Celebrating biodiversity on the escarpment
08 May 2017
Free Numinbah Nature Links project community information day celebrates our amazing biodiversity and the passionate people who value and nurture it
A free information day on 20 May will celebrate our amazing local biodiversity and the wonderful work carried out by dedicated locals and other stakeholders to protect and sustain it.
Council’s Project Officer – Biodiversity, Michael Corke, said the event is a must for anyone interested in learning more about how we manage habitats in and around iconic national parks and nature reserves.
“National Park estate in the north west of the Caldera and environs include Springbrook and Lamington National Parks, Numinbah and Limpinwood Nature Reserves and Wollumbin National Park. These iconic areas are critically important. They support internationally recognised biodiversity values including high levels of endemism,” Mr Corke said. “They contain some of the finest examples of subtropical, warm temperate and cool temperate rainforests on earth. Unfortunately, the health and resilience of these areas is under threat from weeds.”
“The morning will begin with an update on the Numinbah Nature Links project, a three year threatened species habitat recovery project being conducted on six private properties at Numinbah. Habitat on private property here, itself supporting at least 19 threatened plant species, acts as a critical buffer zone protecting Numinbah Nature Reserve and Springbrook National Park. Effective weed control here is vital for the survival of core habitat.”
“We will hear from several participating landholders who have been carrying out their own restoration work for decades. Their tireless efforts and the lessons they learned are inspirational,” Mr Corke said.
“Staff from NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service will present findings of an Office of Environment and Heritage Save Our Species project surveying a number of interesting threatened plant species. These species are found only in isolated areas at the highest elevations including Limpinwood Nature Reserve and Lamington and Wollumbin National Parks. Local botanist, Lui Weber, scaled incredible heights to photograph the species and collect important baseline information that will help in their ongoing management. This type of work adds to our knowledge of exactly what’s out there.”
“Well known botanist, ecologist and ex-NPWS officer John Hunter will provide fascinating insights into the biodiversity values of these National Parks and reserves,” Mr Corke said. “John will also discuss the all-important process of their Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Listing.”
Mr Corke said that at the conclusion of these presentations, the group will tour a patch of Lowland rainforest just up the road in Chillingham.
“Following morning tea, we will visit an amazing lowland subtropical rainforest remnant to discuss its values, significance and recent management,” he said.
“The day is about bringing people together to share and celebrate the story of our collective efforts to protect and nurture habitats in an area of great significance. These habitats are a living link to a time, millions of years ago, when much of Australia was covered in luxuriant rainforest,” Mr Corke said.
“These habitats are irreplaceable. We need to continue to actively fight weeds and mitigate other threats to these forests or they could be lost forever, a sad legacy for future generations.”
The information day is open to everyone and will be held at Chillingham Community Hall, opposite the general store, from 9:00am to midday on Saturday, 20 May 2017. Morning tea provided. Numbers are limited and bookings essential. To register please call Council’s Contact Centre on 02 6670 2400.