ACT Wildlife have launched a new program, supported by the ACT Government, to replace fruit netting with wildlife safe options for free.
Minister for the Environment Rebecca Vassarotti said the net replacement program is designed to support a transition to wildlife safe netting ahead of a proposed amendment to the Nature Conservation Act 2014 that will ban the use of unsafe netting in the ACT.
"ACT Wildlife are accepting and replacing unsafe netting for free at pop-up events over the coming months to support native wildlife conservation," Minister Vassarotti said.
"Netting is a popular method of protecting fruit trees from being a bite to eat for native animals like birds and bats, but it can entangle threatened native wildlife if the mesh size is too large or it is not installed correctly.
"ACT Wildlife are regularly called upon to rescue wildlife such as Grey-headed Flying-foxes, among other species, from netting in urban backyards.
"Grey-headed Flying-foxes are vulnerable to extinction in the ACT and naturally become distressed when entangled, causing serious injuries or even death before help can arrive.
"The ACT in facing an extinction crisis. In a crisis, you need to do everything you can to protect native wildlife from population decline.
"This is a small change, that will make a big difference to the lives of fruit bats and other wildlife in the ACT. When our natural environment is in sharp decline, these small changes can add up to make a big difference.
"The replacement netting will be completely free, giving everyone the opportunity to make the change to netting friendly to our native wildlife and their fruiting plants."
Fruit netting should have a mesh size of 5mm x 5mm or smaller, with no gaps for wildlife to enter from the ground or sky. If your finger can fit through the mesh, it is unsafe.
