Artificial Hollows

One of the casualties in major bushfires is the older trees that provide natural hollows that are critical habitat for arboreal mammals and birds. Nesting boxes have been widely used to help alleviate the shortage of suitable nesting hollows. Nesting boxes have a life span of about then years.

Main Roads ecologist  Matt Stephens has developed a new approach to providing safe havens for fauna by boring artificial hollows into healthy trees. The Hollow Hog tool has been developed by Matt specifically for the purpose. Trained arborists are able to scale the trees and in around 45 minutes are able to instal a hollow.

Upper Yango participated in a grant funded programme with Wollombi Landcare group, to instal hollows at Wallabadah and Wombat Gully in Upper Yango, where where the AWC 2020 survey had identified endangered Yellow Belly Gliders residing. Pete Meadows, a Upper Yango community member and qualified arborist, received training and took part in the programme.

In 2024, Pete, assisted by UYLA Phil Thrush, began installing hollows on properties throughout the valley.

Once installed, hollows are predicted to survive for as long as the host tree remains standing. A vast improvement on the ten years of a manmade nesting box.