JCU: TropEco

A great message about the importance of not feeding wildlife.

Not only can you impact their health, but they can also become accustomed to the interaction and dangerous.

Across all JCU campuses, we urge that this be respected and that people refrain from feeding our wildlife.

Well worded from JCU Adjunct Professor, Peter Valentine, emphasising the reality of the situation.

Warning as 'bold' cassowaries pester north Queensland campers for food Wildlife rangers are urging visitors not to feed cassowaries after shooting video of a pair of the big and potentially dangerous birds getting too close for comfort.

The next phase of our on campus living laboratory experience has arrived, with the addition of 100 plaques.

These, and their affiliated plants, will be installed over the coming weeks around campus, and help tell the tale of our nations flora.

The top left shows the project these species fall under, then, working down the centre we have their scientific name, common name and family name.

But the real treasure is the code on the bottom left, this is because each of these plaques are unique to a specific plant, where JCU has retained data on the exact plants field notes.

These notes can include:
1. Locality
2. Size
3. Ecological data and habitat descriptions
4. If there is a wild threat and what this is
5. The exact parent material (separating even siblings)
6. Cultural and traditional use data
7. Any unique clone notes (flower colour, disease resistance)

By collecting and retaining all of this, these plants become more than just a garden feature, but instead a vital tool for teaching, research and conservation.

If you would like more information around these, or any particular plant or animal on campus, please reach out to us at [email protected] or message us here.

Fresh from a recent trip surveying and collecting a range of unique western Paluma flora, including the endangered Argophyllum palumense, the vulnerable Corymbia leptoloma and the near threatened Dodonaea uncinata.

Big thank you to the dedicated staff of the Australian Wildlife Conservancy, who are always great to work with, and do a fantastic job caring for these species.

These plants will be grown on from seed or cutting and now conserved in the JCU collection for further study and as reassurance should the worse occur.

Australian Wildlife Conservancy

Returning to campus this week, remember to slow down on the roads and watch your step for our local critters, like Eric the echidna who guards our walking trail here on the Townsville campus.

On a recent trip TropEco Interns carried out surveys on various endangered plant species in the wet tropics, to check on their state of condition and assist in developing reports.

Some highlights included Noahdendron nicholasii, Gardenia actinocarpa, Gymnostoma australianum and Megahertzia amplexicaulis.

The first germinations of a shared program between various conservation organisations and TropEco taking off.

JCU’s Estate nursery will be home to over 1500 specimen, of 6 rare species of NQ cycad, over the coming two years.

The program aims to collect a broad range of genetic diversity across these ancient plants, to safeguard them into the future.

Once grown on, plants will be passed on to other partner conservation bodies, such as botanic gardens, or retained on the JCU campus.

Each clone is carefully, and sustainably, collected, ensuring its precise locality data and population data is retained along the whole journey, like its personal passport.

What a whopper! A Hercules moth caterpillar munching on its host tree on the Cairns JCU campus, discovered by our groundsman Phil Collins. Hercules moths will grow with a wingspan of up to 27cm, the world's largest moth! So awesome to see amazing wildlife on our beautiful tropical campus.

Just a few of the newest threatened species JCU Estate have added into the Townsville campus over the summer.

Here we have Homoranthus porterii, Rhodomyrtus canescens and Meleauca lophocoracorum.

They will add to the JCU living collection for conservation, teaching and research.

It’s species and programs such as this in the collection that mean we need everyone to be vigilant on campus and avoid walking through the gardens.

As part of James Cook University’s commitment to a transition into Carbon net Zero our new buildings are fitted with Solar.

This can be hard to see from the ground, so we have found a more precarious view of the panels on our Townsville campuses newest two buildings, the TSA and EAP.

JCU: James Cook University, Australia Estate Directorate and Science faculty have joined forces under the support of the Department of Environment and Science to assess and save some of the rarest plants in NQ.

Below is one of over 50 species for the project, Kardomia squarrulosa, with researcher Dr Myles Menz assessing wild plants, and specimen growing at the JCU Estate Nursery, soon to be planted out on our campus for ongoing conservation.

