Create a Nature Conservation Reserve on Lot 46

Today we have an update for you since we reported earlier in August that Lot 46 has reached a huge milestone in its restoration – that all areas requiring restoration were fully planted-out with matured seedlings – meaning these very special 27 hectares can now get on and do nature's wonderful work, as a canopy slowly develops. This significant milestone could only have been achieved with your support! Thank you.

Our Daintree Land Manager, Joe Reichl, reports that while October is usually the dry season in the Wet Tropics of Australia, light rains falling throughout the month have surprised many who originally forecast a ‘20% more dry than average month’. While this is great news for the tree seedlings that were planted out, it does also mean that it’s easy for any weeds to bounce back to life too. Weed control on and around restoration sites are an essential activity at this time, as it’s best to halt their spread before they can flower and then seed.

“This rain has been enough to set weeds off, but not badly. We have spent some of the last month doing weed control maintenance on the plantings.” Joe says. “In most cases it (the rain) was not enough to not need to water trees at the nursery; however we do appreciate what is given.”

At Rainforest Rescue’s Daintree Native Plant Nursery, as per normal at this time of year when it is usually drier, it is a priority for the Nursery operations that we undertake endemic native seed collection activities. This is because most seeds in this area of the Daintree rainforest are produced from around August to January. This is one of the most important activities for our team in the Daintree, as it helps guarantee the coming years’ season of seedling propagation for our ongoing restoration projects. These seedlings then go on to become some of the more than 20,000 seedlings propagated annually the Native Daintree Nursery!

Again, from all the team at Rainforest Rescue, we send our sincere thanks to you today for your ongoing care and concern – we can only carry out this vital work with your continued support – your help is important in helping create a conservation reserve at Lot 46 Cape Tribulation, Daintree. Thank you!

Links:

• The need to protect The Daintree in the Wet Tropics of Australia

Great news from the Daintree Rainforest! Further to Rainforest Rescue working hard to ensure Lot 46 Cape Tribulation, Daintree, becomes an certified nature reserve, we are pleased to report that Lot 46 has reached a huge milestone in its restoration – all areas requiring regeneration are now fully planted out with matured seedlings – and we can now leave these 27 hectares to do nature's work, where we will see in 3 years a canopy develop and the restoration work will be done!  

Happily, already Lot 46 is being visited by many Ulysses Butterflies, Daintree birds and even an endangered Southern Cassowary – wildlife is starting to return to the land! With the change of seasons in Far North Queensland, from wet to dry, Joe Reichl, our Daintree Land Manager, reporting in June “…it’s been cold, drizzly and dark, not good for the solar power! The rainforest animals are tucked up out of the cold and trying to keep dry. However the Ulysses butterflies are flying around; they all look very large and perfect.”

More recently however, in July and August, Joe reported to us that he saw fresh Sothern Cassowary scats and a footprint on the tracks at Lot 46!  Joe tells us that there are Southern Cassowary’s wandering around regularly, mostly males with young ones almost old enough to become independent. In fact, there are a lot of flora and fauna about as we move near spring in the Daintree (September), and there are Cairns Birdwing Butterflies now being spotted often and lots of active cassowary sightings! Joe is seeing many Southern Cassowaries when he is out watering now, and they love to use the existing tracks on Lot 46 to walk down – easier than bush bashing!

The wildlife on Lot 46 is now thriving through the work undertaken to preserve and regenerate this land, and this would not be possible without your support – thank you so much!

What comes next?

•    We are planning guided walking tours of Lot 46 during the dry season to demonstrate what can be achieved when rainforest is re- established, protected and properly managed;
•    All  planted areas will be cared for - watered and weeded for two years -  until rainforest canopy cover is naturally achieved;
•    Continuing fundraising to ensure we can create a permanent conservation reserve on Lot 46, creating a Cassowary Conservation Reserve.

Making Lot 46 a Cassowary Conservation Reserve

Located in the heart of the Daintree lowlands, Lot 46 was purchased in 2010 to protect it from further destruction. The property was cleared in the 1960s for cattle grazing and agriculture, and later for growing exotic oil palms. Rubbish and impenetrable weeds had taken over much of the property.

Of the 25 properties that Rainforest Rescue has saved, Lot 46 is the only one not purchased through fundraising. We are working hard to raise the funds to protect the property in perpetuity and turn it into a permanently protected Reserve and change not only its future, but preserve the unique biodiversity of the Daintree. Thank you for helping Rainforest Rescue ensure Lot 46 is protected forever as a ‘Cassowary Conservation Reserve’.