Blog Archives - CAFNEC

Bitumen and Kerosene Spill – Trinity Inlet

Wed, 08 Oct 2025 05:05:45 +0000

Bitumen coating mangrove and molluscs a couple days after the spill. Photo Credit: Tanya Murphy, Australian Marine Conservation Society

NOTE: This blog post will be continually updated.

We have received many messages and phone calls from concerned community members and local organisations regarding this spill. In this post, CAFNEC will provide context and a summary of actions taken.

About the Author

Shannon is CAFNEC’s Projects Officer and has been working for CAFNEC for 2 years. Shannon enjoys supporting the local community and First Nations Partners to work together as environmental stewards.

ABC Far North article produced on 30th September 2025. It contains commentary from AMCS, CAFNEC, and JCU.

29th September 2025 – 2nd Oct 2025

On 29th September 2025, a bitumen and kersoene spill occurred in Smith’s Creek (Trinity Inlet). CAFNEC staff were made aware via The Cairns Post social media pages.

On 30th September 2025, CAFNEC was contacted contacted by ABC Far North to comment on the spill. CAFNEC Projects Officer, Shannon Bredeson, talked about the impact to mangrove health as the pollutants can: smother snorkel roots, damage fish nurseries, and poison mangrove crabs – if not cleaned up properly and quickly. Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) and a marine biologist at James Cook University are also quoted in the article.

ABC Far North Article

ABC Far North Breakfast

Boral self-reported the spill stating that it was due to a bund safety valve failure. As a result, 10,000L of kerosene and bitumen spilled into Smith’s Creek.

CAFNEC contacted Dr. Norman Duke, a mangrove ecologist with more than 40 years experience, to inform him of the spill.

On 2nd October 2025, Maritime Safety Queensland (MSQ) contacted CAFNEC to discuss our MangroveWatch program and opportunities for an existing program to provide long term monitoring in Trinity Inlet. They also confirmed they had been in touch with Dr. Duke and reading his papers.

However, support to MSQ was limited as they did not have funding to pay for Dr. Duke nor CAFNEC’s time.

3rd October 2025 – 8th October 2025

CAFNEC received many messages from community members and member groups, concerned about:

poor water quality: especially for local organisations that use water from Trinity Inlet
contaminating the Great Barrier Reef: boats with bitumen on their hulls were seen traveling to the Reef
unhealthy wildlife: a pelican was reported covered in bitumen
inadequate signage: people were seen fishing in contaminated waters. when appraoched, they were unaware of the health risk and spill
slow response from DETSI: Despite reassurances that clean ups were happening, the community did not seen people out there cleaning it up

Community members are keen to see this cleaned up and want to do it themselves, but this poses a health risk due to kerosene and biutmen being toxic. This is DETSI and Boral’s responsibility.

AMCS and CAFNEC are scheduled to meet with DETSI to voice community concerns and gain clarity on DETSI’s decision to leave the bitumen on the rock wall and in mangroves. (see screenshot below).

See DETSI Cairns Bitumen Spill which is regularly updated to reflect DETSI’s reponse to this spill.

Bitumen coating leaves of a young mangrove sapling in Trinity Inlet. Photo Credit: Tanya Murphy, Australian Marine Conservation Society.

Screenshot from DETSI’s website stating that they will not be removing the residue from the rock wall nor the mangroves. Screenshot taken on 8th October at 3pm.

Bitumen sticking to mangrove snorkel roots in Trinity Inlet. Photo Credit: Tanya Murphy, Australian Marine Conservation Society.

This post will be updated regularly as new information comes in and decisions are made. Please check back here for the latest updates.

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CAFNEC’s MangroveWatch Chapter Local Action Plans Update

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 03:57:30 +0000

First planting at Barr Creek Fish Habitat Area. AFTER. (2025) – see BEFORE photo at end of article.

Wet Season is the perfect time to focus on and progress Local Action Plans (LAPs) as it is too wet to undertake field monitoring. LAP Leaders have met monthly with CAFNEC Projects Officer, Shannon Bredeson, and Earthwatch Australia’s Coastal Wetlands Expert, Jock MacKenzie, to discuss their projects, collaborate, and consider future LAP opportunities. Here is an update on LAP progress:

About the Author

Clive Murray, Shannon Bredeson, and Rachel Platte presenting the LAP outcomes for Year 1 of the project at Mulgrave Landcare. (2025)

Mulgrave LAP:

In 2024, the Mulgrave LAP Coastal Wetland Education Campaign was the first completed LAP. Led by Rachel Platte and Clive Murray, local school students were taught the importance of coastal wetlands in the classroom and in the field! It provided hands-on opportunities for students to learn about mangroves in their own backyard. It also filled a gap in the school education system by providing schools with a free educational opportunity on coastal wetlands.

