A Maitland resident who shares his backyard with scores of flying foxes has called for a special bat forest to be set up near the Hunter River.
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“I don’t want the bats destroyed – I just want them taken away somewhere else,” Len Chenery, of Sempill Street, said.
“We don’t want the trees here cut down either.
“These creatures are a protected species and they must have somewhere to live.
“If we just keep cutting down trees in which they stay, how will that protect them?
“The long-term answer must be to create a special forest well away from houses and near water where bats can live.”
Mr Chenery and other residents in Sempill and Hannan streets share their gardens and homes with about 1000 flying foxes that swooped in about 18 months ago – after council received state government permission to cut down trees they were in at Lorn.
“In the short term, we are hopeful Maitland City Council will be able to use powers given to them recently by the state government to deal with our problem,” Mr Chenery said.
“It would be really nice if someone from council would call us and tell us what they plan to do.”
Environment Minister Rob Stokes announced a new strategy this month to minimise the impacts of flying fox camps in suburbia.
“Human health should always be our first priority,” he said.
“This plan will empower councils to resolve issues within their communities and take appropriate local action at the earliest opportunity.”
Under the new policy, land managers can get a five-year lease to:
- remove vegetation to create a separation from populated areas and to encourage roosting away from humans
- disperse animals by noise, water, smoke or light
- remove trees that pose a health and safety risk.
