PARK WATCH Article September 2024 |

Sera Blair, NatureWatch Coordinator and inaugural president of Friends of Leadbeater’s Possum, reflects on two decades of pushing for possum protection

Twenty years ago, the small but influential Friends of Leadbeater’s Possum (FLbP) was established at the encouragement of Julie Kirkwood, then Victorian coordinator of the Threatened Species Network, sitting within VNPA.

I researched the issues in Leadbeater’s Possum (Gymnobelideus leadbeateri) conservation, quickly pulling friends together to form the group’s first committee.

The first decade was a blur of activity. FLbP were heavily involved in community outreach, helping scientific research through stagwatching, spotlighting and nest box surveys. We had stalls and sold merchandise at lots of events. We wrote content for the Victorian curriculum. Where Leadbeater’s Possum habitat was deficient, we planted trees and put up nestboxes.

And when the Black Saturday bushfires decimated Lake Mountain, we showed up twice a week through winter to walk out fresh supplementary food for the few surviving Leadbeater’s. The group lobbied politicians, ran bus trips to the logging coupes, read every report or policy and wrote numerous submissions.

The second decade of FLbP was equally busy and eventful. Court cases, advisory groups, recovery plans, industry taskforces, campaigns for a new national park, the end of native forest logging in Victoria and the closure of VicForests.

As FLbP enters its third decade the work of securing the future of Leadbeater’s Possum goes on. Today, we fight to protect critical habitat for Leadbeater’s Possum, the Southern Greater Glider and Yellow-bellied Gliders.

As president, I learned a lot about threatened species conservation. Most noteworthy is that scientific knowledge is essential as ‘modelling’ of conservation actions is not as accurate, and we don’t have time for guessing. Conservation is mostly a political game, so get the community involved and vocal. There is strength in numbers so ally with other groups and share the burden. Be prepared to play the long game and surround yourself with a team of equally passionate people.

The group’s current president, Steve Meacher, recently shared his reflections with me. His experience further reinforced these valuable lessons: ‘There have been moments of frustration and disappointment, but we have learned that persistence pays.’

Ultimately, I learned to be kind to yourself when you need to take a break and be thankful when there are amazing people (like Pam Miskin and Steve) who can elevate the group to match growing challenges!

Find out more and get involved with the ongoing work of FLbP