We had the pleasure of being a major sponsor and presenter at Rainforest Connections 2024 a few months back – the first conference in over twenty years dedicated to rainforest conservation, an event which gave rainforest practitioners a much needed chance to unite in person and galvanize our resolve. It was a wonderful event bringing so many from our industry together. For those that couldn’t make it, we wanted to share some insights and major occurrences from the event.
More than 300 delegates attended, including community organisations, conservation groups, business, regenerators, ecologists, landholders and government. A fantastic job was done by the organising committee, headed by Di Brown from the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, to bring so many of our contemporaries together.
We were thrilled to be able to present for the first time the details behind Science Saving Rainforests (SSR) Program. This is the project which aims to restore the genetic diversity of key lowland subtropical rainforest tree species to avoid inbreeding and future proof them from emerging threats, such as disease, pests and climate change.
Our Co-Founder and President Emeritus, Dr. Tony Parkes AO gave an opening address to the conference outlining the concept of the SSR project.
Our Manager, Renee Borrow, and partners from the Botanic Gardens of Sydney, Richard Dimon and Manuela Cascini, presented some of the findings and how we’re going about turning the results from DNA sequencing and genome analysis into on-ground actions.
Science Saving Rainforests will see a plantation of 60 key subtropical rainforest trees planted in a living seed-bank plantation allowing the optimal genetics from each species to be brought back together. Seed produced will be provided to commercial nurseries to grow resilient trees for future planting projects. Renee took attendees through the plantation site soil preparation using cover cropping and considerations for plantation layout, while the Botanic Garden’s team discussed genomic workflows to inform the innovative restoration model and case studies of threatened rainforest species, including maps of their distribution and how populations differ within species across their range.
For news on our plantation site for Science Saving Rainforests, click here.
Our President, Mark Dunphy, was also a plenary presenter at the conference. Mark spoke about the recent trends in Camphor Laurel conversion to rainforest. Drawing on the different techniques and innovations from a range of local regenerators, Mark discussed the most effective ways to convert a Camphor Laurel forest to a mature rainforest. Of interest was the discussion on the differences in techniques needed in young Camphor forests to older ones, as well as the wide variations in rainforest species around Camphor forests near large forests, remnants and regrowth compared to Camphor forests within the cleared “ecological desert’ in the centre of the Big Scrub area.
Check-out the great album of conference photos posted by Rainforest Rescue.
A diverse range of other presenters also presented on topics ranging from case studies of on-ground action, species recovery programs, and cutting-edge environmental research. Some of the highlights were:
- A Welcome to Country from Aunty Julia Paden and talk about caring for Country from Oliver Costello at Jagun Alliance.
- Rainforest Rescue’s CEO, Brandan Barber, and GM of Finance & Operations, Tate Brammer, presented some of the progress and learnings they have from over 25 years of saving the Daintree.
- Envite’s Dan Cox and Mike Delaney on all the great work that Envite have done in the Big Scrub over many years.
- Botanic Gardens of Sydney’s Prof Marizio Rossetto spoke about temporal dynamics and assembly patterns of the Gondawan rainforest, and the implications for conservation.
- Dr Rob Kooyman also spoke about the assembly of Australian rainforests, sharing how deep-time history shapes contemporary ecological dynamics.
- Australian Birdlife Magazine’s Sean Dooley gave us insights from birding in the rainforest and the publication of their award-winning magazine.
- Nan and Hugh Nicholson spoke about the late Alex Floyd and his work as well as their work in the botany space.
- John Nagle presented about the amazing regeneration at Victoria Park Nature Reserve.
- The Australian PlantBank’s Karen Somerville went through her groundbreaking plant conservation research.
- Hank and Sue Bower gave great talk about their restoration work for oceanic rainforest on Lord Howe Island.
The field days were also well attended with our Secretary Georgie Jones at Victoria Park NR with John Nagle and Bill McDonald. Mark Dunphy, Renee Borrow and the Firewheel Nursery Crew were at the Firewheel Nursery showing people the ins and outs of rainforest seed propagation and the on ground work being carried out on the SSR Program.
We’re already looking forward to the next edition of this fantastic event in the conference calendar.