Just a few of the species already assessed and captured include;
Drosera schizandra, Musa jackeyi, Homoranthus porterii, Melaleuca sylvana, Melaleuca uxorum, Zieria fordii, Zieria alata, Zieria obovata, Prostanthera athertoniana, Prostanthera albohirta, Prostanthera clotteniana, Aponogeton bullosus, Coleus amoneus and many more.

TropEco Intern, Shelly Morrison, planting out and assessing the first 5 of our Crittically endangered Backhousia tetraptera (Mount Stuart Myrtle).

These trees will be the first of over 50 specimen being translocated to the JCU campus, as part of a conservation initiative to safeguard the species, now impacted by fire and myrtle rust.

The program is run through our Townsville Estate Directorate, and will be carried out with the assistance of our placement students and interns for the next 2years for establishment.

Following this we hope to continue ongoing monitoring, and one day, wild reintroduction.

The JCU Townsville Estate Nursery has recently received a face lift, including a new individualised dripper system, improving on the former over head system.

This allows massive savings on water use by directing the water where it is needed, and not wasting any on the pathways or fences.

The new system will also allow tailored watering for the many rare and endangered species grown in the collection, allowing our conservation efforts to continue expanding.

And just in time for our next sustainability surprise, keep watching for updates.

Trees play a vital role in creating not only a safe haven for the environment, but also for our own health.

This is why we are targeting the control of invasive w**ds on campus and supplementing them with native species, as well as improving on how we approach our campus landscapes in manicured areas such as the new TIC project.

Our intern program is back on, with the below table showing the time slots of our main Townsville campus programs.

Common questions?
1. What if I can’t stay the whole time? - Don’t worry, if a program is within a block, your welcome to come and go within this time-frame, for example, a student can join the Wednesday restoration project from 9-11am.
2. What about my classes and commitments, I am worried about exam period? - Your studies come first, simply let your supervisor know that you need to skip the following week due to exam studies, field trips or an assessment.
3. How do I get involved or find the site? - First you need to reach out to JCU: TropEco to discuss all of the relevant safety measures, then we will look at an induction and run you through the site.

4. What if I wanted a program I cannot see here? - Reach out to us and see if we can fit you or the program in, and if not, we may be able to send you in the right direction.
If this is an Environmental (anything plant or animal related) reach out to [email protected]; if this is Sustainability focused (plastic, waste, recycling) reach out to [email protected].

At this time, we are sorry to say that none of our Environmental intern programs are running on the Cairns campus, as we transition from the staffing change. If you are however on this campus and wish to be involved please reach out and we can discuss options.

TropEco will be at the Cairns mid-week mingle on Wed 15th of March 11:30am to 1pm. Come and learn about TropEco, and easy way to go green on campus, the community garden, recycling and more.

Over the past three years large numbers of invasive flora have been removed from Goondaloo creek on campus, including Lantana, Ziziphus and leaucaena.

This has occurred in upper and central reaches as we gradually work down to the lower campus.

To date over 3500 native plants have gone back into the creek, predominantly native grasses, sedges and small bushes to assist in early erosion control.

However, due to the great work of our interns, placements and skilling QLD team, we will now be able to further ramp up planting, and are finally ready to introduce a wide range of trees and shrubs.

The total species count for the plants we will be adding, which are already growing in the Estate Directorate nursery, exceed 100 species, to ensure an adequate diversity is captured.

Each image below has a small description.

If you would like to get involved, or hear more about JCU ecological restoration programs, email or message TropEco.

[email protected]

Banksia dentata on campus showing off it’s new flower.

This weekend past the Australian Tropical Herbarium and TropEco teamed up to collect some of the rarest plants of the Daintree region for conservation.

Specimens were collected as seed or cutting, and will be grown on in the Estate Directorate nursery before being added to the JCU Arboretum.

Once planted out the specimen will be mapped, and their field data retained for future conservation, research and teaching.

Below are the highlights of the trip, and less than half the total species our team were able to collect.

