Blog

Biodiversity Month

Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Helping to protect our biodiversity?

Biodiversity Month is held in September each year and aims to promote the importance of protecting, conserving and improving biodiversity both within Australia and across the world. The aim is to ensure our important environments and habitats are preserved for future generations of Australians to appreciate and enjoy.We can all help protect biodiversity in our own backyards and in our local communities.

Create a wildlife friendly garden. Look for plants native to your region and help create a backyard sanctuary for local birds and wildlife.

Let nature feed itself, you can enjoy wildlife without feeding and the outcome is better for our biodiversity. WIRES does not recommend feeding any wild birds, find out why and spread the word.

If you use netting on your fruit trees or fencing around your property, please only use wildlife safe netting and wildlife safe fencing.

Be a responsible pet owner. If you can no longer keep your pet do not release it into the wild. This includes pet fish, do not flush them down the toilet or put them into local waterways. Make sure your cat is de-sexed and keep it indoors or invest in an outdoor cat run and keep your dog on the lead when out and about.

• Preserve older growth trees especially those that contain hollows. Tree hollows are essential for the long term survival of many of our most vulnerable species.

• Think about installing a possum box, microbat box or ringtail drey in your yard. 

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• Dispose of rubbish correctly, and recycle and reuse wherever possible. Cut bottle top rings before disposing to avoid causing harm to wildlife. If you fish please take all broken lines and hooks with you and dispose of them safely in places that are not accessible to wildlife that may be scavenging in bins near fishing sites. Discarded fishing gear takes an enormous toll on our wildlife.

• If you are our enjoying our oceans and waterways please respect recommended distances from whales and dolphins. Think of all our marine life by taking all rubbish with you and collecting any you see in the water, particularly plastics.

More information is available at the Department of Environment website.