One of Forster's favourite coastal spots is undergoing a transformation to restore its natural state.
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According to MidCoast Council work to protect and enhance native vegetation and habitat for native species on the island is progressing well.
"Miles Island is situated in a visually prominent location, right across Breckinridge Channel from Forster's CBD and Little Street,” environmental officer, Peter Goonan said.
It's extremely popular with locals and tourists, particularly over the busy summer period.”
However, most people who enjoyed island-hopping by day were unaware of the havoc feral foxes and weed infestation was playing on the Island's natural state.
"The Island has been suffering from a high level of weed invasion that is impacting on native vegetation, caused by both historical deposition of dredge spoil on the Island and the spread of garden escape weeds,” he said.
Monitoring of the site, which is known to house numerous fox dens, has indicated that the pests have been feeding on a variety of local birds, and also are using the Island to raise raise their cubs.
"Council received funding through the NSW Government's Estuary Management Program for a two year project to undertake weed and feral animal control works at Miles Island.
“Over the last six months, bush regeneration contractors have been working diligently across the northern sections of the Island tackling environmentally damaging weeds that are impacting on the site's biodiversity values.”
Miles Island is also used as a feeding and shelter area for threatened shorebird species including the Pied Oystercatcher and Little Tern.
Council's senior ecologist, Mat Bell says: "During the 2015 fox breeding season, which generally runs between July to October, council commenced a den fumigation program on Miles Island targeting active fox dens on the northern area of the Island.
“This initial program appears to have been successful, with no foxes returning to the dens this year.”
Primary weed control works have progressed well and there are already promising signs, with native regeneration starting to occur in areas previously dominated by weeds including Ground Asparagus, Bitou Bush, Lantana, Senna and Coastal Morning Glory.
Contractors have targeted areas of high value native vegetation, including Swamp Oak Floodplain Forest (an endangered ecological community) and remnant rainforest areas.
