Urban Forest: Citizen Science Program
Following on from our collaboration with the University of Western Australia's School of Design's 'More than Human’ Exploring everyday actions to adopt nature into our backyard exhibition, we have further developed ways how you, your family, neighbours and local community can help our local endemic species thrive.
The activities below form our Vic Park Urban Forest Citizen Science Program, empowering our community members to actively and collaboratively create a healthier, happier and greener Vic Park through their own gardens and backyards.
Birun Birun Centred Design
About the project:
- Aim: To support the the Rainbow Bee-eater to thrive in the Town.
Description of the project:
Get involved:
If you would like to support the Rainbow bee-eater to thrive within our Kensington Bushland - and beyond - whilst they visit our Town, here are some everyday things you can do:
- Create more Rainbow Bee-eater friendly habitat for food and breeding by:
- Planting plant species of the Banksia Woodland allows their food source to thrive. You can access these plant species through our Town's annual Urban Forest program.
- Reducing the area of hard surfaces.
Full project documentation:
Have questions?
You can contact the UWA students and their supervisor using the email addresses below:
Access Town's resources to support the Rainbow bee-eater:
Seeking the Skink
About the project:
- Aim: To support the skink through developing safe habitat within the Town.
Description of the project:
- The West Coast Long tailed Ctenotus is a skink that resides in the Banksia woodland on the swan coastal plain. It is a small skink that uses its nimble movement to camouflage and to protect itself in this environment. Feeding on invertebrates, the West Coast Long tailed Ctenotus is a great animal to manage pest control around our houses.
Get involved:
If you would like to support our West coast long tailed Ctenotus to thrive within their own habitat and beyond into increasingly urbanised environments, there are easy every day actions you can take in your gardens and backyards, such as:
- Adding logs and rocks in your garden for the West coast long tailed Ctenotus to safely hide, breed and sun bake. These small additions to your garden also increases the aesthetics of your green space.
- Creating burrowing areas using leaves from native, endemic trees. List of tree species can be found here.
- Plant species that can be used for camouflaging and attracting food for the West coast long tailed Ctenotus in your gardens. These species include:
Full project documentation:
Have questions?
You can contact the UWA students and their supervisor using the email addresses below:
Access Town & other resources to support the Skink:
- Join our Urban Forest Green Basins sub-program to help transform sump land into micro parks, designed with logs, rocks and other burrowing opportunities for the skink to thrive beyond the bushland.
- Join the annual Urban Forest at Home program to access the Banksia Woodland and Jirdarup plant packs for planting at home gardens and to create a food habitat for this species.
- Submit a planting project proposal for the Town's Urban Forest team to "green" underutilised land that you identified or to add more plant species to public areas that you think can support the skinks' habitat.
- Check out Perth NRM's Rewilding information to support the skink's habitat.
Making a Beeline to the remnants
About the project:
- Aim: To provide improved connectivity for native bees between three fragmented remnant banksia woodlands in the Town of Victoria Park.
Description of the project:
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Urbanisation is a rapidly expanding form of land-use change. It poses a threat to native bees through the loss of natural habitats, such as foraging resources as well as nesting resources. This project supports the foraging and reproductive requirements for native bees whilst simultaneously ensuring pollination services, critical for banksia woodland flora by planting species to assist in creating our 'Beeline.'
Get involved:
If you would like to support native bees in our Town, these are some of the everyday, easy additions you can implement in your gardens:
- Provide undisturbed habitats and nest-building materials in your backyard, by constructing bee houses or nesting sites using clay, sand, hollow stems/bamboo. These can be placed in a quiet, sheltered and sunny patch.
- Build your own or purchase pre-made bee hotels.
- Plant bee habitat and food species, including Banksias and the Jacksonia native plants. Some of these can be obtained via the Town's Urban Forest at Home sub-program.
Full project documentation:
Have questions?
You can contact the UWA students and their supervisor using the email addresses below:
Access Town & other resources to support the native bees:
- Join the annual Urban Forest at Home program to access the Banksia Woodland and Jacksonias plant packs for planting at home gardens and to create a food habitat for this species.
- Submit a planting project proposal for the Town's Urban Forest team to "green" underutilised land that you identified or to add more plant species to public areas that you think can support the habitat of the native bees.
- Access free resources from Dr Kit Prendergast on how to promote and preserve native bees.
Suburb for a Bobtail
About the project:
- Aim: To create safe and healthy and connected habitat for the Shingleback or Bobtail.
