It’s not easy to farm these days, with producers increasingly pressured to make their land more productive and more environmentally friendly at the same time.

But land used for primary production can also be managed for the conservation of forest dependent wildlife living in remnant vegetation patches and vegetation used for erosion control along waterways.

Kevin Wormington, from the Centre for Environmental Management has been investigating one particular group of native animals, the hollow-dependent tree marsupials such as possums and gliders. His presentation “Managing your property for wildlife” in the Agro-Trend Seminar Tent, Bundaberg, came complete with a soundscape on the recognition of some of these animals.

“Animals dependent on tree hollows are the group most affected by land management practices because of the time it takes to form hollows in trees when existing hollow-bearing trees have been removed,” said Mr Wormington.

Mr Wormington believes that properties managed for the conservation of these animals will also allow most forest wildlife to be retained with obvious gains to both farm owners and the environment.

Central Queensland University’s Centre for Environmental Management is a multi disciplinary research group focused on Central Queensland. Based in Gladstone, the CEM has activities in Bundaberg, Emerald, Mackay and Rockhampton.

Members and staff of the Centre work primarily within six main areas: marine, terrestrial and freshwater ecology, eco toxicology, coastal hydrodynamics, environmental economics and associated social studies.

Picture: Don’t bite the hand that feeds you: Kevin Wormington explains the advantages of managing your property for wildlife. Photo: CEM Gladstone.