Conservation by the Araucaria team
On the Araucaria property
Conservation
of native habitats on the Araucaria property:
seasonally-dry rainforest and rainforest regrowth, Eucalyptus tereticornis
with understorey of native grass (mostly Themeda), riparian
forest of sheoaks, melaleuca and others, and the creek
itself
- Restoration of rainforest - fencing off from
horse-grazing, clearing weeds, sometimes planting young
local trees
- Control of weeds and feral animals - we wage a
continuing battle against introduced weeds such as
lantana and crofton weed, and swiftly dispose of the
introduced cane toad (which poisons our wildlife if
eaten)
- Monitoring of fauna and flora - a standard bird count
in five localities on and adjacent to our property is
undertaken quarterly, live traps for mammals set at
least twice a year, and other observations of all
animals plus fruiting and flowering of all plants
more opportunistically. We can thus keep alert for any
changes over the years
- Use of Scenic Rim
Wildlife Ecology Centre for local group meetings
and education
Elsewhere
- Involvement in community education, especially through
Scenic Rim
Wildlife, of which Ronda is chair - running
workshops and an annual Wildlife Expo, discussions on
the Scenic Rim Wildlife Facebook,
attendance and participation in various events
- Input into sustainability of wildlife tourism,
especially through Wildlife Tourism
Australia, of which Ronda is chair, and runs the
WTA Facebook
page as well as organising workshops, regularly
contributing to the website and to the wildlife
research network, communicating with members,
sending newsletters etc.
- Ronda and Darren are both on the committee of Protect The Bush
Association, and started its Facebook site, which
they still contribute to
- Research on the interdependence
of
plants and animals - especially fruit-eating
animals that disperse the seeds of native trees, shrubs,
vines and other plants
- Rescue of injured or orphaned native animals and
transport to vet or carer
- Through our environmental
consultancy we assist with the designation of
conservation areas, monitoring and advice on
conservation management or minimising of developmental
impacts
- Also see our tourism
and
conservation page
See more details on the Ecotourism
page
We're starting to develop more opportunity for our guests to
get involved in research and conservation during some of our
tours, either briefly during regular tours or on special
tours, interspersed with walks, wildlife viewing and
interpretive activities. Ronda Green is a research ecologist
and environmental consultant with several decades of field
experience in the Scenic Rim and currently chair of both the
Scenic Rim branch of the Wildlife Preservation Society of
Queensland and the national organization Wildlife Tourism
Australia Inc, which promotes sustainable development of a
diverse wildlife tourism industry that supports
conservation.
Activities guests can choose to get involved in include:
- helping to find (and where possible photograph)
koalas, gliders, platypus, threatened bird species and
others to send information to Wildlife Preservation
Society, Australia Koala Foundation, academic
researchers and local councils to assist development of
conservation management plans including where corridors
may be needed,
- helping to record seasonal changes (what do animals
eat and where do they need to go in different seasons)
and visitors to flowers and fruits (some of which may
need the animals for pollination or seed dispersal),
which will assist in assessing whether needs re
adequately met in protected areas and habitat fragments
on private or public lands
- collecting native seeds and preparing experimental
plots for research into the needs of local plants
dispersed by birds and other animals
Active conservation input can involve
- helping to clear lantana on creek banks where it might
impede establishment of platypus burrows,
- weeding around young natives
- planting of food-plants for wildlife in damaged
habitat fragments.
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