Description of the project:
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The Bobtail or Shingleback is a curious animal, often disguising itself with a tail that could be mistaken for its head by its predators. As a cold blooded reptile, the Bobtail likes warm places to bask in the sun. However, such behaviours can be quite dangerous when soaking up the warmth on our busy roads. This project helps the Bobtail by creating connected habitat through our backyards.
Get involved:
If you would like to support the Bobtails in our Town, these are some practical ways you can help create connected habitats for this species:
- Provide shallow water sources. It is important to make sure Bobtails can get out of the water bowl if they go into it.
- Add logs, rocks and burrows in your backyard for shelter.
- Consider permeable fencing for your backyard, so that Bobtails can crawl through connected backyards, increasing their safe habitable area.
- Make sure dogs are on leash when visiting high habitat areas.
Full project documentation:
Have questions?
You can contact the UWA students and their supervisor using the email addresses below:
Access Town & other resources to support the Bobtail:
- Join our Urban Forest Green Basins sub-program to help transform sump land into micro parks, designed with logs, rocks and other burrowing opportunities for the Bobtail to thrive beyond the bushland.
- Submit a planting project proposal for the Town's Urban Forest team to "green" underutilised land that you identified or to add more plant species and other natural features to public areas that you think can support the habitat of the Bobtails.
- Join the Perth NRM's Rewild project to support the habitats of the Bobtail.
Humble Tracks
About the project:
- Aim:
- To provide education about the Dugite and increasing understanding about this species so that we can create a safe and thriving environment for both human and more than human inhabitants.
Description of the project:
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The Dugite is an introverted reptile, spending most of its time hibernating or basking in the warm sun. Most times, you would be lucky to see one as the Dugites can not hear and rely on vibrations and smell as its main sensors. This project shares important information on what every person can do to create safe environments for both humans and Dugites.
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In particular, there is emphasis on understanding the behaviour of the Dugite and what to do when entering their natural habitat and what we can do at our homes to reduce instances of the Dugites entering homes and backyards.
Get involved:
To ensure yours and others' safety when visiting bushland, it is important to know the following about this species:
- "Please don't startle me, as I can't hear, make your presence known by stomping the ground." As mentioned above, the Dugite cannot hear and rely on vibrations. So next time you enter the bushland for walks or other outdoor activities, make sure you make enough noise to help the Dugite stay away!
- The Dugite fangs are very small and may not effectively penetrate solid shoes or heavy fabric. So it is recommended to wear protective clothing and footwear when entering "natural" habitats.
- Anybody with a suspected bite should seek immediate medical attention.
- Snakes, including the Dugite, will never go out of their way to attack you. The best way to avoid a snake bite is to never attempt to approach, capture, or kill a snake, whether at home or in the wild.
You can also practice the following actions at home and backyards to ensure that Dugites stay in their own natural habitats. Most of these activities are to ensure that we reduce opportunities for mice to enter our homes and to create safe garden beds that do not attract Dugites:
- Seal cracks and holes on the outside of the home, including areas where utilities and pipes enter the home, using caulk, steel wool or a combination of both.
- Store food in airtight containers and dispose of garbage regularly.
- Screen vents and openings to chimneys.
- Keep attics, basements and crawl spaces well ventilated and dry.
- Eliminate all moisture sites, including leaking pipes and clogged drains that provide the perfect breeding site for pests.
- If you suspect a pest infestation in your home, contact a licensed pest professional to inspect and treat the pest problem.
- Snakes love to hide and hunt around building materials and general rubbish. Avoid providing them amble hiding spaces by not laying corrugated iron or fencing on the ground.
Full project documentation:
Have questions?
You can contact the UWA students and their supervisor using the email addresses below:
Access Town & other resources to create safe environments for Dugites and humans:
Rewild Perth: Bring Nature Home Program
ReWild Perth provides you with advice on how to build eye-catching gardens with local wildlife in mind. Being a part of ReWild Perth is an immediate action to improve biodiversity across our city whilst beautifying your own home. The Rewild Perth team have created hundreds of resources to help you on your ReWild journey. Learn about different wildflowers, wildlife, and how to build habitat.
Rewild Perth
Rewilding is a global phenomenon. It is a process of restoring natural ecosystems to improve biodiversity by reintroducing long-lost species. ReWilding captures the imagination as it details the process of returning wildlife back to long lost areas. It is happening right across Australia, and the world, but not yet at a city-scale. Take charge and let us bring nature home.
ReWild Perth has been developed in partnership with Perth NRM and Birdlife Australia (WA), through funding from Lotterywest.
Start Rewilding