From 22 August to 9 October, independent experts conducted a survey on local flying fox knowledge.

Project overview

This survey was part of a 10-year review of Sunshine Coast Council's Regional Flying Fox Management Plan (RFFMP) and the broader flying-fox program.

To inform the 10-year review, we engaged UniSC researchers to evaluate our conservation management communication and awareness campaigns.

The review sought to examine if our existing communication activities achieved program aims in our RFFMP.

The online survey asked our community's view on human-wildlife (flying foxes) interactions, awareness of council's flying-fox campaigns, and their understanding and opinions on flying foxes.

This project was funded by the Sunshine Coast Environment Levy and the Queensland State Government Department of Environment and Science Flying Fox Roost Management – Local Government Grants Program (Round 1).

Outcome

The results were evaluated and recommendations made to council on how to improve future flying fox communication to our Sunshine Coast community.

The report said council’s efforts to educate the community on flying-foxes were effective, however more could be done to reach our community.

These included:

  • encouraging flying-fox conservation through citizen science
  • look for opportunities to collaborate with our community on flying-fox conservation
  • embedding the Sustainable development goals into flying-fox education
  • ensuring existing education tools, such as BatPod, are evaluated for their success
  • increase email as a way to communicate with our community.

Council will now use this feedback to inform it’s ongoing flying-fox education and communication program.

For the full details please read Communication for Conversation: Case Study Evaluating Sunshine Coast Council Regional Flying-Fox Management Plan.


Background

The public are a vital component of any natural resource management program.

Diverse, responsive, purposeful, and well-planned strategies can stimulate environmentally aware public and meet specific management-related aims.

An essential element for successful conservation initiatives, policy and practice is gaining an understanding of human attitudes towards wildlife.

In addition, awareness programs that evaluate and incorporate social perception are crucial.

As resources are finite, effective management and monitoring towards achieving program aims is vital.

This research aims to increase understanding of local resident awareness and opinions of Sunshine Coast flying-fox communication and program management.

Find out more about council's flying fox program at https://www.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/Environment/N...