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Collapse Issue 443 - 23 Apr 2018Issue 443 - 23 Apr 2018
Collapse  NEWS NEWS
Labor commits to replace level crossing
Water supply cut after water main bursts
Council 'not telling' about compliance numbers
Flying-fox strategy to help residents and bats
Help wanted to identify rock carvings
A 'complying' certificate granted for non-complying units
Council gathers information for water price review
No news on wharf upgrade 'perturbs' councillor
Water main burst site 'a gigantic mess'
Anzac Day service at retirement village
Extension proposed for Umina surf club
Council plans to spend money on beach work
Tesch 'thrown out' of parliament over fuel pricing
Umina could have regional skate park
Works starts on exhibition space at library
Transport NSW counts train passengers
Strata subdivision approved
Renovation costing $3.5 million completed by June
Fence maintenance
Graffiti removed from underpass
Club campaigns against drink driving
Money announced to co-fund dredging
Warning issued about surf condition
Former student gains apprenticeship at coal mine
Vinyl records on sale
Collapse  FORUM FORUM
Traffic lights not requested by community
Brisbane Water Cruise still operating
No justification to breach statutory standards
Trollittering
Won't the ACCC do what it is paid to do?
I have not been approached
Audit backflip 'a bit strange'
Sir Humphrey Appleby is alive and well
So much for democracy
Collapse  HEALTH HEALTH
Anzac ceremony at hospital
Collapse  ARTS ARTS
Little Theatre announces next production
Collapse  EDUCATION EDUCATION
Show ribbon for Donald Trumpkin pumpkin
Students learn beach safety
Cultural continuum excursion
Students visit retirement village
Day out at holiday park
Students take part in road safety program at Palmdale
Students attend Royal Show preview
Anzac assembly in May
Ettalong students visit Meals on Wheels
Collapse  SPORT SPORT
Anja wins Games gold
Sherriff secures silver Games medals
Seven-year-old beats Buhagiar record
Young Killcare lifesaver wins award
Rugby win at Warnervale
Special fundraiser for family of swimmer
Surf boat series win
Bowlers raise $920 for charity
Southern Ettalong United kicks of soccer season
Peninsula lifesavers elected to regional committee

Flying-fox strategy to help residents and bats

Central Coast Council's draft Flying-fox Management Strategy includes more than 20 actions to help residents living near the Everglades flying-fox camp and the bats themselves.

The strategy will be placed on exhibition for public comment before adoption, but the dates for submissions have yet to be announced.

The first three actions outlined in the strategy involve direct resident assistance.

The first is the provision of care, clothes line and swimming pool covers based on selection criteria during times of high camp occupancy for residents within 500 metres of the camp that has more than 20,000 flying-foxes.

Residents within 500 metres of the camp, when inhabited by more than 50,000 flying-foxes would be given access to pressurised water cleaners to remove bat excrement.

Subsidy support could also be provided for residents to install double glazed windows or air conditioners for residents within 500 metres of the camp when it has more than 50,000 flying-foxes.

All three forms of assistance would be subject to the availability of grants or other funding in the Central Coast Council budget.

A community education and engagement commitment is also included in the strategy including an online survey and the development of a kit to assist residents to understand flying-fox movement patterns and reduce conflicts with camps.

Council staff may also hold face-to-face consultation sessions to answer questions and listen to community concerns.

Landcare groups would be given advice about the legislative requirements for working near flying-fox camps.

Another group of management actions in the strategy are called "restoration and rehabilitation" and may include the creation of buffers between residents and the flying-fox camp, triggered by a site assessment that identifies such a buffer is needed.

This could be achieved by improving the condition of vegetation in the core of the site, by planting casuarina glauca, for example, to make the boundary less attractive.

A site assessment would also be used to determine whether or not removal of high-priority noxious weeds should be carried out to improve roosting habitat.

Planting of suitable roosting habitat in cleared or highly disturbed areas was another action included in the strategy.

Interpretive signage could also be used and artificial roosts to encourage roosting in certain locations and away from residences.

Other actions involve routine maintenance of the camp via weed control, dealing with dangerous trees and using high pressure water cleaners to remove faecal matter from surrounding areas.

Quarterly census would be conducted to monitor Flying-fox population.

Governance measures included in the strategy were land use planning, a vegetation management plan for the site, fire and heat stress protocols.

The plan, once implemented, will be reviewed in four years.

The strategy's management options were taken from the NSW Flying-fox Camp Management Policy of 2015 and the Camp Management Plan Template of 2016.

The strategy gives an assessment of the options that would be appropriate for the local camp and derives at strategic management priorities.

The public exhibition of the strategy will be via the Your Voice Our Coast website.





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