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Provide refuge for a native animal in your backyard

 

Imagine you’re just starting out in life. It’s a big, wild world and you’re ready to work hard (through the day and night if you must). But no matter where you look, you just can’t find a home that will offer the shelter, weather protection, and safety from predators you need to be able to survive and raise young.

One day, you notice a box-shaped object, the perfect size for your brood to be. You peek inside. You can’t believe your luck – it’s empty.

 

A replacement for natural tree hollows?

Roughly one quarter of our native species in Australia use tree hollows, including many who are dependent on hollows for nesting and raising of their young. When hollows aren’t available in suitable environments – those that are safe, near to food sources and clean water – their populations are put under pressure and face decline.

Deforestation, urban development and recent bushfires across Australia have accelerated the loss of older, hollow-bearing trees, and this is now impacting the populations of native species such as gliders, bats and many native birds.

 

Rewild your neighbourhood: create a native habitat

Installing and monitoring artificial nest boxes, such as those made by Jack Spittle from Mission Matriarch, is one way that we can help protect wildlife and enhance biodiversity in our urban environment.

While artificial nest boxes are not a long-term substitutes for natural hollows, they can provide vital temporary habitats in highly urbanised areas where very few natural tree hollows remain. A wide variety of birds and mammals, including threatened species, have been reported to be using nest boxes in Australian urban areas.

Most nest boxes you see around the neighbourhood are the result of volunteer action – from individuals to schools to local Landcare groups. This reflects our great love for nature and a real desire to help protect our unique native wildlife.

Installing and monitoring a nest box in your backyard, street tree or along your local waterway can be a great way for you (and your family) to connect with nature. By checking and cleaning your box regularly, and possibly even setting up a motion sensor camera, you can even contribute valuable data to the scientific community via Atlas of Living Australia.

 

 

Where to buy a native nest box

Mission Matriarch’s innovative and ecologically-informed nest box design has enabled active sustainability and habitat rehabilitation far beyond what was previously possible.

You can get your species-appropriate native nest box here.

These nest boxes can be assembled easily – see if you can beat the 58-second record!