Dead Trees
Dead wood, whether lying on the ground or still standing, provides precious habitat. This includes all logs, trees and branches. Native birds and mammals rely on tree hollows and dead wood for shelter from predators and for breeding purposes.
Insects such as the Stag Beetle rely on dead wood as a food source. In turn, many birds reptiles and mammals need insects for survival. Hollows often form when the centre of a tree limb rots away due to fungal or termite activity - this is more common in old or dead trees and can take many hundreds of years to form. Dead wood decomposes over time, contributing to nutrient cycles, growth of understorey species i.e. Fungi, Grasses, Shrubs and so on.
Trees often take years to form hollows, which provide an array of housing and shelter for our local native wildlife. Residents, for firewood or private use, often remove fallen trees. Due to the decline in shelter for wildlife, Council encourages leaving what you may consider to be dead wood in place to assist with encouraging indigenous wildlife in the area.
Please do not remove dead trees, logs or branches unless they are dangerous. It is illegal to remove dead trees, logs and branches from bushland reserves without permission from Council.
