2 minute read
Don Reserve wildlife film
(Photo credit: Dr Tom Sayers)
The Don Reserve as you have never seen it before
Sandwiched between the Don River and urban Devonport, the Don Reserve is a narrow strip of remnant vegetation in an otherwise altered landscape. During the quiet months of the global pandemic, local ecologist Dr Tom Sayers created a stunning video titled "Don Reserve, a Tasmanian Wildlife Film" which highlights the beauty and importance of this and other such urban reserves in our landscapes.
After completing his PhD at the University of Melbourne, when COVID-19 hit, Dr Sayers found himself living back in Devonport, the town where he grew up.
‘I like nature photography, so because I suddenly had more time on my hands, I would regularly make the two-minute walk to the reserve. I was just planning to capture video of different bird species. I had no idea that I would end up making a twenty-five minute film!’
With stunning imagery (that must have required incredible patience), the film shows the weird and wonderful antics of more than 60 native vertebrate species – 50 birds, 6 mammals and 4 reptiles - along with native invertebrates and plants. Even as an ecologist, Dr Sayers was surprised at the diversity he discovered in the reserve which is quite fragmented and is not a formal conservation reserve. Some of his footage includes critically endangered Swift Parrots bathing in a puddle, a platypus scratching itself on a slippery log and a vibrant blue Sacred Kingfisher. Slowing down and looking more closely at our surroundings has been a common and welcome response to the COVID-19 pandemic and Dr Sayers’s film, which has been published on YouTube, has struck a chord with many. He is quick to emphasise, however, that there is a lot more going on in the Don Reserve that is not included in the film.
‘This is an urban reserve and it has been highly impacted. I haven’t filmed the rubbish on the ground, the evidence of illegal wood harvesting, the weeds and dogs off-lead, but that’s all there too.’
‘Part of the reason why I made the film is that these urban reserves get overlooked and are under increasing pressure from human impacts.’
Much of the work to manage and protect this valuable remnant habitat is done by the dedicated volunteers of the Friends of Don Reserve with the support of the Devonport City Council.
For the full list of species which feature on the film and more information about the Don Reserve click ‘SHOW MORE’ below the video when clicking the above link.
