The Work of the Volunteers

THE VICTORIAN MALLEEFOWL RECOVERY GROUP, INC. The Work of the Volunteers

INTRODUCTION
Volunteers are involved in the annual survey of approximately 1200 Malleefowl mounds located in 35 sites throughout the mallee vegetation of north western Victoria. This includes the Mallee, the Wimmera and parts of Northern Victoria. The survey data is collated and analysed by Dr. Joe Benshemesh as part of a long term research project. Click on the Survival button below to find out more about the background and reasons for the research. Sites are located as follows : 9 in Wyperfeld N.P. and environs. 11 in Murray-Sunset N.P. and environs. 8 in Hattah Kulkyne N.P. and environs. 3 in Little Desert N.P. and environs 4 in Wychitella NCR	The Mallee region of Victoria.
THE SITES
The sites, are, in the main, rectangles measuring approximately 2.0 km by 2.0 km and cover several hundred hectares. However, the sizes do vary considerably and they may take advantage of a particular geographical feature, such as an irrigation channel, rather than conform to the normal rectangular style. The mounds within a grid have all been mapped. More recently, each mound has been located accurately with a GPS. A mound might be currently active, previously active, one used for practice or partially completed. The number of mounds within a site varies from about 15 to over 100. Birds tend to renovate old mounds rather than construct new ones. However, they do occasionally construct new mounds, and these are mapped as they are found.	A typical site located in Wyperfeld N.P. Each dot indicates a mound site. Most are not active. Vertical axis in metres. Horizontal axis in kilometres.
WORKING THE SITES
Photo courtesy Ann Stokie (That's husband Peter's hand)	Prior to the advent of GPS devices it was necessary to locate each mound using marked grid lines, compasses and paced stepping. This could take quite some time, depending on whether the volunteer was working alone or in a pair, the volunteer's familiarity with the terrain and the density of the bush. GPS trackers now make short work (relatively) of finding the mounds. Together with Palm Computers, which are linked to the GPS, the recording of data in the field has become quite high tech.
RECORDING THE DATA
Recording the data at a mound encompasses a number of distinct phases, as summarised below. A visual examination of the mound before moving too close to it. This is particularly important for active mounds. A photographic record of the mound. A closer examination of the mound for signs of malleefowl activity and for scats and tracks of native and feral animals. Quantitification of different categories of flora. Physical measurement of the mound. Collection, for later analysis, of any malleefowl or fox scat and malleefowl feathers.	Paul Burton explaining some finer points of monitoring to volunteers at the Training Weekend, 2002.
Considerable care is taken with the data collection as the integrity of the research is very much dependant upon consistent and repeatable techniques.