Northeastern New South Wales was once home to an amazingly diverse subtropical rainforest ecosystem. This was the largest area of subtropical rainforest in Australia and it covered 75,000 hectares of land. This forest is now called the Big Scrub Rainforest and it has been almost completely destroyed by land clearing for agriculture, and due to the logging of its timbers
Only 1% of the original Big Scrub forest remains, in tiny remnants and pockets of land that couldn't be cleared. Most of these remnants are found in very steep or inaccessible areas, although there are some accessible rainforest remnants that are now preserved in World Heritage listed National Parks.
Local Environment Groups Work to Restore Rainforest
There are many registered groups in northern NSW who work to preserve, maintain and actively restore subtropical rainforest. Many local environment centres keep watch over logging practices in state forests and on private land. They work to lobby government bodies for funds to help in the preservation and restoration of rainforest.
In Australia there is a nationally recognized body of Landcare groups, who all work in their local area to restore native forests and natural ecosystems. In northern NSW, these groups work in the field on rainforest restoration projects. This might mean helping to eradicate weed species from remnant rainforest areas or already regenerating rainforest areas. Sometimes it involves fencing remnant areas or riparian zones, so that cattle or other domestic animals can no longer disturb an area.
Most of the time, however, landcare groups in northern NSW are involved in projects to plant native rainforest species. This will often involve weeding, fencing, and direct planting of rainforest species, usually starting with hardy pioneer species that can tolerate full or partial sun. There is also a focus on encouraging native animals, such as bats and birds, which will bring in native seeds from local rainforest remnants. Particular species will be selected to encourage wildlife to move into the area. Subsequent plantings will occur once there is a canopy for shade-loving species. Constant maintenance is required and watering is needed to make sure these species grow.
Wildlife Groups Support Rainforest Restoration
Wildlife Care groups know how difficult life is for native wildlife, which has suffered hugely from habitat destruction. Logging and land clearing practices have caused much extinction in Australia since the arrival of European colonizers. Many known and loved animals face extinction in the near future.
Koalas, for example, are a vulnerable group in northern NSW, as their habitats have been destroyed, and there is a shortage of food trees. Koalas currently exist in tiny pockets of forest and are becoming sick due to inbreeding. They cannot travel easily between pockets of forest and are often killed by domestic pets, cars and barbed-wire fences. These animals need more forest to survive. This is why Friends of the Koala, and other wildlife groups, work to encourage rainforest restoration projects. Friends of the Koala sells cheap koala food trees, so that landcare groups and landholders can plant trees to help the koalas survive.
Rainforest restoration is needed to ensure diversity in the natural ecosystems. Wildlife diversity is dependent on the natural diversity of rainforests and plant species. Without rainforest restoration in northern NSW, many more species will suffer and many will face extinction in the future. This will result in a huge loss of bio-diversity.
The extinction of native wildlife will also make it harder for the long term survival and restoration of rainforest ecosystems, as forests need animals to survive. It is an interdependent system, where forests need wildlife to spread seed and to pollinate various plant species, and wildlife needs forest for habitat, food, shelter and to breed. Lose one side and the other will suffer too.
Finding Funding for Rainforest Restoration Projects
The biggest difficulty for any landcare group is to find the funds necessary to undertake a rainforest regeneration project. Funds sometimes come from philanthropic sources and environmentally minded individuals. Private landholders are often working hard on their own lands, farms or suburban blocks, to plant rainforest species, habitat gardens and encourage natural diversity. These people fund this work out of their own paychecks, and receive no support for doing this much needed work.
The major source of funding for landcare projects comes from government or local council grants. These grants can be difficult to obtain and require a written submission of the project and all its details. Each year there are grants available to undertake rainforest restoration in northern NSW. However, more funds are still needed in this area; especially as grants are usually only for the immediate planting and do not cover the long-term maintenance that is required for successful restoration.
Encouraging People to Care for their Land
There is a great need to educate people on the importance of rainforest restoration in northern NSW and around the world. Wherever you sit on this beautiful earth, take a look around you. Is your natural ecosystem diverse, lush, and sustainable? Or is your piece of earth in need of some help? All of us need the planet and her resources for our continued survival. Everything we create comes first from the earth. Many people are working to lobby governments about the dire effects of climate change, or to fight the destructive practices that continue to hurt the earth. However, more active work needs to be done to restore native, natural ecosystems around the planet.
Wherever you are and whatever you do, surely you have time to plant a tree or two? Trees, after all, do a lot of work for us all. They help us to breath. They provide wood for furniture and paper products. They are beautiful. If you don’t have a local group to join, or don’t have the land to plant on, why not do your bit to spread the word about the importance of caring for land, caring for the earth? Education is very important and might help to restore the native ecosystem that surrounds you. Let's all starting planting more trees!
References:
- The Big Scrub Landcare Group, Subtropical Rainforest Restoration: A practical manual and data source for landcare groups, land managers and rainforest regenerators, 2nd Edition, 2005, Bangalow, NSW.
- Friends of the Koala Inc., official website found at: http://www.friendsofthekoala.org/fok/
- Landcare NSW Inc., official website, 2010, found at http://www.landcarensw.org.au/
Nina Boddenberg - Nina is a writer from Australia, who is currently building her own home and planting a large organic and permaculture garden. Nina ...
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