This year, Rachel and Clive are beginning their second year of the program. They are expanding the program from 3 schools to 5 schools and including a knowledge-sharing field day with the Madjaybana Rangers from Madjandji Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC. This opportunity allows children to learn about the cultural value of coastal wetlands and supports reconciliation, with the rangers being remunerated for their time and knowledge. This expansion and increased engagement with the local community is proudly supported by the Queensland Government—Engaging Science Grants.

Barron LAP:

Barron LAP Leader Rob Williams has been organising with Holloways Beach Coastcare to revegetate Barr Creek Fish Habitat Area. With the property line fenced and the site cleared of Cyclone Jasper debris, the last step was to secure revegetation funding. Thanks to Great Barrier Reef Foundation’s (GBRF) Value Add Grant, we have secured funding to start revegetation this Dry Season. As this project nears completion, it provides a collaboration opportunity with the Mulgrave LAP. Rachel and Clive can use Barr Creek as a field site for students to collect data on mangrove condition pre/post-revegetation for comparison

Rob Williams working hard at the first tree planting event for Barr Creek Fish Habitat Area. (2025)

Final report from a coastal engineer assessing the Cardwell Foreshore and Bamboo Fence feasibility. (2025)

Hinchinbrook LAP:

Vito Napoli and Gabi Plumm, Hinchinbrook LAP Leaders, have also received funding through GBRF’s Value Add Grant to get expert advice from a coastal engineer at Royal HaskoningDHV. The engineer is currently drafting a report, outlining erosion severity, potential causes, and feasibility of the bamboo fence to reduce erosion of the Cardwell foreshore. This report will fulfill State Assessment and Referral Agency requirements and help us obtain permits as we progress to on-ground works.

First planting day at Barr Creek Fish Habitat Area with Holloways Beach Coastcare. BEFORE. (2025)

CAFNEC’s MangroveWatch Chapter is funded by the partnership between the Australia Government’s Reef Trust and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation. Project delivery is done in partnership with Earthwatch Australia and MangroveWatch.

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Turning Tides: Community Voices Rise for Climate and Nature

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 03:31:32 +0000

With the 2025 Federal Election fading into the rearview, we turn to reflect on the ripples we set into motion—and the horizon that now unfolds before us. In Far North Queensland, the electorate of Leichhardt witnessed a quiet yet powerful groundswell: a community-led, non-partisan campaign that brought climate action and nature protection to the forefront of public consciousness. The campaign aimed not to sway votes toward any political party, but to ensure that the issues of climate resilience, biodiversity, and renewable energy were top of mind as voters stepped into the ballot box. Through heartfelt conversations at doorsteps, information shared at early voting booths, and a commitment to respectful engagement, this movement became a local expression of a broader national shift: one where climate policy, or the lack thereof, is now a defining issue for many voters and where a growing portion of the electorate prioritises climate champions at the ballot box.

A defining moment of the campaign was the Reef, Climate and Energy Forum, co-hosted with AMCS, Divers for Climate, and the Queensland Conservation Council. This milestone event placed climate resilience and nature conservation firmly in the spotlight, offering the community a vital platform to engage directly and ask pressing questions about the future of our region. While it was disappointing that three candidates declined the opportunity to speak on their climate policies, their absence spoke volumes. Despite this, the forum was a resounding success—drawing nearly 100 attendees and securing widespread media coverage across print, radio, and television.

One of the most powerful tactics used was deep canvassing through door knocking. Over 10 weeks, volunteers knocked on 1,084 doors across six Cairns suburbs, holding 348 conversations that explored people’s views on extreme weather, renewable energy, and climate solutions. These were not scripted pitches, but genuine discussions shaped by listening and mutual respect.

The campaign began with a volunteer launch party that attracted 30 attendees, building momentum and community spirit. Over the course of the campaign, 13 volunteers were trained in deep canvassing techniques, with the effort supported by two dedicated field campaigners. Through these efforts 110 Climate Action Now signs were put up and 67 letters to the local candidates advocating for stronger climate policies were sent. In addition, more than 1,000 flyers were distributed and letterboxed, underscoring the need for sound climate mitigation and adaptation policies from the local candidates.

