Many of our local wildlife use hollows to live in and raise young. A hollow is hole or opening that forms in a mature tree, usually when a branch falls off.
With the mass clearing of timber that occured in our region, hollows were also lost. It can take up to 100 years for a hollow to form. That means that homes for our animials are in short supply and will be for many years to come.
To help with the lack of hollows, nesting boxes can be erected. Noosa Council have been placing nest boxes in local parks for some time now. Heritage Park Tewantin has ones that have been there for 18 years. Having a nest box in a garden will not only provide much needed habitat but also gives us the enjoyment of watching animals at close range. Possums in roofs can be annoying and cause damage. Placing a box for a possum outside of the house will give them an alternate place to live.
Its not one size fits all when it comes to nest boxes. Each species has its own requirements for size, shape and hole placement. If you would like to build your own box then the web sites below will help with dimensions.
www.birdsinbackyards.net/Nest-Box-Plans for birds
www.backyardbuddies.org.au/habitats/build-a-nest-box for possums and gliders
There is a great book on nest boxes found here www.hollowloghomes.com/book
This book is also available from Noosa library. Hollow Log Homes also sell pre-made boxes.
A few things to remember when installing a box:
- Place it high enough so domestic animals can’t reach it.
- Take into consideration temperature and weather.
- If possible have the box in a position that can be seen from a window. This is just for your enjoyment.
- Don’t expect tenants to turn up the day it’s installed. It will take some time for the animals to check it out.
- Don’t damage the tree that the box is being attached to.
- If you want bees, install a bird box! This was a take home message from our bee workshop.
If you have been lucky enough to see young raised in a nest box already in your garden I would love to see some photos.
Good luck,
Michelle.