The project is supported by a grant from the Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife, through a funding from the NSW Environmental Trust.
This project aims to engage landholders as Citizen Scientists who will employ infrared motion detection cameras to document the presence of native and/or pest species on their land. While data is being actively collected across public land tenures through the ‘WildCount’ project run by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), there is a lack of data from private land tenures. By engaging landholders to employ infrared cameras, the project provides valuable baseline information and assist to obtain a more complete picture of the biodiversity level in the I2S and K2W regions.
Participants receive an infrared motion detection camera along with an information pack (includes data sheet, information document, fact sheets) from NPA NSW, which they will set up and use for a period of two weeks. The information document serves as a guidance on how to set up and use the infrared camera. A lure made up of peanut butter, honey, oats and fish sauce encased in a plastic PVC pipe cap is placed in the field of view of the camera to attract animals to the camera station (at the site where the camera is set up). The use of honey in the lure mixture is left out if ants are a major problem at the site.
Purchase an infrared camera to carry out monitoring in your own land or backyard. By purchasing a camera through the “Who’s living on my land?” project, a part of the sale goes directly towards supporting it.