Micromex conducts market research about wildlife management

Micromex conducted the market research on behalf of Port Macquarie-Hastings Council.

The 440 people were randomly contacted as a representative sample of the local government area.

The council said the cost of the market research was $25,400 but the findings would be instrumental in managing wildlife in an effective way, while aligning with the community's preferences.

Environmental services are working to understand what knowledge exists within our community, and people's willingness, capacity and desire to assist in improving wildlife management.

The council needs to know more information from the community in order to build effective programs which are supported by the community.

That includes knowledge of the problem, people's preferences about how the council responds to managing wildlife, willingness to contribute to the solution and capacity to assist.

The market research focused on three species - koalas, flying foxes and feral deer.

Koalas play a valuable role in ecology and tourism to the area, and due to the recent bushfires and ongoing development pressure, their status is under greater pressure.

Flying foxes are a keystone pollinator for many of our endangered ecological communities.

A Kooloonbung Creek Flying Fox Camp Management Plan provides a framework for managing community impacts associated with flying foxes roosting along Kooloonbung Creek, while ensuring flying foxes and their ecological services are conserved.

The plan's development followed residents' concerns.

Meanwhile, feral deer are reasonably widespread throughout the eastern portion of the local government area.

They impact bushland reserves and gardens.

The council is hearing reports of more deer activity in the Port Macquarie urban area and surrounds.

Along with the community survey, measures to manage the current wildlife state have been implemented in the meantime.

They range from cataloguing koala food tree planting locations to implementing actions from the Kooloonbung Creek Flying Fox Camp Management Plan.

Environmental services have been working closely with Local Land Services to undertake drone and helicopter thermal surveys to better understand deer populations and their movements.

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