Environmental theme to community group meetings
The Bays Community Group has had two public meetings with an environmental theme in the past month.
The film screening of Regenerating Australia was attended by about 30 residents "coming out to experience a re-imagining of Australia's future", said group vice-president Ms Ally Chuang.
"Our guest speakers, Community Environment Network Ms Jackie Pearson and The Guardian environment reporter Ms Lisa Knox, provided sobering answers to important questions from the audience."
Ms Chuang said the following weekend local wildlife biologists Ms Kiara L'Herpiniere and Mr Louis O'Neill "provided a wealth of information and stories about living harmoniously with wildlife".
"They also debunked many commonly held myths regarding feeding wildlife."
Their advice included not to feed wildlife.
They said that feeding meat to meat-eaters and insectivores such kookaburras, magpies, and butcher birds can cause a calcium deficiency which leads to weakening of their bones.
Feeding possums a diet of fruit can cause diabetes, because cultivated fruit contains more sugar than bush fruits.
Feeding rainbow lorikeets bread and bird seed can cause irreparable damage to their delicate brush tipped tongues, evolved for extracting nectar from flowers, they said.
Keeping water sources clean, with a stick to enable wildlife to climb out, helped prevent death and disease.
"I think we all have the best of intentions when interacting with wildlife," said Ms Chuang.
"There are plenty of ways to interact with wildlife that does not involve feeding them.
"We can plant dense native shrubs for small birds to find refuge.
"Grow flowers and plant native meadows that attract insects.
"Leave some leaf litter instead of blowing it away or build a rock garden for insects and reptiles to hide amongst.
"If you enjoy walking our stunning bushland, you can look forward to viewing new interpretive signage about the local flora and fauna.
"These will be installed by Central Coast Council in the coming week."
SOURCE:
Newsletter, 7 Jul 2022
Ally Chuang, The Bays Community Group