Our trip to Central Queensland
In February, our QTFN ecologists, Felicity Shapland, Renee Rossini and Tanya Pritchard, headed out to Central Queensland for two weeks to conduct ecological surveys on landholders properties.
The surveys were part of the Land Restoration Fund pilot projects and were measuring biodiversity co-benefits as part of a proposed carbon farming project.
Everything was measured from dung beetles to mammals to tree circumferences!
Packing the car, getting ready to head off on our adventure!
Here are some quick fun facts from the trip:
Largest moth found: Giant wood moth (Endoxyla cinereus). Considered the heaviest moth in the world, females can reach up to 30g!
Largest tree measured: a big old blue gum (Eucalyptus tereticornis). Measured 190cm in diameter, that’s nearly 6m in circumference!
Largest volume of water: overnight the property we were surveying got 2mm of rain, and the neighbouring one received 150mm! The impact on the creeks was huge, with water rising up to 6m in places!
Number of flies trapped in mosquito net: over 50, from camping out in the bush and leaving the mozzie net open
Number of moths inhaled: 2, surprised it wasn’t more. The bugs are going bananas after all the summer rain!
Would you believe this moth is over 25cm long!
Can you spot the ecologist? Some immense QLD bottle trees (brachychiton rupestris) were found during the trip.
A creek at one of the properties in full flow! Can you believe the water level increased and then dropped by 6m in the course of a couple of days!.
Does it get better than this? camping under the stars!
All in all, it was a successful trip!