The Leschenault Catchment Council and Shire of Dardanup are teaming up to transform Eaton's Leicester Reserve into a paradise for local flora and fauna.
The Leicester Reserve Possum Sanctuary Project will see LCC and shire team members work to rehabilitate an area of bushland along the Collie River, near Leicester Ramble and Peninsula Lakes Drive.
With assistance from community members, the workers will remove the woody weeds/exotic species and plant a wide variety of native species.
Upon completion, the shire will continue to provide support through ongoing maintenance and additional funding.
LCC project officer Katrina Zeehandelaar-Adams said the strategy would deliver a "safe-haven" for native plants and animals, particularly the Western Ringtail Possum.
Without help, the critically endangered species is expected to go extinct within the next 10 to 15 years.
"The Western Ringtail Possum has experienced a population decline of around 80 per cent over the past decade," Mrs Zeehandelaar-Adams said.
"The aim of the project is to develop a habitat that the species can utilise for protection, feeding, and nesting.
"Once we've completed the tree-thinning and weed control tasks, we'll then plant some more diverse over-storey species as well as some native under-storey species.
"We will also be installing a fence around the reserve, which will hopefully keep predators out and provide the possums with greater security."
The LCC held a community information session on National Threatened Species Day (September 7), outlining their current objectives and long-term goals.
Mrs Zeehandelaar-Adams and the LCC are encouraging the Greater Bunbury community to take an interest in the project.
"We want to keep the community informed of what we're doing and why we're doing it. We also want to highlight the need for Western Ringtail Possum conservation projects," she said.
"We're looking for engaged community members to be the 'eyes and ears on the ground', and to report back to the council about what's going on in the reserve."
The LCC will also be building paths and installing interpretive signage in the area, allowing visitors to undertake self-guided possum night stalks.
Mrs Zeehandelaar-Adams is confident the sanctuary will become a unique and thriving tourist attraction within the next few years.
The project received significant funding through the Wildlife Information, Rescue, and Education Service's 2020 Landcare Wildlife Relief and Recovery Grants program.
Shire of Dardanup president Mick Bennett said the funding had "provided a timely opportunity to create an innovative solution that would deliver a myriad of community benefits".
"This a fantastic and exciting project and a great example of a collaborative approach between organisations," he added.
Among their many upcoming projects, the LCC will be running a 'Build Your Own Possum Drey' workshop during the 2020 Leschenault Community Nursery Eco Fair on September 19.
The workshop is supported by the shire, the South West Catchments Council, and the Federal Government's National Landcare Program.
Head to leschenaultcc.org.au/ or facebook.com/leschenaultcc/ for more details about the organisation.
