Claire Lane and Miles Sterrick understand the ecological importance of the trees on their property, situated in an area of remnant endangered Spotted Gum Forest in Avalon. So, when their favourite tree suddenly died, the thought of cutting it down filled them with dread. Thankfully there was another solution.
In October 2023, community environment group Canopy Keepers held their spring tree giveaway in Avalon. Among the visitors was Claire, who runs the popular Paradise Yoga studio from the home she shares with husband Miles Sterrick, overlooking Paradise Beach.
Aside from wanting trees to add to her property, Claire sought information about hollows creation – the practice of creating artificial hollows in trees not yet old enough to have formed natural hollows, or in dead but still standing trees.
This is typically achieved in one of four ways:
- Chainsaw carving of narrow door hollows
- Mechanical cavity drilling with a tool called a Hollowhog, which allows a large cavity to be drilled through a small entrance hole.
- Faceplate hollows: a large cavity is created with a chainsaw and a prefabricated faceplate with pre-drilled entrance hole is installed, and
- The installation of premade nest boxes.
Given it can take 100-150 years for a tree hollow to form naturally, and Beaches old growth trees are being lost at an alarming rate, these practices are vital in the survival of the multitude of species who rely on tree hollows, including 17% of bird species, 42% of mammals and 28% of reptiles.
With Canopy Keepers’ help, Claire set out to find a specialist arborist who could carve the hollows, whilst Miles threw himself into the task of building species-targeted nest boxes. After a few dead ends, Claire found arborist Harrison Judd of Arbor Co. Tree Services, who had two important credentials: a passion for habitat creation and the remarkable Hollowhog tool.
Harrison and his team firstly stagged the tree of its limbs to make it safe, then created 3 hollows and finally installed Miles’ box for two Glider species, all under the watchful eye of Claire and Miles, plus ecologist Jayden Walsh, nature photographer and volunteer for the Powerful Owl Project Andrew Gregory, and environmentalist and bush regenerators Evan and India Turner, all Canopy Keepers members.
Although it will be a waiting game to see just who will take up residence in the newly created ‘critter condominium’, the benefits are already being felt, including financial. Miles explains, “So we spent X dollars. If we were going to get the tree chopped down and taken away, it was probably going to be double that.”
Whilst retaining a dead tree for hollows creation is not always viable, there is no cost to getting a tree assessed. As Claire advises, “Definitely have a think about it before you decide to remove a tree if they can be retained for habitat. It’s a lovely thing to do.”
For Claire and Miles, their trees are not an impediment to a view, but rather they ARE the view, to be enjoyed and preserved.
More about Canopy Keepers
Canopy Keepers works towards the preservation and regeneration of Pittwater’s canopy.
Head here to learn more and follow @canopykeepers on socials