In the final stages of the campaign, CAFNEC volunteers distributed 6,000 climate and nature scorecards during the two weeks of early voting and on election day. These non-partisan materials helped voters understand where major parties stood on key environmental issues. 36 volunteers, including 6 recruited through the Senior Citizens Association, ensured that the scorecards reached a wide audience at early voting centres and polling booths across Cairns.

The results of the federal election nationally reflected a growing public demand for meaningful climate action. As reported by the ABC, voters across Australia demonstrated strong support for renewable energy over nuclear power, and many electorates—including Leichhardt—saw significant swings away from parties that have historically resisted ambitious climate policy. Looking ahead, this campaign is a powerful reminder that communities can shape the conversation and create space for policies that protect nature and people. But this is only the beginning. As Australia accelerates its shift to renewables, it is critical that new projects are well planned, sited responsibly to avoid harming natural ecosystems, and are developed with meaningful consultation with local communities and First Nations peoples. Renewable energy must deliver net-positive outcomes—not just for the climate, but for biodiversity, community wellbeing, and cultural integrity. CAFNEC’s campaign has shown that when members of the same community come together and dare to reach outside their own bubble, they can move the dial on some of the most important issues of our time.

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Saving Gimuy Shade Trees: Nature-Based Solutions for a Climate Safe Cairns

Wed, 21 May 2025 13:49:42 +0000

by Monique Jeffs
CAFNEC Community Organiser

This article was originally published in the March 2025 editon of Ecotone. Read the full edition here.

Over forty year old Fig beside St John’s Anglican Church that the church has applied for permission to remove despite the 5 metres of shade it provides over the street.

Monique Jeffs & Tree Action Group

Community Organiser

Urban trees provide far more than just aesthetic appeal; they are essential to the health and well-being of people, wildlife, and the environment. In tropical climates like ours in Gimuy (Cairns) where heat and climate challenges are becoming more pronounced, trees play a critical role in cooling our city, mitigating climate change, and offering habitats for local wildlife.

As we face hotter temperatures and more damaging and unpredictable weather due to climate change, planting and protecting our urban trees is only becoming more critical. However, as members of CAFNEC’s newly formed Tree Action Group (TAG) know, this isn’t as easy as it should be.

The Importance of Trees for Cool Streets

Heat is the number one killer in Australia, responsible for thousands of deaths in our community annually. Our wildlife also feel the heat; the 2018 heatwave wiped out a third of the Spectacled Flying Fox population in Cairns, a stark reminder of the devastating impacts of heat on both humans and wildlife.

According to the Mackay Regional Council’s strategy for a ‘Cool, Clean City’, shade trees can reduce daytime temperatures in urban areas by up to 20°C and mitigate the urban heat island effect. These cooling effects can significantly reduce the need for air conditioning, lowering energy costs for residents, easing the strain on the power grid during heatwaves, and protecting vulnerable community members who are susceptible to heat-related illness.

Having shady streets also makes active transport, walking and riding, a more realistic option for getting around the city – reducing emissions from cars and our reliance on fossil fuels. Another important piece in local climate action.

Urban trees also support biodiversity by providing food, shelter, and habitat for a variety of species, including pollinators like bats and birds, who play essential roles in maintaining our local ecosystems.

The loss of shade trees in Cairns

Lost: Le Grand Park Fig that was cut down by Cairns Regional Council in 2024

We have seen so many trees axed even just in the past 12 months. Unfortunately the general attitude across the region towards trees seems to only focus on the costs of maintenance and the hassle of having to remove them for development.

Additionally, a lack of proper management, including poor pruning practices by companies like Ergon, has further contributed to the degradation of these valuable urban assets.

Examples of trees that have been lost unnecessarily include the beloved Weeping Figs at the Tennis Club and the Le Grande Park in Freshwater which were removed due to complaints about fallen branches and roots invading neighbouring gardens. The Mango trees along Cedar Road in Holloways Beach were cleared for a footpath in February 2025.

The St John’s Anglican Church fig and three White Rock figs are currently on the chopping block. TAG are advocating with community members for the applications to cut them down be refused by Cairns Regional Council due to the incredible shade & amenity the trees gift the community.

