Monitoring and Transparency

Transparency is a core value of Greenprint Nature. Across our projects we conduct a range of monitoring activities to ensure that our efforts are leading to the desired outcomes, and to identify potential risks as early as possible. We employ a range of monitoring techniques, including:

Formal surveying for plants and animals by ecologists on the ground
Informal surveying by the Greenprint team with regular and frequent site visits
Remote cameras and camera traps to capture animal activity
Sound monitoring, notably for Koala’s
Satellite-accessible rain gauges and water level monitoring in creeks and dams

What Are We Looking For?

A major focus of our monitoring program is to determine the secondary impacts of our activities on the environment, for example monitoring water levels to determine whether the leaky weirs and additional trees are leading to greater water retention on the properties. We have also developed a baseline for plant and animal species so we can compare how these change over time as the projects progress.

Feral animal monitoring is also important to inform control programs and ensure that the trees we plant are suitably protected from browsing animals. For example, we recently recorded sightings of deer at Gurrabeal and are now preparing our seedlings with an anti-browsing spray that makes them unpalatable to deer and goats.

What Have We Seen?

Mostly lots and lots of kangaroos, but we’re also seeing a range of reptiles and mammals, as well as discovering the presence of many native flowers and forbs. Last week we established monitoring plots at Gurrabeal so we can track improvements in vegetation condition throughout the life of the project, and spotted a few more elusive species, including this huge eastern brown snake.

A Commitment to Transparency

We intend to continue to share updates from our monitoring projects through blog updates but welcome questions or comments at any time about our projects. We can also arrange site visits for those that are interested. Please contact us if you would like to learn more.