Rockhampton and Gladstone Regional Council’s are set to receive more than $58,000 to help manage flying fox roosts in the community.
Their two of 10 projects across Queensland who will receive a share in more than $200,000 in funding to support the protection of flying-fox roosts while mitigating noise, odours and damage to crops.
Local councils will use the grants to tailor their flying-fox programs to suit their communities and support projects including the development of long-term roost management plans, vegetation management and training for council staff.
Rockhampton Regional Council will receive $20,250 for a localised grant scheme for residents directly impacted by flying-fox roosts at the Rockhampton Botanical Gardens and Westwood and $9000 for tree trimming at the Rockhampton Botanical Gardens.
While Gladstone Regional Council will invest their $37,769 into a localised invite-only grant scheme for residents and businesses directly impacted by flying fox-roosts in the region and to enable the purchasing of goods and services aimed at mitigating roost impacts.
Minister for the Environment and the Great Barrier Reef, Leanne Linard says despite flying-foxes playing a vital ecological role, from time-to-time, negative flying-fox and human interactions can occur around urban roost sites, particularly when flying-fox numbers increase rapidly in a particular location.
“The Palaszczuk Government recognises the need for flying-foxes to be managed in a way that addresses both community expectations regarding the need for local amenity and the long-term conservation of these species in the wild,” says Ms Linard.
“These ten new projects will assist councils in managing and enhancing flying-fox habitat, developing long-term roost management plans for their local government areas and providing localised grant schemes for residents and businesses impacted by individual flying-fox roosts.”
