Bathurst residents are invited to participate in the Backyard Ranger program, which helps engage the community with the wildlife in their gardens, backyards and farms.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Residents can take photos of birds, bugs, possums, flowers or trees and upload it via the iNaturalist app.
Participants can also receive a free nest box for birds, possums or microbats or an insect box, which will be delivered to their front door alongside a wildlife booklet and instruction guide.
Bathurst Regional Council environmental officer Thomas Staff said the project is a great way to engage with the local environment.
"It's also a good way to help re-establish hollows that might've been removed from clearing, development or bushfires," he said.
"Even when the boxes are gone, you can still report what you see on the app.
"It's good to know what animals are in your backyard and it's a chance for kids to engage with the them."
This is the first year of the program, with council previously running a similar nest box program in 2013 but without the app.
Already 30 boxes have been delivered, from a total of 200 nest boxes for birds, possums or microbats and 60 boxes for insects.
For more information visit the Sustainable Facebook page.