CONSERVATION PROJECT SNAPSHOT
Action: Establish 150,000 trees to restore degraded rainforest, install artificial structural habitats for threatened fauna
Location: 78 hectares in Wilsons Creek-Huonbrook and Goonengerry, Northern NSW
Habitat: Lowland Subtropical Rainforest
Threatened species: More than 30 threatened species of flora and 12 threatened species of fauna listed under Australia’s Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
Endangered ecological community: Lowland Subtropical Rainforest in Northern NSW listed in the Endangered Category under the Australian Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
Fundraising target: $200,202
About
Alongside Landcare and private landholders, Rainforest Rangers is working to establish 150,000 native trees to restore rainforest across two large project areas based around Wilsons Creek-Huonbrook and Goonengerry.
We have a proven method to achieve this, through science-backed assisted natural regeneration techniques. But to keep boots on the ground, we need your help.
By giving today, you can be part of a leading solution in rainforest restoration that has the power to take your generous donation further.
Please, act now and donate to take meaningful and effective action to restore degraded rainforest in Northern NSW.
Through assisted natural regeneration techniques, we are restoring native rainforest in places that have been taken over by invasive weed species like camphor laurels.
Why this project?
The landscapes of Northern NSW look a lot different today than they did 200 years ago. A place where subtropical rainforest once flourished, the ecosystems in this area are now under significant threat due to habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation.
Through clearing for agriculture, industrial logging of timber, and the creation of roads, dams, fences and towns, the rate of native vegetation loss has been dramatic and carved up the land into small ‘islands’ of rainforest habitat.
This fragmentation of our important ecosystems has several detrimental effects on biodiversity. An increase in wind at the edge of these habitats reduces humidity and creates a change in the microclimate. This results in a changed composition of animal and plant species, with fewer rainforest specialists and higher vulnerability to an invasion of weeds. Movement between patches of rainforest also becomes risky for animals and they are more likely to experience increased predation or deaths from vehicle strikes.
Loss of biodiversity has a dramatic ripple effect, which results in less healthy, less resilient landscapes. This is being compounded by the impacts of climate change, which is introducing significant new challenges such as more frequent and intense fires, and reduced rainfall.
Through this project we're reversing the impacts of habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation by restoring and linking rainforest from Wilsons and Coopers Creeks to the surrounds of Nightcap, Mount Jerusalem and Goonengerry National Parks.
The rehabilitation of these sites will also build climate resilience, improve landscape connectivity for threatened and unique wildlife and help mitigate the effects of climate change in Northern NSW.
Assisted natural regeneration is producing healthy, resilient rainforest landscapes in Northern NSW.
The solution: Assisted natural regeneration
To expand the area of available habitat and restore biodiversity in these landscapes, we need to manage invasive vegetation.
Many native species of rainforest trees produce fruits that attract birds and bats, which consume the fruit and spread the seeds. Other tree species have their seeds dispersed by the wind. Exotic plants often disrupt the favourable conditions they need to germinate and grow, so by removing them we can help the rainforest regrow.
Assisted natural regeneration (ANR) is now considered to be the most efficient way of restoring rainforest environments in Northern NSW.
By strategically removing and/or controlling dominant weed species such as camphor laurels and lantana, it creates space for new native rainforest plants to sprout, either from the existing seed bank or from seeds dispersed by perching birds. A small amount of saplings may be also planted to infill areas where needed.
It sounds simple, but close to 50 years have been put into perfecting the science-backed ANR strategy and technique.
Measuring natural regeneration
We need your help
Work to restore the two project areas has been progressing since 2022 - run by the two local Landcare groups and assisted by funding from Gondwana Rainforest Trust and the NSW Government through its Environmental Trust.
To keep boots on the ground and ensure this vital work continues, we need you help.
We're need to raise $200,202 to establish 150,000 trees through assisted natural regeneration and tree planting, and for the installation of artificial structural habitats for threatened fauna.
Through assisted natural regeneration we can take your donation dollar further, and provide powerful restoration impacts for as little as $1 a tree.
Please, be part of the solution and give today.