Current Projects
Myola Link
In 2012, Kuranda Envirocare received funding from the Federal Government’s Biodiversity Fund Round 1 [link here]. Our grant application focuses on extending the revegetation work started at Warril Creek to extend the Myola frog habitat. The ultimate goal is to complete a linking of the Envirolink and Fairyland corridors along the Barron River for about three kilometers. The grant of over $250,000 is for 5 years and has enabled Envirocare to employ a part time co-ordinator, Sylvia Conway.
The reason why we proposed the project is that the Myola area is a ‘hotspot’ for biodiversity with several new endangered species including Litoria myola, a rainforest frog and Archontophoenix myolensisa, the Myola palm that occurs in Warril Creek amongst other creeks in the area. A project to link these creeks is important for the rainforest frog’s survival. It is also part of Kuranda Envirocare’s effort to support the Barron River Care’s revegetation of the whole of the Barron River.
Focus on Frogs - Kurandas Frog Friendly Neighbourhood
In 2013, Envirocare received two grants to research, monitor and promote the endangered Myola frog. The first came from the Mohammed Bin Zayed grant program. This three year grant will enable long-term monitoring of the Litoria myola with volunteers to help us understand the impacts on frog populations in Kuranda. The second round of funding came from Caring For Our Country (Federal Government) with the “Frog Friendly Face of Jumrum Creek” to raise awareness in the Kuranda community of the health of our local streams and the impact on our special rainforest frogs. To learn more, go to the Frog Friendly Neighbourhood page.
Bird Monitoring
In 2012, in conjunction with the biodiversity funding, Dr Ray Pierce commenced a community bird monitoring program to investigate the re-introduction of rainforest specialist bird species into re-vegetated Envirocare sites. Already the survey has shown how the number of specialist species increases with the age of plantings. We are currently looking at the lengths between species planted and visitation. We are also looking at the habitat parameters to work out why some species are not returning to older sites. These include logs, dead material, tree holes, wedelia (weeds), grasses, slope aspect and litter levels. In 2014, EnviroCare received a grant from BirdLife Australia to upload onto their website the bird monitoring information from selected sites along the Barron River. Go to the bird pages "Think Link" here.
Envirolink Corridor
Historically, the Envirolink Corridor has been the major revegetation project within the Kuranda area from 1988 to 2008. A large length of the riverbank and rail corridor area has been revegetated as the entrance to a corridor for cassowaries, linking the Wet Tropics World Heritage rainforest areas on both sides of the Barron River. The results have been that new cassowary sightings or scats have been seen in the riparian strip in the Myola area and along the walkway linking the Barron Falls National Park.
Land for Wildlife (currently suspended in NQ)
Land for Wildlife is a Queensland-wide organisation , currently managed by Greening Australia in Rockhampton, that encourages landowners to make voluntary conservation agreements covering part or all of their property. These non-binding agreements are simple to enter into and require a property inspection by a Land for Wildlife officer who will assess the suitability of the property for listing. The property owner will need to demonstrate that the property is providing habitat for native wildlife, or is actively being regenerated to provide such habitat in the future. Once approved, the owner is provided with a green sign displaying the new status of their land.
For several years, Kuranda Envirocare was responsible to inspect and register properties in the area. Currently, however, there is no funding available for this area although this may change in the future. It is worthwhile for Envirocare to record your interest to register your property so they can record the requests and advocate to re-instate the program around Kuranda. Land for Wildlife membership is a great way to show your interest in conservation to the community, and thereby encourage others to join you in preserving biodiversity in your part of Queensland. The organisation runs occasional workshops and seminars around the state, including in Kuranda. Kuranda Envirocare will assist you, as a Land for Wildlife member, to choose appropriate species for planting on your block, and will give advice on other wildlife issues.
N.B. Click on the words in red to go to a new page that is related to the topic.
In 2012, Kuranda Envirocare received funding from the Federal Government’s Biodiversity Fund Round 1 [link here]. Our grant application focuses on extending the revegetation work started at Warril Creek to extend the Myola frog habitat. The ultimate goal is to complete a linking of the Envirolink and Fairyland corridors along the Barron River for about three kilometers. The grant of over $250,000 is for 5 years and has enabled Envirocare to employ a part time co-ordinator, Sylvia Conway.
The reason why we proposed the project is that the Myola area is a ‘hotspot’ for biodiversity with several new endangered species including Litoria myola, a rainforest frog and Archontophoenix myolensisa, the Myola palm that occurs in Warril Creek amongst other creeks in the area. A project to link these creeks is important for the rainforest frog’s survival. It is also part of Kuranda Envirocare’s effort to support the Barron River Care’s revegetation of the whole of the Barron River.
Focus on Frogs - Kurandas Frog Friendly Neighbourhood
In 2013, Envirocare received two grants to research, monitor and promote the endangered Myola frog. The first came from the Mohammed Bin Zayed grant program. This three year grant will enable long-term monitoring of the Litoria myola with volunteers to help us understand the impacts on frog populations in Kuranda. The second round of funding came from Caring For Our Country (Federal Government) with the “Frog Friendly Face of Jumrum Creek” to raise awareness in the Kuranda community of the health of our local streams and the impact on our special rainforest frogs. To learn more, go to the Frog Friendly Neighbourhood page.
Bird Monitoring
In 2012, in conjunction with the biodiversity funding, Dr Ray Pierce commenced a community bird monitoring program to investigate the re-introduction of rainforest specialist bird species into re-vegetated Envirocare sites. Already the survey has shown how the number of specialist species increases with the age of plantings. We are currently looking at the lengths between species planted and visitation. We are also looking at the habitat parameters to work out why some species are not returning to older sites. These include logs, dead material, tree holes, wedelia (weeds), grasses, slope aspect and litter levels. In 2014, EnviroCare received a grant from BirdLife Australia to upload onto their website the bird monitoring information from selected sites along the Barron River. Go to the bird pages "Think Link" here.
Envirolink Corridor
Historically, the Envirolink Corridor has been the major revegetation project within the Kuranda area from 1988 to 2008. A large length of the riverbank and rail corridor area has been revegetated as the entrance to a corridor for cassowaries, linking the Wet Tropics World Heritage rainforest areas on both sides of the Barron River. The results have been that new cassowary sightings or scats have been seen in the riparian strip in the Myola area and along the walkway linking the Barron Falls National Park.
Land for Wildlife (currently suspended in NQ)
Land for Wildlife is a Queensland-wide organisation , currently managed by Greening Australia in Rockhampton, that encourages landowners to make voluntary conservation agreements covering part or all of their property. These non-binding agreements are simple to enter into and require a property inspection by a Land for Wildlife officer who will assess the suitability of the property for listing. The property owner will need to demonstrate that the property is providing habitat for native wildlife, or is actively being regenerated to provide such habitat in the future. Once approved, the owner is provided with a green sign displaying the new status of their land.
For several years, Kuranda Envirocare was responsible to inspect and register properties in the area. Currently, however, there is no funding available for this area although this may change in the future. It is worthwhile for Envirocare to record your interest to register your property so they can record the requests and advocate to re-instate the program around Kuranda. Land for Wildlife membership is a great way to show your interest in conservation to the community, and thereby encourage others to join you in preserving biodiversity in your part of Queensland. The organisation runs occasional workshops and seminars around the state, including in Kuranda. Kuranda Envirocare will assist you, as a Land for Wildlife member, to choose appropriate species for planting on your block, and will give advice on other wildlife issues.
N.B. Click on the words in red to go to a new page that is related to the topic.