Despite the challenges in trying to save our shade trees we know that there are wins in sight. The community has demonstrated countless times that when we come together, we can save trees that were once condemned. The best example of this in Gimuy is the campaign to save the T5 tree, still standing outside the Cairns Central Library. A community campaign through 2021 and 2022 saved the tree after the Cairns Regional Council wrongly claimed the tree was too sick to remain.

T5 Fig tree outside Cairns City Library that was saved by a community campaign in 2022

What are the solutions?

Looking abroad, we see Paris has embraced an ambitious plan to remove 60,000 parking spaces by 2030 and replace them with street trees as part of its broader strategy to combat climate change and adapt to a hotter climate. It’s a great example of incorporating nature-based solutions for climate adaptation. We’d love to see something at an appropriate scale in Cairns. Planting suitable native shade tree species along streets and footpaths in cleared suburban areas will help cool neighbourhoods and promote active transport.

Educating and empowering the community to be involved is also critical. Helping residents understand the value of trees will reduce complaints and unnecessary removals and build capacity and support for new greening initiatives.

It is also important to shift Council policy to require new housing and infrastructure developments to maintain existing shade trees, encouraging community and developers to value the benefits of the trees instead of only seeing the costs. The CAFNEC Tree Action Group has been advocating for this as a solution with the Kenfrost development in White Rock where they have applied to remove three significant figs. (See below the two development proposals side by side).

Fig 1 of 3 that Kenfrost has proposed to cut down to make way for 50 lot development of standalone houses in White Rock

Get Involved in Saving Our Shade

We need more community members to join the Tree Action Group: help us monitor tree removals, advocate for increased canopy cover, and take action to educate the community on the benefits of our shade trees. We currently meet fortnightly on a Tuesday at the Cairn City Library. Get in touch with Monique at getinvolved@nullcafnec.org.au.

Sign the petition to save St Johns fig and stay up to date with TAGs work here: https://cafnec.nationbuilder.com/save_our_shade

See a tree marked for removal?

1. Take photos of the whole tree, record the location and email both to the TAG team at trees@nullcafnec.org.au.

2. Email the Cairns Regional Council to request the reason for the removal and when it is scheduled to happen. The address should be printed on the sign attached to the tree.

As we continue to adapt to climate change, trees will remain one of our most important allies. Let’s work together to protect and plant more trees for a cooler, cleaner, and more vibrant Far North Queensland.

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CAFNEC’s MangroveWatch Chapter Through The Ages

Mon, 24 Mar 2025 06:01:34 +0000

Bess Murphy leading a team of volunteers for mangrove monitoring and accompanied by mangrove expert, Dr. Norm Duke.(2018)

About the Author

Far North Queensland’s estuaries have the highest diversity of mangroves in the world but are at risk. These coastal wetlands (mangrove and saltmarsh) provide vital ecosystem services to our region; reducing shoreline erosion, providing habitat for marine life, sequestering carbon, and filtering runoff. For those who love seafood, fishing, snorkeling, or simply want to reduce the flood risk on your property – you can thank the mangroves. However, coastal wetlands are at risk from urban development and climate change. Over the past 10 years we have seen mass mangrove dieoff in the Gulf of Carpentaria in 2015 and severe successive flooding in Cairns and surrounds from 2023 -2025. These local issues require local solutions to build the resilience of coastal wetlands as we face an uncertain climate change future.

CAFNEC’s MangroveWatch Chapter is a citizen science program that educates and empowers volunteers and First Nations Partners to deliver data-driven, community-led local action that protects coastal wetlands. It began in 2016 thanks to Bess Murphy who did her Honours on mangrove and saltmarsh habitats. After working with the national MangroveWatch leaders on a Reef Blitz event with them and Mandingalbay Yidinji Aboriginal Corporation, Bess led the charge to secure $2,000 of seed funding from the Local Marine Advisory Committee to start the Chapter. In the first year, more than 55 volunteers were trained! It also filled a monitoring gap that existed between Rockhampton in Central Queensland and Princess Charlotte Bay in Cape York. Over the past 9 years, this project has overcome the challenges of staff turnover, the Covid-19 pandemic, and funding gaps.

Alex Sinchak teaching CAFNEC Volunteers and Holloways Beach Coastcare saltmarsh monitoring methods at Thomatis Creek. (2022)

The Chapter’s current funding, through the partnership between the Australian Government’s Reef Trust and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation (GBRF), ends October 2025. This offers an opportunity to reflect on the key outcomes and learnings from this multi-year funding.

