Placing netting over your fruit trees and vegetable gardens can protect them from being eaten by birds and other wildlife before you have the chance to pick them. However, netting can also pose a threat to local wildlife.
We want to remind residents that the Victorian Government is introducing new regulations about the size of the mesh you can use at home. These regulations aim to protect our local birds and other wildlife from injury and death.
Household netting must now have a mesh size (at full stretch) no larger than 5mm x 5mm. Any netting that doesn't meet this requirement must be replaced before the regulations come into effect on 1 September 2021.
When you need to get rid of your old netting, remember to place it in a strong biodegradable bag before putting it into landfill. This prevents it from becoming a risk before it's buried at the landfill site.
An alternative to netting is to put fruit bags over individual branches. This protects the fruit you can reach while leaving some available for our hungry urban wildlife to enjoy.
