Thiaki Project
There is great potential for rainforest reforestation to help in the protection of Australia’s tropical flora and fauna. Little is known, however, about how to reforest pasture to rainforest for the purpose of maximising the recovery of native biodiversity. This project is a unique experimental study of rainforest reforestation practices with biodiversity conservation as the primary goal. Reforestation is currently an unlikely option for most landholders in Australia’s tropics given the lack of data on the economic benefits obtainable from such efforts. Our study examines the profits obtainable through the carbon market for each reforestation approach with the goal of increasing the feasibility of rainforest reforestation on the Atherton Tablelands in North Queensland.
Project Collaborators
•plant diversity, bee and pollinator diversity, ecosystem services, and plant functional traits
•economics of reforestation approaches and carbon sequestration
•estimates of above ground carbon, ant diversity
•soil carbon and nutrients, weathering and soil profile development
•inter- and intra-specific competitive effects, diversity vs productivity
•dung beetle diversity, ecosystem services
•biodiversity and ecosystem services
Dr Noel Preece and Penny van Oosterzee
•Thiaki property landowners
•small mammal diversity and carbon sequestration
Industry Partners
Post-graduate Students
•Tobias Smith (PhD)
•Margaux Hein (Honours)
•Tania Kenyon (Honours)
•Anthony Moore (Honours)
Photo credits for this page: Tobias Smith
Project Summary
Location - Thiaki Creek, Atherton Tablelands, Queensland, Australia
Restoration planting area at Thiaki Creek
Contact details
If you would like more information regarding the project please contact:
Dr Margie Mayfield
or
Alana Burley
