EnviroKey

Skinks, Sandplots and Students: Enabling secondary school students in a long-term fauna monitoring program into the effects of different fire histories at Bournda National Park (Nov 2009 - for three years). A collaboration between EnviroKey, Bournda Environmental Education Centre and Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water.

Coastal vegetation communities across Australia have undergone significant changes since European settlement through clearing, grazing and altered fire regimes. In many parts of New South Wales, these communities are often adequately represented only within national parks and nature reserves with the aim of conserving biodiversity. On the NSW South Coast, a 1986 study in nearby Mumbulla found that two reptile species disappeared following a fire event and were not recorded for a subsequent 4 years. Studies elsewhere, such as Sass & Wilson (2006) found no commonalities in the reptile communities in areas of differing time since fire (tsf). This leaves a significant knowledge gap for the South Coast as the 1986 study did not quantify the reptile communities across a range of time since fire (tsf). The current tsf history for Bournda NP present a unique opportunity to gain this understanding that will aid in the management of these unique coastal vegetation communities.

This study aims to collect baseline data on reptile fauna across a range of fire histories, compare the response of reptile fauna over time, and integrate the surveys with mandatory field work for Secondary Science and Geography students at local high schools learning how different species survive in dynamic Australian landscapes.

Microbat Diversity of the wetlands of Panboola near Pambula on the NSW South Coast.

Little is known of the microbats that use the wetland and revegetated habitats of Panboola. This study aims to collect baseline data using Anabat Echolocation Call Detection Equipment to determine the species and habitat use across the site.