Conservationist Sam Niedra may not be as small or cute as the squirrel glider, but he’s got a big message to send by getting in a nest box.
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The man-sized box, a replica of those installed on trees across the Border, has been built by the Thurgoona Men’s Shed to boost a campaign for the gliders.
The Albury Conservation Company is asking people to join the Edge Pledge platform, by committing to a challenge and raising money for conservation efforts.
Mr Niedra, ACC co-ordinator, said the money raised through last year’s pledges had paid for the men’s shed to build 42 nest boxes.
“They were picked up by Albury Council last week and they’ve started installing those around Thurgoona; mostly at roadsides, where we’ve identified there’s a shortage of hollow-bearing trees,” he said.
“We’ve launched the campaign again – we have a few extinction fighters signed on already, and we’re looking for more people.”
Mr Niedra said this year, the proceeds would got towards purchasing 25 monitoring cameras, to track the presence of gliders around Thurgoona next year.
“We need $7000 in total – we’ll raise that money through a few different means and Edge Pledge is part of that,” he said.
“The cameras are central to the squirrel glider monitoring plan, which was developed last year and has been peer-reviewed.
“We’re looking at doing week-long autumn and spring surveys – having an ecologist do all the preparation work, and involving the community – schools and landholders – to set up the cameras in strategic locations.”
Go to www.edgepledge.com for information.