VicForests has been forced to abandon planned logging operations in forest on the Errinundra plateau in East Gippsland after a citizen science survey recorded a large population of protected Greater Gliders.
Goongerah Environment Centre conducted a late night survey in forest where logging had just commenced. The survey recorded 15 greater gliders in 800m.
The Department of Environment will now create a protection zone for the species. The logging rules require a 100 hectare protected area to be zoned where more than 10 greater gliders are detected in a 1km survey transect.
Greater Gliders need large old trees with hollows to sleep in during the day. Logging removes the hollow bearing trees they depend on and is contributing to a decline in their numbers.
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