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We have celebrated the 50th Anniversary of the Rediscovery of Leadbeater’s Possum with 2 events!

3rd April 2011 – exactly 50 years from the day LBPs we first sighted in the wild after being declared extinct, we celebrated the rediscovery at a fabulous event at the Melbourne Museum.В  Eric Wilkinson, the man at the right place at the right time to see the Leadbeater’s in the forests near Cambarville on that date was honoured by the Museum for his efforts.В  Friends of Leadbeater’s Possum also honoured Eric’s contribution by presenting him with a print of the new Liz Cogley painting of two Leadbeater’s in the forest. (see presentation video from this event here).

At this event Eric presented Elly Robertson, the youth ambassador for the species with a small Mountain Ash seedling to represent a passing of the responsibility of protecting LBP habitat to the younger generation.В  Elly has accepted the challenge and continues to raise awareness about the plight of the possums through the many endeavours of her HELP (Help the Endangered Leadbeater’s Possum) team. (more on the HELP team here)

On Sept 10th 2011, Eric and Elly joined our members again with a further celebration of the rediscovery anniversary out in the forests of Cambarville.В  Here Eric again presented the Mountain Ash seedling to Elly and Elly planted it in the ground as a symbol of saving habitat for Leadbeater’s Possum into the future.В  This was a chilly, but wonderful day in the forest and a great reminder to all of us of the challenges we have to save this species.

(Thank you very much to the Men’s Shed of Healesville who built the rustic tree guard for this planting).

Elly and Eric with Mountain Ash seedling

Friends of Leadbeater's Possum members around Cambarville Rediscovery Planting

One Response

  1. Tiffany Tarrant - April 6, 2011

    I strongly object to VicForests new Timber Release Plans, especially the Central Highlands coupes that will directly affect the Special Protection Zones for Leadbeater’s Possums. These possums are already critically endangered, and logging and habitat fragmentation are key threatening processes under the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988. There are so few of these possums left that we simply cannot push them closer to extinction for outdated and uneconomical practices to continue.
    I also object to the amount of Ash that VicForests plans to log, especially when the majority will not end up as furniture or high end products but as woodchips. Our Ash forests are the primary habitat for Leadbeater’s Possums, and the tourism value of these forests far exceed the value VicForests and our State Government currently place on them.
    I hope for everyone’s sake that the TRPs are reviewed and updated accordingly.