Currently, the biggest threat to the Daintree Rainforest is habitat destruction. Both changes in the climate and the expansion of urban territory have contributed to this issue. Although efforts to slow the degradation of the environment have become more and more common over the years, such as species rehabilitation, a major change is still awaited. The intesity of deforestation in the Daintree Rainforest is depicted in the image below.
Evidence
Human development has lead to many trees being cut down within the rainforest. This causes habitat fragmentation, as the land is cleared for rural residencies and farmland, causing the loss of habitat for the native flora and fauna. (Threats to Daintree...)
The coral system in the Great Barrier Reef has also suffered. It went through the largest coral bleaching event in history in the summer of 2015 due to the excessive sediment and nutrient run-off from local rivers and creeks. (Daintree River Revegetation Project) Coral bleaching is when there are warmer water tempuertatures. The corals will expel their alage that they have stored and then it would turn completely white(What is coral bleaching?).
The coral system in the Great Barrier Reef has also suffered. It went through the largest coral bleaching event in history in the summer of 2015 due to the excessive sediment and nutrient run-off from local rivers and creeks. (Daintree River Revegetation Project) Coral bleaching is when there are warmer water tempuertatures. The corals will expel their alage that they have stored and then it would turn completely white(What is coral bleaching?).
Primary Source Video: Great Barrier Coral Reef
Solutions
Steps:
A. Scope out the land and check the damage
B. Revegetate the flood bank of the rivers so the Great Barrier Reef is not harmed
C. Now we would reforest the area by planting large amounts of tree throughout, which would return nutrients to the soil and repopulate some of the tree species
D. Take grants from the government to save this rainforest by preventing futher destruction, so it can no longer be damaged by human influence
E. Raise awareness for conservation in this area, since many endangered species live there
Taking these steps would help fix much of the damage that has been done to the Rainforest and help conserve it from any future damage.
Actions already being taken to solve this problem: (Daintree River Revegetation Project, and W.T. Com)
- Revegetation occured along the Daintree River. The river's floodbanks are vital for minimizing sediment run-off into the river and downstream into the reef. This has proven to have a positive impact for both the river and the reef.
- Along the Daintree river and other revegetated areas, around 500 trees have been planted to help restore the environment. The planting was completed in June of 2016.
- The Australian Rainforest Foundation has been raising funds to purchase privately owned land in the Daintree to protect it from human development and create wildlife corridors, allowing for the rehabilitation of native flora and fauna species.
A. Scope out the land and check the damage
B. Revegetate the flood bank of the rivers so the Great Barrier Reef is not harmed
C. Now we would reforest the area by planting large amounts of tree throughout, which would return nutrients to the soil and repopulate some of the tree species
D. Take grants from the government to save this rainforest by preventing futher destruction, so it can no longer be damaged by human influence
E. Raise awareness for conservation in this area, since many endangered species live there
Taking these steps would help fix much of the damage that has been done to the Rainforest and help conserve it from any future damage.
Actions already being taken to solve this problem: (Daintree River Revegetation Project, and W.T. Com)
- Revegetation occured along the Daintree River. The river's floodbanks are vital for minimizing sediment run-off into the river and downstream into the reef. This has proven to have a positive impact for both the river and the reef.
- Along the Daintree river and other revegetated areas, around 500 trees have been planted to help restore the environment. The planting was completed in June of 2016.
- The Australian Rainforest Foundation has been raising funds to purchase privately owned land in the Daintree to protect it from human development and create wildlife corridors, allowing for the rehabilitation of native flora and fauna species.
Works Cited
Com, W. T. (n.d.). Australian Rainforest Foundation: Save the Daintree. Retrieved January 04, 2017, from http://www.arf.net.au/content.php?pageid=1280728362&getsubnavid..
Daintree Plant a Rainforest Project. (2014). Retrieved January 05, 2017, from https://www.rainforestrescue.org.au/page/22/plant-daintree-australia
Daintree River Revegetation Project. (2016, June & july). Retrieved December 29, 2016, from http://www.rainforestrescue.org.au/news/47/daintree-river-revegetation-project
Deforestation Partly to Blame for Queensland floods. (2011, January 16). Retrieved January 08, 2017, from https://conservationbytes.com/2011/01/17/deforestation-qld-floods/
Jain, N. (2014, February 19). Tropical Rainforest Conservation: How to Identify Priority Areas. Retrieved January 08, 2017, from https://lifescienceexplore.wordpress.com/tag/conservation/
Rainforest Rescue Save the Cassowary campaign |. (n.d.). Retrieved January 04, 2017, from http://savethecassowary.org.au/
Threats to Daintree Lowland Rainforest. (2014). Retrieved January 04, 2017, from https://www.rainforestrescue.org.au/page/81/threats-to-daintree-lowland-rainforest
What is coral bleaching? (n.d.). Retrieved January 09, 2017, from http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/coral_bleach.html
Com, W. T. (n.d.). Australian Rainforest Foundation: Save the Daintree. Retrieved January 04, 2017, from http://www.arf.net.au/content.php?pageid=1280728362&getsubnavid..
Daintree Plant a Rainforest Project. (2014). Retrieved January 05, 2017, from https://www.rainforestrescue.org.au/page/22/plant-daintree-australia
Daintree River Revegetation Project. (2016, June & july). Retrieved December 29, 2016, from http://www.rainforestrescue.org.au/news/47/daintree-river-revegetation-project
Deforestation Partly to Blame for Queensland floods. (2011, January 16). Retrieved January 08, 2017, from https://conservationbytes.com/2011/01/17/deforestation-qld-floods/
Jain, N. (2014, February 19). Tropical Rainforest Conservation: How to Identify Priority Areas. Retrieved January 08, 2017, from https://lifescienceexplore.wordpress.com/tag/conservation/
Rainforest Rescue Save the Cassowary campaign |. (n.d.). Retrieved January 04, 2017, from http://savethecassowary.org.au/
Threats to Daintree Lowland Rainforest. (2014). Retrieved January 04, 2017, from https://www.rainforestrescue.org.au/page/81/threats-to-daintree-lowland-rainforest
What is coral bleaching? (n.d.). Retrieved January 09, 2017, from http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/coral_bleach.html