Rachel Platte teaching school kids about the importance of mangroves. (2024)

From 2019 -2021, we began expanding the program. We had 7 partnerships with groups like South Cape York Catchments, Great Barrier Reef Legacy, Holloways Beach Environmental Education Centre and Dawul Wuru Aboriginal Corporation, and monitored mangroves from Daintree to Gordonvale. Discussions were held to expand south to Innisfail and Cardwell and include the data in the Regional Reef Report Card. We also initiated saltmarsh monitoring and leveraged community engagement to advocate for repairing Jack Barnes Boardwalk. This initial funding round provided a new level of certainty, enabling the development of a long-term vision for our chapter that was implemented in the following rounds.

From 2022 – 2025, CAFNEC began implementing our long-term vision involving project expansion and restructuring. We now have 11 partners, including First Nations Partners for every estuary, education centres, boat operators, and landcare/coastcare groups. We were able to remunerate Indigenous Rangers and Traditional Owners for their involvement. This strengthened the knowledge-sharing across local knowledge, Traditional Knowledge, and western science and promoted reconciliation. It also paved the way for us to transition to a First Nations-led and citizen scientist-supported model as our First Nations Partners are currently being trained to self-coordinate monitoring activities. Thanks to our partnership with Holloways Beach Coastcare, Thomatis Creek was added to our saltmarsh monitoring. Mangrove data was included in the Regional Reef Report Card – a first for citizen science! Mangrove monitoring shifted further south covering Cairns to Cardwell. We stopped coordinating monitoring in the North as our capacity changed to accommodate a new pilot project – the Local Action Plans.

Alongside Earthwatch Australia and GBRF, we developed and implemented a Local Action Plan (LAP) process to drive community-led coastal wetland restoration and education activities. This is unique to our Chapter and provides learnings for the national MangroveWatch Program. Current LAPs are in the Barron, Mulgrave, and Hinchinbrook estuaries. For the Barron, long-term CAFNEC volunteer Rob Williams identified a section of Barr Creek that was historically over-cleared. He has led the charge to: build a relationship with the neighbours, request a property survey from the Department of Resources, advise Cairns Regional Council to clean up the area post Cyclone Jasper, build a fence along the boundary line, and organise for Holloways Beach Coastcare to do the revegetation.

Rob Williams standing at the fence line delineating the property boundary of Barr Creek Fish Habitat. (2024)

In the Mulgrave, Rachel and Clive recently completed their first year of an education campaign. They taught children across three schools about the importance of coastal wetlands and have received multiple requests to share their knowledge at other schools. For Hinchinbrook, Vito Napoli and Gabi Plumm are working to build a bamboo fence to reduce shoreline erosion and have completed a lidar drone survey with MangoesMapping to determine site elevation level and are receiving expert advice from a coastal engineer to satisfy permitting requirements. It is amazing to see what the local community can accomplish! The Townsville and Mackay MangroveWatch Chapters have now begun using the LAP process, creating a legacy of community-led action for the protection of coastal wetlands.

Vito Napoli, Gabi Plumm, and David Bender standing with supporters after the completion of a Lidar Drone survey by MangoesMapping. (2024)

CAFNEC’s MangroveWatch Chapter has been of great benefit to both the environment and the community! The multi-year funding has been crucial to our project expansion and restructuring. It gave us time to explore new ideas, implement them, and measure the outcomes. As this ends in October 2025, we are currently seeking funds to continue the program. This will allow us to complete the transition to a First Nations-led, citizen scientist-supported model, expand mangrove monitoring back into the north, and continue supporting the Local Action Plans. In a time of climate change uncertainty, we need financial certainty and flexibility.

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Carbon capture and environmental restoration in FNQ: Interview with Vanessa Oxley

Mon, 06 Nov 2023 01:12:12 +0000

Author: Jules Seabright

Jules volunteers with CAFNEC to raise awareness of climate change, its impacts, and what we can do as Wet Tropics residents to protect this special place, every day.

While tree planting alone cannot curb atmospheric CO2 levels and the climate crisis, planting and offset schemes remain an important component of energy transition in Australia.

Revegetation and restoration of degraded sites, improving not only their carbon capture but also their ecological value, is one of the project types undertaken by environmental services provider CO2 Australia.