Scientific name
Isachne sharpii B.K.Simon
Nature Conservation Act 1992 (NCA) status
Endangered

Scientific name
Gardenia actinocarpa Puttock
Nature Conservation Act 1992 (NCA) status
Endangered

Scientific name
Rhodamnia sessiliflora Benth.
Nature Conservation Act 1992 (NCA) status
Endangered

Scientific name
Rhodomyrtus effusa Guymer
Nature Conservation Act 1992 (NCA) status
Endangered

Scientific name
Syzygium glenum Craven
Nature Conservation Act 1992 (NCA) status
Endangered

Scientific name
Xanthostemon formosus Peter G.Wilson
Nature Conservation Act 1992 (NCA) status
Endangered

Scientific name
Noahdendron nicholasii P.K.Endress, B.Hyland & Tracey
Nature Conservation Act 1992 (NCA) status
Endangered

Scientific name
Endiandra cooperana B.Hyland
Nature Conservation Act 1992 (NCA) status
Endangered

Scientific name
Freycinetia percostata Merr. & L.M.Perry
Nature Conservation Act 1992 (NCA) status
Vulnerable

Scientific name
Gymnostoma australianum L.A.S.Johnson
Nature Conservation Act 1992 (NCA) status
Vulnerable

Scientific name
Freycinetia marginata Blume
Nature Conservation Act 1992 (NCA) status
Vulnerable

Scientific name
Endiandra microneura C.T.White
Nature Conservation Act 1992 (NCA) status
Near threatened

What’s that smell, it’s that time of year again when the Co**se flowers come out on campus.

This is one of 5 currently in flower on the Townsville campus, with many more sure to appear over the coming months.

The below is Amorphophallus paeoniifolius, a NQ local to Cape York, commonly called the elephant foot yam due to its large corm (Potato like tuber).

https://youtu.be/377xA_FeJoA

The latest media release from the QLD's Department of Agriculture & Fisheries, ANPC, Butchulla Aboriginal Corporation and other collaborators on the dreaded myrtle rust.

The pathogen has also triggered a response from the Estate Directorate here at JCU, with the Townsville campus being used to house some of the most impacted species as part of a recovery program for our at risk NQ flora.

Myrtle rust, the silent killer This film introduces myrtle rust and its cultural, social and ecological effects on Australia's native environment. Indigenous rangers, scientists and landow...

Its National Recycling Week! Take time this week to recycle right - remember only put these items in the yellow bin:
Aluminum and steel cans
Paper and cardboard
Hard plastic bottles containers (no lids)
Glass jars and bottles
Nothing else! Keep it clean - always rinse containers first, and don't bag recycling.
Try the 30 day Cleanaway recycling challenge to really up your recycling game and recycle so many items! https://www.cleanaway.com.au/national-recycling-week/

Congratulations to Sophie for completing her Masters placement with TropEco.

During the program she helped coordinate our interns and undergraduates with their ecological restoration and w**d control.

Sophie also established a translocation site on campus for the vulnerable Mount Stuart Ironbark with 31 specimen, as well as carrying out field collections of seed and cuttings to increase our campus gene pool.

This population will be used not only as a back up should the worst occur, but also allows the creation of a long term accessible monitoring plot on campus.

Finally, she attended field trips chasing other endangered species, and assisted in establishing them in the JCU Estate Nurseries for planting on campus under the Arboretum program.

We wish her all the best in her future and hope she secures a job she loves.

Join TropEco and the JCU Zoology society this weekend to get down and dirty planting out our latest batch of veggies and fruit into the Townsville Community Garden.

Located near Rotary college, the event will include lunch and giveaways to those who come down to help.

Running this Saturday, 9am-noon.

Great revegetation planting on the Smithfield campus near the mountain bike trails

Have you seen the Nepenthes wall at our new Townsville accommodation, though small now, these plants were selected to grow up to 4m high and spread alongside various other epiphytes to create a stand out entrance.

Lots of beautiful mulch ready to nourish our little patch of paradise. Join us at our busy bee today at 3pm and help us get this mulch to work its magic! 🌻🌴