Birds Queensland support the Springbrook Rescue rainforest restoration project

Birds Queensland

Birds Queensland are involved with ARCS in joint bird surveys as part of the science Project SBD4 (See the projects page “Birds”). Our association with Mike West, their team leader for this project, goes back many decades. The world community owes much to him for his vision, persistence and drive in helping protect other World Heritage sites such as Fraser Island. Birds Queensland are making an enormous commitment and contribution to the success of Springbrook Rescue. Their first formal survey was in January 2011. The surveys are conducted each season near dawn and pre-dusk, each for two hours, on four permanent transects varying in altitude from 600 m to almost 1000 m. The group then spends four hours culling flower or fruit heads or digging out whole plants of Aristea ecklonii on Warblers. As Aristea ecklonii threatens restoration as well as the viability of the World Heritage area this is a major contribution to Springbrook Rescue.

Digging out Aristea in Cell	The yield from the completed cell.
Before	After
Part of a reconnaissance to determine the permanent transects for long-term bird surveys. Photo: Aila Keto	Part of the routine boot-washing in Virkon and alcohol baths to reduce the spread of Myrtle Rust fungus
Digging out Aristea in Cell	The results of 4 hours work digging out Aristea.
All bags are routinely weighed (and plants counted occasionally) as part of monitoring progress on eradicating Aristea from each cell.	The team is working on cell B192 on a wild blustery day of rain, wind and immersion in cloud
A huge effort despite the odds and everyone is pleased.	Back working on Cell A973 two years later to remove the second wave of Aristea coming up from soil seed stores.
A peregrine falcon photographed by Wayne Lock during a dawn bird survey.	A tawny frogmouth sitting on its nest of twigs and looking for all the world like a branch. Photo Wayne Lock during a dawn survey.