CAFNEC’s FNQ Climate Action Newsletter (November Edition) features an interview with Propagation Coordinator and representative of CO2 Australia, Vanessa Oxley. Read on to learn about Vanessa and her work in the carbon capture space.

To hear more stories of climate action in FNQ – the good, the bad, and what you can do about it – subscribe to CAFNEC’s FNQ Climate Action Newsletter, released every second month.

Vanessa Oxley, Propagation Coordinator, CO2 Australia

Vanessa has over 25 years’ experience in natural area management and seedling propagation, and in the last 7 years has revegetated almost 3000 ha with more than 3 million seedlings across VIC, NSW and QLD. She engages with clients, First Nations people and groups, nurseries, landholders, contractors and community members for successful project delivery for all stakeholders. Vanessa is Chair of CO2 Australia’s RAP Committee.

— Begin transcript —

J: Thanks for making time for me today. To start off, can you tell me a little about your background and why you’re passionate about climate action?

V: I grew up in the Great Western Woodlands, in Western Australia. It’s the largest temperate woodland on the planet and the flora and fauna there, the eucalyptus trees and wildflowers, it’s absolutely mind-blowing. When I left the area and started working across Australia, I started to see for the first time the impacts of land clearing and drought on our landscapes. It was obvious to me that we need to plant back our forests at a large scale.
So, I studied horticulture and conservation and land management. I worked in mine site rehabilitation, which doesn’t always involve tree planting, and then I started working with CO2 Australia in carbon farming. My position as Propagation Coordinator is to ensure our relationships with landowners, local botanists and ecologists, seed collectors and nurseries gives us the nicest seedlings and greatest diversity best suited to the project.
This work has given me the opportunity to contribute to what I love: restoring degraded landscapes, all the way through to the final stages of rehabilitation and restoration, and looking after plantings that are going to be cared for long-term.

J: Sounds very inspiring. And there are some similarities there with the Wet Tropics – our ancient rainforests are designated the second most irreplaceable World Heritage Area on the planet, and that’s not all – they also protect the quality of the water flowing to our World Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef.

V: Yes – it’s incredible to be working in the Wet Tropics, another amazing and biodiverse Australian landscape. The region here is absolutely ideal for certain carbon capture initiatives because of the rich, dense, fast-growing forests.

J: So can you give us some background on CO2 Australia?

V: Yes – CO2 Australia is a leading environmental services company offering projects including carbon offsetting. We are a diverse organisation with skilled and passionate people, from our ecologist teams that perform site assessment and monitoring, to our carbon team that does calculations and projections of carbon storage, and more!
I first learnt of carbon offsetting and sequestration when I was employed with CO2 Australia in 2015. The Clean Energy Regulator (CER) started as a statutory authority in 2012, and one of the CER schemes is the Emissions Reduction Fund which offers landholders, communities, and business the opportunity to be involved in projects to reduce and remove atmospheric carbon dioxide. In the case of CO2 Australia in FNQ, it is via vegetation and environmental plantings.

J: So it’s beneficial to many different sectors of the community.

V: Yes, the model was developed because of drought and other climate change impacts affecting landholders and their long-term prospects. The carbon capture projects and associated projects offer opportunities to diversify revenue streams.

J: How does the process work – in simple terms?

V: First our teams work with landowners, stakeholders and local commerce to identify a project to reduce emissions. We put a lot of work into developing a project proposal and plan, which is then registered with the CER. After this CO2 delivers the project, and continues to monitor and report on the maturation of the project. In accordance with the project plan, after a certain time and certain targets are reached, the next step is to claim Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCU) for the project to either hold or sell the ACCUs.

J: Tell us a little about some of the CO2 projects currently happening here in Far North Queensland.

V: FNQ has awesome potential for ACCU generation. These dense forests with large, fast-growing tree species are a natural fit for carbon capture plantings. To initially propose a site, our teams work with landowners, stakeholders and local business to identify a project that will reduce emissions. Then the project is registered with the Clean Energy Regulator, and CO2 delivers the project, monitors and reports on outcomes, and finally the ACCUs for the project can be held or sold. So just one of our FNQ projects right now covers about 50 hectares and approximately 100,000 rainforest trees representing a mix of species will be planted at that site. There’s a period of several years for the trees to establish, and then within about 10 years many of the trees (depending upon species) will reach maturity. But they’ll be providing habitat, food and shelter for wildlife earlier than that – some of them almost as soon as they go into the ground.

