners involved	Bunnings Warehouse
Funding from other sources	Bunnings stores provide equipment, materials, and training, while schools provide students to build nest-boxes and Landcare groups install the boxes

Issues

Some of Victoria’s smallest inhabitants are getting a boost from a partnership between local schools and Bunnings Warehouse stores designed to get students involved in hands-on conservation.

The project engages students and teachers from local schools to build nest-boxes for local Landcare groups, who use them to provide habitat for some of Australia’s most recognisable wildlife. Birds like the King Parrot, Crimson Rosella, and Owlet-nightjar have been given homes through the project – not to mention members of Australia’s unique marsupial families, like the Feathertail Glider and the Brush-tailed Phascogale (also known as the Tuan).

These animals usually build their nests in the hollows of gum trees which can take over a hundred years to form. While revegetation efforts by Landcare groups help to establish future habitat, nest-boxes are excellent homes for animals living in areas inhabited by humans, where hollows are either rare or simply non-existent.

The project began in 2010, with Shepparton Bunnings and Shepparton High School joining forces to build 30 nest-boxes at an event attended by 17 students and three teachers. Built using materials and experience provided by Bunnings, the boxes made homes for ducks, parrots, possums, and Tuans in the area, and formed the foundation for a do-it-yourself construction sheet that was circulated to Bunnings stores in the area.

The idea was expanded after Landcare groups around the state applied for funding through the Volunteer Action Grants program. Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority Landcare Corporate Partnership Facilitator Karen Brisbane was able to connect some regional groups with their local stores to continue what was begun in Shepparton.

Monbulk Landcare Group linked up with Bayswater Bunnings and Bayswater High School to create a three-month partnership and build 30 boxes for kookaburras, rosellas, and possums. As in Shepparton, all materials and training were provided by the Bunnings store. The boxes will be placed in a local wildlife reserve by the area’s Scouts and Venturer groups.

Once the project is over, the groups will review the partnership, but both the school and Bunnings are eager to continue – and Monbulk Landcare has big plans. Ms Sue Wansbrough says, “Ideally the Monbulk Landcare Group would like 100 nest-boxes built for the project.”

The project has also spread to other areas within the state. Pakenham Bunnings has paired with Cardinia Catchment Landcare to provide materials for the group and a local Cub Scout Pack to build 40 nest-boxes, and Vermont South Bunnings is looking at a partnership with Toomuc Landcare building 30 nest-boxes for microbats, gliders, and local bird species.

