Draft Black Gully Flying-fox Camp Management Plan on Public Exhibition

A draft flying-fox camp management plan for Black Gully is now on public exhibition for community feedback until 28 May 2018.

Council appointed specialist consultants to engage with the community to develop a Flying-fox Camp Management Plan in January 2018. Consultants, Ecosure visited Armidale to conduct an engagement session with affected residents, monitor the colony and assess the options for alternative camp sites, as part of a long term plan, should the flying foxes return to Armidale.

Data collated from the engagement process was incorporated into the draft plan that was provided to Council by the consultant at the end of March. The plan provides a management approach that is consistent with the legislation and that aims to manage community impacts.

Flying foxes are a native animal and are listed as vulnerable on State and Federal Threatened Species legislation. This is largely due to a loss and/or fragmentation of their natural forest habitat over the past 50-100 years. Flying foxes are now venturing into areas that they would not normally visit in search of nectar. In Armidale our red gum and yellow box trees experienced a good season and provided the bats with a high quality food source during the spring and summer of 2017-18.

Armidale Regional Council Mayor Cr Simon Murray said the plan will allow residents and Council to implement management actions to reduce the impact of the camp on residents adversely affected.

“The plan will allow residents adversely affected by the camp to remove selected roost trees on their properties to create a buffer between those properties and Black Gully,” said Simon Murray.

“For some residents in the area the flying-fox camp has impacted enormously on their properties and their well-being. The plan will now give some relief to residents adjacent to the camp.”

The Draft Black Gully Flying Fox Camp Management Plan can be viewed on Council’s engagement website, yoursay.armidale.nsw.gov.au, or at Council’s Service Centres at 135 Rusden Street Armidale or 158 Bradley Street Guyra. Submissions should be addressed to the Chief Executive Officer, Armidale Regional Council, PO Box 75A, Armidale 2350. They can be emailed to [email protected] or mailed to PO Box 75A, Armidale NSW 2350, or delivered to one of our Customer Service Centres at 135 Rusden Street, Armidale or 158 Bradley Street, Guyra.

Published on 07 May 2018