J: What sorts of trees are being planted?

V: That depends upon the site. We have a team of ecologists that will assess a site before drafting the project proposal. Part of that is to look at the land use history, and what work will be required to get the site to what we call “planting ready” – it can be extensive, because we put a lot of work into making sure our young trees succeed. Our biodiversity team looks at the regional ecosystems in the area, soil type, and other environmetnal factors, and through that biocondition assessment we come up with our regional ecosystem benchmarks and our species list, in collaboration with the Queensland Herbarium. We work with several different regional ecosystem types up here in FNQ – from rainforest, wetland woodland to dryland sclerophyll forest. The end goal for environmental plantings is to return the site to pre-clearing conditions, though other types of plantings can have different goals. All our environmental plantings are monitored by our biodiversity team, and reported on according to the Accounting for Nature® framework and the Native Vegetation Econd® methodology for assessing native wooded ecosystem condition.

J: Wow – the process sounds very involved. And I didn’t realise the projects are happening across a diversity of land tenures.

V: We plan and deliver our environmental projects on a case-by-case basis because no two sites are the same. For example, we have two projects happening in FNQ right now that are situated on cane farms that are no longer economically viable due to industry changes. Other sites we’ve selected complement dairy and cattle farming, providing shelter belts and shade to benefit those operations in addition to carbon capture.

J: So there are benefits way beyond the carbon sequestration side of it.

V: Yes – carbon offsetting can have many benefits for biodiversity. Tree plantings provide habitat for wildlife, shade which reduces temperatures in the surrounding area, wildlife corridors, soil retention and improving waterway health with benefits also flowing to the Great Barrier Reef. And there are the benefits to agribusiness, such as timber harvest for sustainable native timber, after the 25-year carbon sequestration period, for certain plantings. Other benefits can include beekeeping, and improved conditions for stock such as cattle (once the trees are mature).

J: How do CO2’s projects compare to other local tree planting projects?

V: I don’t think we need to compare – rather we complement each other, to give more opportunities to landowners.

J: So imagine someone is reading your story and feeling inspired to get involved in climate action… what advice would you give them?

V: This planet we are privileged to live on is beautiful, rugged, but so fragile, and we just need to care for it.
My advice is to not be intimidated and just give it a go. You don’t have to be into planting trees – there are many ways to be involved in protecting the environment. It’s about soil, atmosphere, plastic, waste, water, and so much more. You don’t have to love plants to make a difference.
And one more thing – don’t be discouraged. At CO2 we have a wonderful team that sees environmental plantings as a creative process. Years ago people would call us idiots and say that what we’re trying to do, it’s not possible. Well, it is. You just need skilled, passionate people, the involvement of local community, and it’s very achievable.

J: Last question… what’s your favorite tree species that you have worked with?

V: This is the hardest question! Well… the rainforest in the Far North is so biodiverse, and full of incredible plants, it’s impossible to pick just one. But I have to go back to my roots, in Western Australia, and say Banksia. They are an amazing plant, one of the oldest lineages. I also love Wooly Bush but that’s not a tree. And all the eucalypts!

J: Thanks so much for your time Vanessa, and I’m looking forward to catching up with you as those CO2 projects grow and mature over the coming years!

— End transcript —

Thanks to Vanessa Oxley and CO2 Australia for taking the time to sit down with us for an interview. To learn more about CO2 Australia, visit their website here.

To hear more stories of climate action in FNQ – the good, the bad, and what you can do about it – subscribe to CAFNEC’s FNQ Climate Action Newsletter, released every second month.

Subscribe to FNQ Climate Action Newsletter

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Amazon Frogbit: A Community Organiser’s Story

Thu, 15 Jun 2023 03:45:31 +0000

Every morning, as I set out for a peaceful walk with my furry companion, little did I know that a small aquatic plant would leave a lasting impact on me. It all began when I noticed the vibrant green patches floating on the surface of the nearby creek. Curiosity got the better of me, and I soon discovered that these delicate plants were Amazon frogbit.

With each passing day, as I strolled along the creek, I couldn’t help but observe the expanding presence of the frogbit. The once tranquil water now became partially covered by dense mats of this invasive species. It was both fascinating and concerning to witness its rapid spread.

As I walked, I couldn’t ignore the ecological changes that accompanied the frogbit invasion. The sunlight struggled to penetrate the thick mats, casting a shadow over the underwater world. Native aquatic plants that once thrived were now scarce, their beauty and importance diminished.

