Essential habitat in areas such as Belmont Hills, Mt Petrie and Whites Hill Reserve require suitable environmental corridors to link them together in a network to provide wildlife movement, essential for species to survive.
The need for “urban permeability” has been recognised. This is the ability of wildlife, like koalas and wallabies, frequently found as road kill, to be assisted to move.
Fauna Movement Solutions are required so fauna can move safely. B4C and the wider community has been advocating for this. The call has been made to improve sites with infrastructure like fauna furniture in culverts, rope ladders, refuge poles, fauna fencing etc.
Old Cleveland Rd has both Belmont Hills Reserve and the Belmont Rifle Range on its southern side and Bulimba Creek and tributaries snaking north on the other side of the road.
So how can fauna get across?
Both Belmont Hills and the rifle range (part of the Belmont Koala Forest) have high environmental values and abundant wildlife. So it makes sense to explore options for fencing and funnelling wildlife across this road in the areas identified where it can be made viable and safer.
Some of the progress made with Fauna Movement Solutions includes:
- B4C advocated and has commitments from the State Government for an environmental and biodiversity management plan for Belmont Koala Forest, which would include fauna movement solutions. Belmont Hills has been a major focus for many years with a rehabilitated corridor, Spring Creek, funneling wildlife to Bulimba Creek near Pine Mountain Road.
- At Old Cleveland Road, B4C has a proposal for fauna movement from Belmont Hills and also wishes to get support for another area just east from the rifle range, where road upgrades are occurring.
- Local State Member, Steve Minnikin MP has created a petition for fauna movement solutions on Old Cleveland Rd.
- Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said protecting wildlife was a priority with road upgrades.
- Brisbane City Council (BCC) has major plans to link Whites Hill to Bulimba Creek, well advanced, and wishes to be involved in the formulation of the Environmental management planning for the Belmont Koala Forest.
- A glider pole was constructed by BCC in Belmont Hills bushland recently. It is being managed by Department of Transport and Main Roads.
- The Community are supportive of our natural environment and fauna movement solutions. Public awareness is important as it provides knowledge of the needs of our urban wildlife. The issue has been getting considerable coverage in the South East Advertiser. Two pieces from this month are here and here. The topic was also dealt with in detail at the Barriers and Bridges event last year.
People want to live in harmony with nature and wildlife, and we can do this by supporting nature conservation and getting involved.
