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Creation Care Update
You may have noticed some boxes have been recently attached to trees around the prayer garden.
Did you know that around 114 species of Australian birds (15% of the total), many mammals, reptiles, frogs, and invertebrate animals rely on tree trunks and branch hollows for breeding or shelter?
It takes at least a hundred years for a tree to develop a large enough hollow for a Southern Boobook (Mopoke) owl even longer for other species. Australia doesn’t have any birds such as woodpeckers that can produce a hollow. Even powerful birds such as cockatoos can only renovate an existing hollow to suit their needs. Due to tree clearing with loss of mature old trees and no replacement available, hollows are disappearing.
St Bart's is fortunate to back onto native bushland. However, this particular type of forest (QLD Government classification 12.5.6) is listed as endangered. This means there is a critical loss of homes for many animals that rely on this ecosystem. To try and reduce the pressure on these animals the placement of artificial hollows such as Nesting Boxes is a recommended way of increasing the available “hollows”.
Thanks to Daryll Arthy’s aunt Mary, St Bart's was able to acquire some Nesting Boxes. Eight have been placed with a few more to still be put up.
As part of Vision 2025 an Environmental Stewards Working Group was established to guide our church in reducing our environmental impact, teach on the biblical basis for stewarding God's creation and to support St Bart's Creation care group.
Watch out for more projects that will come from this vision!