Connecting Lowland Subtropical Rainforest in Mooloolah: Spinhoven/Wright

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Australian Government (Caring for our Country program)

Landholder

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On-ground work

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Australian Government (Caring for our Country program)

Landholder

(not documented)

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2 February 2013

31 May 2013

In November 2011, lowland subtropical rainforest (LSR) was listed as a critically endangered ecological community under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. Within the Upper Stanley and Mooloolah catchments, LSR has been reduced in extent by 92% since European settlement as a result of clearing for agriculture, forestry and peri-urban development. The remaining patches often occur as narrow, broken riparian corridors.

This project aims to enable the restoration and reconnection of areas of LSR within the project area. With funding received through the Australian Government’s Caring for our Country program, SEQ Catchments is providing support to landholders to help reduce the fragmentation of LSR. This will be achieved through promoting more ecological sustainable land management by reducing threats caused by weeds, unmanaged stock access and inappropriate fire regimes. In addition, natural regeneration of the LSR community will be promoted and re-vegetation, where appropriate, of LSR species will be undertaken.

This property backs onto the Mooloolah River, with the riparian zone containing LSR (gallery rainforest, 12.3.1), which is listed as ‘endangered’. This project aims to manage 0.03ha of remnant lowland subtropical rainforest (RE 12.3.1) and manage 0.59ha of other native vegetation to reduce critical threats to biodiversity (RE 12.3.1, 12.3.2 and 12.9-10.17).

The landowner will regularly work alongside a contractor to undertake:

• 0.62ha of weed management through selective herbicide application and manual removal in the following areas: area occupying dam overflow to riparian area, small wetland area adjacent to river (below dam wall) and maintenance of existing planting and riparian zone
• enrichment planting on 0.15ha to enhance understorey in existing planting site in dam overflow area and wetland area adjacent to river (below dam wall).

Proposed project monitoring and maintenance:

• establish two photo-points and take ‘before and after’ photographs.
• improve biodiversity in the upper Mooloolah catchment by improving the condition and connectivity of lowland subtropical rainforest through weed control and enhancement plantings 
• enhance 0.62ha through strategic weed control and assisted natural regeneration
• enhance 0.15ha through strategic re-vegetation.

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SEQC1930