IPSWICH residents can have their say on the handling of flying fox colonies as the council updates its roost management plan.

Ipswich City Council’s current Flying Fox Roost Management Plan was adopted in 2014.

It received $30,000 from the State Government to update the 2014 plan to incorporate new long-term roost management strategies.

There are four to 10 roost sites in Ipswich depending on the season, food availability and migration patterns: at Queens Park Nature Centre; Poplar St, Raceview; Marburg; Sapling Pocket, Pine Mountain; Yamanto; Woodend; Chuwar; Lorikeet St Reserve, Bundamba; Philip St, Redbank Plains; Pan Pacific Peace Gardens, Redbank; Pilny Reserve, Camira; and Stephen Cook Memorial Parl, Camira.

The Council’s Environment and Sustainability Committee Chairman Russell Milligan said the plan provided guidance for flying fox roosts on land owned or controlled by Council and supported landowners where roosts were on private property.

“With our growing population, urban expansion and other impacts, we need to ensure our plan is suitable to guide the management of current and future roosts in the city,” he said.

“Flying foxes and their habitat are protected under Queensland and Australian law. Council’s plan aims for a best practice approach to conserving flying foxes while balancing the needs of people who live near roosts or are otherwise affected by flying foxes,” Cr Milligan said.