The species clings to survival along roadsides, creek lines and patches of native vegetation on private property.
You can find out more about protecting the squirrel glider at a field day on Saturday in Locksley.
Trust for Nature’s Bertram Lobert said the original woodland vegetation of Longwood Plains was highly fragmented, due to almost 200 years of clearing and farming.
“The gliders depend on old trees which have hollows in them and on connections, like treed roadsides, across the landscape,” he said.
“Fortunately there’s been good interest from local landholders who want to provide homes for gliders, so we’re working with them to improve and build habitat.”
The gliders are difficult to find because they don’t have bright eye-shine (for nocturnal detection), they don’t vocalise (like the sugar glider does), and their fur colour camouflages them in the tree canopy.
With the help of thermal imaging technology Trust for Nature has detected squirrel gliders on three Longwood Plains properties that have conservation covenants on them, and with support from Urquhart Charitable Fund, 80 nest boxes have been installed.
Conservation covenants are voluntary agreements on property titles that enable private landowners to protect nature forever, even after the property changes hands.
Local landholder Paul Dettmann has spent the past three years improving his 60ha property for the benefit of local plants and animals, including the squirrel glider.
He bought his first property in 2008 to protect it with a conservation covenant and has since established about 40 covenants on properties across Victoria, making him one of Trust for Nature’s largest covenantors.
“I think we need to understand and integrate farming and conservation more,” Mr Dettmann said.
“Farmers are the biggest land managers, and rather than there being a tension between agriculture and conservation, we need to find synergy.”
For more information, phone Mr Lobert on 0409 433 276 or visit biodiversityspring.com