Wildlife Conservation Australia Project #9434

Propagate and Plant: Cassowary Conservation

by Rainforest Rescue

Propagate and Plant: Cassowary Conservation

Project Report | Mar 16, 2017
Letting the Cassowary Tell a Cautionary Tale

By Julian Gray | CEO

A visitor to our Daintree Native Nursury last week

The Cassowary is often used as a hero image for conservation in tropical Far North Queensland. How fitting it is to have a dinosaur bird in the Daintree with its lineage going back millions of years to the ancient Gondwanan Rainforest. However, the Cassowary also helps us tell a more modern and precarious tale.

The combined impacts of climate change and development are impacting on rainforests around the world. We know that half the trees on the planet have been lost and 15 billion trees are chopped or burned down every year. Yet these facts are so nebulous they’re difficult to comprehend, or know how to take action. When we bring focus to the local level it’s easier to see what can be done. The Cassowary helps us tell this tale.

In the Daintree, the lowland rainforest is under the greatest threat from break-up and change. Research shows the disproportionate impacts on biodiversity when rainforest is fragmented. The Cassowary relies on certain species of fruit to get it through lean times; the availability and distribution of these fruit will impact on future Cassowary numbers. In addition, the Cassowary is needed by certain trees for seed dispersal; its ability to move through the local environment will impact on tree distribution. When we start to destroy natural habitat, build roads, introduce invasive weeds and generally disrupt the Cassowary’s mobility we upset this balance.

Add in the extra pressures brought by greater variability in weather patterns, from droughts and floods, the resilience of the rainforest starts to be compromised. If a Cassowary is unable to travel to an area and disperse a seed, we lose the potential of a tree and all the other species that rely on that tree for life. A small impact, but one that is cumulative.

Luckily we can do something about this. You and fellow rainforest rescuers are buying back strategic rainforest properties to create wildlife corridors to stop fragmentation of the unique and ancient lowland Daintree forest.

Of the 28 properties saved by you and fellow rainforest rescuers in the Daintree, 21 are now covered with Nature Refuge Covenants, protecting them forever. In addition, two further properties have been gifted to the adjacent Daintree National Park. The remaining four properties will be protected with covenants once restoration work and other legal processes are complete.

These actions are having a real and significant impact and wouldn’t be possible without your support.

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Dec 16, 2016
Connectivity the Key for Cassowary Conservation

By Kristin Canning | Business Partnerships Manager

Rainforest Rescue CEO, Julian, & Land Manager Jo

Thanks to you, this year has been a story full of positive action and great wins for the rainforest, ensuring the Southern Cassowary stays off the extinction list.

In September thanks to Global Giving supporters, Rainforest Rescue purchased a 27th block of prime cassowary habitat in the lowland Daintree Rainforest. Lot 32 Cape Tribulation Road, Kimberley, already had some trees cleared to create a track and pad for a new house so time was short to save the rainforest. The good news is you and fellow rainforest rescuers generously supported the efforts to save the property from development.

The protection of Lot 32 is a vital connection piece in the new Cape Kimberly Wildlife Corridor connecting Daintree National Park, Nature Reserves and World Heritage Area. With research this year finding the main limitation to growing cassowary populations as the reduction of available habitat – your support in creating more safe corridors ensures we are on track to support healthy cassowary populations in the Daintree.

Soon volunteers will begin helping Rainforest Rescue plant hundreds of seedlings to restore this saved rainforest.

First we need to block off an entrance track to the property to stop vehicles illegally entering the site and driving over the newly planted trees. A research and development project in partnership with Bridgestone has been set up to design recycled tyre bollards for use in the Daintree. The idea is to find a use for the dumped tyres we remove from rainforest properties and an environmental payback for damage caused vandals by illegally driving into the rainforest causing destruction. The prototype bollards will have their first use at Lot 32.

To view a special thank you to you from our CEO, please click here

Lot 32, Cape Tribulation Rd

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Sep 21, 2016
World Cassowary Day Shines Light on Habitat Protection

By Kristin Canning | Partnerships Manager

School children showcasing Cassowary habitat

World Cassowary Day is set to be bigger and louder than ever this year with not only the Rainforest Rescue team, but the entire Daintree Rainforest community, many states within Australia and the concerned global community all hosting information and events to raise funds and increase education around the endangered Southern Cassowary.

A community fun day in the Daintree itself will see many market stalls, live music, educational talks by Wet Tropics’ experts, children’s entertainment tents, Cassowary Treasure hunts, crafts, face painting and storytelling. Rainforest Rescue's Julian Gray has been invited to speak here at this local event, with business partners selling Cassowary merchandise at the markets also pledging proceeds to the 'Save the Cassowary' campaign from sales on the day.

All ages are drawn to the plight of the Cassowary and thousands of miles away from the Daintree itself, distance is proving no barrier in communicating the message of saving the endangered Southern Cassowary. Kindergarteners are joining in the spirit of World Cassowary Day by educating other school children, teachers and parents alike on facts about the Cassowary and displaying what Cassowary habitat looks like.

The contribution you have given Rainforest Rescue to date is incredibly important especially on the back of new evidence showing further support that in fact Cassowary habitat – and specifically wildlife corridors - is the main limiting factor to Cassowary population.

With only 4,000 cassowaries remaining across Australia, the greatest threat to their survival is specifically the creation of wildlife corridors to help populations move to new areas. To date you have enabled us to plant over 250,000 trees and rescued over 100 hectares of threatened Daintree rainforest in Australia, critical Cassowary habitat – Thank You so very much.

While there is a lot more habitat to save, Rainforest Rescue could not have already made such impact in the Daintree without your invaluable support.

Daintree World Cassowary Day promotion

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