Walkers and cyclists using the newly opened Waranga Rail Trail might notice wooden boxes up in the trees at the edge of the path.
Responsibility of these boxes fall to the Rushworth Field and Game club who have been working to increase breeding of native wildlife in Campaspe Shire over the past year.
Six conservation officers from the club took to the rail trail on Wednesday, April 9 armed with over 15 bird boxes to be placed in the tree tops lining the path.
Officer Graeme Wall said the erection of these bird boxes was hoped to be used by local wildlife and provide safe nesting options to increase native species population.
The boxes will also be used to track and record activity through an app, hoping to demonstrate the effectiveness of the project over time.
“The opportunity to showcase this work in a highly visible public space like the rail trail was seen as a great way to promote the program and raise awareness of the conservation work carried out by Field and Game branches, particularly Rushworth,” Mr Wall said.
It is part of a larger conservation effort across Campaspe Shire to increase wildlife populations.
In early March the group erected 12 nesting boxes around Girgarre, including in the Gargarro Botanical Gardens.
The nesting boxes are decorated with the Rushworth Field and Game name, painted in light colours as a way to reflect during the summer, Mr Wall said.
The project had to go through approvals from Public Transport Victoria and had support from Campaspe Shire’s project manager Paul Arthurson who was able to move forward with the project.
The group also had help from the Tallygoroopna Men’s Shed who donated the nest boxes for the project, group member Charlie Cerchi the “building guru” for the project, and support from the wider community.
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