Project Detail

Background to Project	Since European settlement, land-clearing and contemporary urbanisation of Victoria’s woodlands have resulted in significant negative impacts on our unique wildlife, with their habitats disappearing or being completely eradicated. While revegetation goes some way towards restoring the condition of our environment, particularly in urban areas, it does not entirely restore the habitat lost.The primary loss in the clearing of old-growth trees is the removal of tree hollows used for nesting by birds and small animals like possums and phascogales. Most eucalypts do not form hollows until they are over one hundred years old, meaning that in parklands undergoing revegetation efforts, nesting habitat for these species will not be available for decades. While tree hollows are often better-insulated and over a metre long, nest-boxes provide an excellent substitute, and provide habitat in areas where human habitation has removed old-growth trees. The construction of nest-boxes also provides an excellent way for community members to get involved in hands-on conservation. The “Build us a (nest) box” program is the product of a partnership between Bunnings Warehouse stores and local Landcare groups around Victoria. Its foundations were laid at National Tree Day 2010, when Bunnings donated $500 worth of equipment and plants, as well as organising 15 students from the Academy of Sports Health Education (ASHE) in Shepparton to help with the planting. Discussions between Shepparton Bunnings’ Trudy Hobbs and Landcare Corporate Partnership Facilitator Karen Brisbane regarding further activities between the groups led to the initial nest-box building day.
Key Objectives	The major objective of the project is to further the conservation efforts of local Landcare groups by providing them with materials, equipment, and volunteer labour for the creation of nest-boxes. The project also increases community engagement and awareness of the importance of wildlife conservation in urbanised areas.The project also aims to involve local school children in conservation efforts and show them how they can get involved in protecting Australia’s unique birds and animals. It is also a great activity to increase team-building skills for students and get them involved in a conservation activity with obvious short-term results as well as long-term goals.
Description of Project	The initial box-building day engaged Shepparton High School’s VCAL group, with 17 students from Years 10 and 11 attending the event, along with three teachers. Bunnings provided equipment, materials, and three staff members to assist in building 30 nest-boxes for local wildlife, including ducks, parrots, Squirrel Gliders, and Tuans (also known as Brush-tailed Phascogales). Following this initial event, a do-it-yourself construction sheet for nest-boxes was created and circulated to activities co-ordinators within Bunnings. While the Shepparton Bunnings store has expressed interest in continuing the program, including constructing nest-boxes for cyclone-affected areas of Queensland, a restructured management team has put the program on hold for the time being. However, interest from other Bunnings stores and local Landcare groups has led to an extension of the program. Groups which applied for grants through the Volunteer Action Grants program, designed to encourage groups to involve new volunteers in their projects, were directed to local Bunnings stores by Karen Brisbane, who sat on the evaluation panel. In turn, this meant the groups needed less money for their grants and were able to leverage in-kind funding from the stores, and hopefully created a link for future projects between the groups. Bayswater Bunnings and Bayswater High School have created a three-month partnership to build 30 nest-boxes. The first building day, organised by five Bunnings staff members, was held in June 2011 – ten students and three support staff attended and built ten nest-boxes for kookaburras. The event in late June will build boxes for Eastern and Crimson Rosellas, with the event in July being planned for Brush-tail Possum boxes. The boxes will be placed on land at a Bayswater wildlife shelter, and plans are underway for their placement on crown land. While the partnership will be reviewed after this project, both groups are eager for it to go forward. The school has already offered to take part in an event for its Year Sevens to construct ten more nest-boxes for Feathertail Gliders. All boxes created in the partnership go towards a larger project that Monbulk Landcare is undertaking, with Monbulk Landcarer Sue Wansbrough hoping for an end total of 100 boxes. Pakenham Bunnings have made a verbal agreement to provide their local Landcare group, Cardinia Catchment Landcare, with materials to build 40 nest-boxes – 10 nest-boxes each for Feathertail Gliders, treecreepers (a small bird species), King Parrots, and Owlet-nightjars. All materials will be cut to size by the store for the groups to construct alongside a local cub group. Vermount South Bunnings is currently looking at a partnership with Toomuc Landcare and a local secondary school to take part in the project. All relationships formed as part of the project are reciprocal. Bunnings links with local schools to organise the events, and provides materials, equipment, staff to co-ordinate the events, and lunch for students and staff. The nest-boxes constructed are used by local Landcare groups in wildlife conservation efforts and the majority are placed on private land. In return, Landcare groups promote Bunnings’ involvement in the project, as well as their material contributions.
Project Outcomes – Qualitative	Bunnings’ involvement in the project, combined with promotion by the Landcare groups involved, has resulted in a higher profile for Bunnings as a company involved in conservation activities, community engagement, and creating opportunities for hands-on learning for local students.
Project Outcomes – Quantitative	When the planned events have been completed, the project will have resulted in a number of nest-boxes for a variety of species:• 30 boxes for ducks, parrots, Squirrel Gliders, and Brush-tailed Phascogales • 10 boxes for kookaburras • 10 boxes for Eastern and Crimson Rosellas • 10 boxes for Brushtail Possums • 10 boxes for Feathertail Gliders • 10 boxes for treecreepers • 10 boxes for King Parrots • 10 boxes for Owlet-nightjars • 30 boxes for microbats, gliders, and native birds
Transferable Outcomes	The relationships formed between the stores, Landcare groups and schools involved have already resulted in plans for future partnerships and have the potential to lead to increased activities between the groups. The students involved have learned practical skills, both for general use and to contribute to conservation efforts, and have been exposed to Landcare efforts in their local community which may result in future involvement.The nest-boxes created through the project will continue to support local wildlife for years to come, as families breed and settle around the boxes, and will have a significant positive effect on local ecosystems as well as provide enjoyment to area residents.