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Ahead of National Threatened Species Day (marked on 7^th September each year), Shoalhaven Council is encouraging its community to document biodiversity in their communities using the iNaturalist data collection app.

National Threatened Species Day raises awareness of the plants and animals under threat in our natural environment.

In the Shoalhaven, there are more than 150 threatened species and 16 threatened ecological communities.

Council’s Environmental team and Bushcare volunteers are now using the iNaturalist tool to share their observations to research and protect plant and animal species in the local landscape.

The information gathered is also used to help inform decision making and to ensure that social, economic and environmental objectives are adequately balanced.

The Glossy Black-Cockatoo is among the species being monitored locally. The birds carry deep cultural significance for Aboriginal Australians and are listed as Vulnerable under state and federal legislation.

The species feed from the Black Sheoak (Allocasuarina littoralis) and Forest Sheoak (A. torulosa) and are also dependent upon large hollow-bearing eucalypts for their nests, which can take more than 150 years to form. Conservation of these native birds must consider the availability of these important flora species.

Manager Environmental Services, Dr Michael Roberts noted “National Threatened Species Day is an important way to reflect on the fragility of our environment and consider what we can do to protect it. Using the iNaturalist tool we can all keep an ear to the ground and help make a real difference in our communities.

“I would encourage all community members to become a citizen scientist and to use iNaturalist to acquire new skills and knowledge to contribute to ecological information about our beautiful Shoalhaven.”

For more information visit the iNaturalist website.

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