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DSEVictoria uploaded a new video
(3 weeks ago)
The Grand Ridge Rail Trail in South Gippsland has been reopened three years after it was severely impacted by bushfire.
The 13km trail runs from Mi...
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The Grand Ridge Rail Trail in South Gippsland has been reopened three years after it was severely impacted by bushfire.
The 13km trail runs from Mirboo North to Boolarra in the Strzelecki ranges in South Gippsland.
Two new bridge crossings, constructed with funding through the Department of Sustainability and Environment and Regional Development Victoria, are near the half way point, just east of Darlimurla.
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DSEVictoria uploaded a new video
(1 month ago)
DSE's annual festival of all things marine and coastal! Summer by the Sea provides opportunities for all Victorians to get to know more about our l...
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DSE's annual festival of all things marine and coastal! Summer by the Sea provides opportunities for all Victorians to get to know more about our local coastal environments. For the first three weeks of January the Victorian coast will come alive with more than 300 free activities.
Find out who and what lives on our unique rocky shores. With the help of a local guide you will discover the colourful and strange looking creatures that lurk in the rockpools of coastal Victoria.
TRANSCRIPT:
Hi my name is Jemma Crawford, I'm one of the Coastcare facilitators, and we're about to go for a rockpool ramble on the Point Leo foreshore. We're hoping to fins some sea stars, some sea urchins, sea anemones, lots of crabs.
See you next year!
END
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DSEVictoria uploaded a new video
(1 month ago)
On November 15, 2011, more than 350 Landcare members, supporters, farmers and agency staff joined together at the MCG to celebrate Landcare's 25th ...
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On November 15, 2011, more than 350 Landcare members, supporters, farmers and agency staff joined together at the MCG to celebrate Landcare's 25th anniversary.
The Growing Sustainable Communities conference gave participants an opportunity to reflect on the last 25 years of Landcare in Victoria and discuss the direction the organisation would take in the future.
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DSEVictoria uploaded a new video
(1 month ago)

Victoria has 21 species of insect-eating microbat and unfortunately some of these are threatened. Scientists from the Department of Sustainability ...
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Victoria has 21 species of insect-eating microbat and unfortunately some of these are threatened. Scientists from the Department of Sustainability and Environment are conducting research on several of these species to try to gain a greater understanding about them.
Bat Ecologist Micaela Jemison from the department's Arthur Rylah Institute gives us a behind the scenes look at the techniques used in her research on these fascinating creatures.
TRANSCRIPT:
Voice-over:
Although they may be tiny and seldom noticed by people, microbats are fascinating little creatures.
They play an important role in all terrestrial ecosystems, by dining on a wide range of insects, from delectable beetles and moths to mosquitoes, and other bugs.
Microbat species are found right across Victoria and scientists from the Department of Sustainability and Environment conduct research to understand more about the ecology and conservation of these species.
Micaela:
In our studies we sometimes need to catch the animals. To do this we often use a technique called harp trapping.
Voice-over:
Harp trapping involves setting specialised traps in areas that the bats are likely to fly through.
Voice-over:
The harp trap is made up of two large panels of fishing line with a catch bag underneath.
Sometimes the bats don't detect the fishing line and fly into the trap. They then slide down, unharmed, into the catch bag below.
Voice-over:
Once in the bag, the bats instinctively crawl up the canvas sides and hide under its plastic inner lining.
Voice-over:
Protected under this lining, they hang up and go to sleep until they are collected either later that night or early the next morning.
Micaela:
By catching the bats we can gain a lot of information on how a population is doing.
We can see if the animals are healthy and in good condition, and whether they reproducing normally.
It also allows us to take measurements so we can keep a record of how these populations are fairing over time
Voice-over:
A wide range of bat species may be caught in a single night of trapping.
Common species such as the Lesser Long-eared Bat and the Southern Freetail Bat are often frequently caught in the harp traps during surveys.
Once the bats have been measured and have had their health checks done, they are released into the night or into a nice hollow where they will sleep the day away.
Micaela:
The availability of suitable tree hollows is vitally important to the majority of bat species throughout Victoria. Micaela:
The majority of both our common and threatened bat species roost during the day in hollows formed in live and dead trees.
The disappearance of many of our large, old trees that have these hollows is an issue in a lot of areas in Victoria.
Without them our micro bats have a housing problem.
Protecting large, old trees with hollows is critically important in all types of landscapes.
If we can do that, then maybe we can ensure that we have these fascinating little creatures around for many more years to come.
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