About the Author

Aïsha is CAFNEC’s Community Organiser and has been working for CAFNEC for nearly 5 years. Aïsha is empowered by the passion and drive of others in our community.

While my dog happily explored the surroundings, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of urgency. The negative impact of the frogbit was evident. It disrupted the delicate balance of the ecosystem, affecting the life that depended on the creek’s health.

It saddened me to think about the consequences for the local wildlife. How would this invasive plant affect the fish, frogs, and insects that called this creek home? The disruption caused by the frogbit extended far beyond the water’s surface. It had the potential to disrupt the entire food web and the intricate relationships within the ecosystem.

Walking among the frogbit-infested creek, I realised the importance of all of us taking action. Working on frogbit alongside other key stakeholders has helped me find solace in knowing that my actions are making a difference. The frogbit invasion has transformed my casual stroll into a purposeful mission.

As the fight against Amazonian frogbit continues, your support becomes crucial in sustaining the progress made so far. By donating to CAFNEC, you directly contribute to our work in controlling and managing this invasive species. Together, we can make a tangible difference in protecting our environment and ensuring the long-term sustainability of our ecosystems. Join us today by making a donation to CAFNEC and become a part of the collective effort to create a healthier and more balanced natural habitat for all. Now when I walk my dog each morning, I will see beyond the surface. I will see the interconnectedness of our actions and the impact they have on the environment.

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Boomerang Bags and Drain Stencil Project Come to a Close

Wed, 27 Jul 2022 04:42:34 +0000

We’re sad to announce that CAFNEC has formally discontinued the Drain Stencil Project and Boomerang Bags. Boomerang Bags and Drain Stencil Project were projects CAFNEC led to amplify the plastic pollution problem in the Cairns community. On September 1st, 2021 the Queensland Government banned the use of single-use plastic including straws, stirrers, plates, unenclosed bowls, and cutlery, and expanded polystyrene (EPS) takeaway food containers and EPS cups. This new legislation is a win for reducing the amount of plastic pollution in waterways and as a result CAFNEC made the decision to end these two projects and focus on other campaigns.

About the Author

Alex is the Projects and Events Coordinator for CAFNEC. When she is not whispering to the mangroves she spends her time rollerskating or taking her drone to the beach or up mountains.

Volunteers from all age groups got creative on the streets of Cairns and left their messages to stop plastic pollution.

Long-term CAFNEC supporter Lou Gorden showing us her sewing skills.

Drain Stencil Project tought the community that our neighbourhoods are connected to the ocean via the urban stormwater drain system. We brought the community together to spray paint the message “Drains to the Reef” next to our waterways and created informed advocates for our waters, and left a physical, long-lasting message behind for the entire community.

Traveling to schools to engage students in waterway and reef health through art resulted in kids becoming environmental stewards who think about their plastic intake and disposal.

Boomerang Bags was a community-driven initiative tackling plastic pollution at the grassroots level where volunteers got together to make re-useable bags out of recycled material.

Through Boomerang Bags we intercepted materials that would otherwise go to landfill, facilitate conversations, and worked towards shifting society’s throwaway mentality to a more sustainable revolution of reuse – one needle and thread at a time.

We want to celebrate those who dedicated their times to these projects. Thank you for your time and resources to create street art and beautiful bags that can be shared with the Cairns community.

Drain Stencil Project has been handed over to Small World Journeys. Contact Laurie at laurie@nullsmallworldjourneys.com.au if you are interested in this project and would like to participate.

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What climate action means to me

Mon, 20 Jun 2022 02:25:38 +0000

I started learning about climate change, or global warming as it was more commonly called, back in school. Back then, climate change felt far away, and yeah, I was sad for the polar bears, but it really felt like one of those issues that the adults and those smart people in government would surely have solved by the time I grew up. Right?

About the Author

Bronwyn is our Climate Organiser for CAFNEC. When she is not working or studying, she enjoys hiking with friends, breakfast food, and painting.

Door knocking volunteers to have meaningful conversations about climate change in Cairns.

Distributing Climate Action Now signs in the Cairns community.

I am now 26 and have long understood that we can’t rely on the government to safeguard our future. Apparently, securing a liveable future is up to us, young people, and future generations who don’t have another option but to be loud and unrelenting in our call for climate justice – not just for the polar bears and the reef, but for the sake of humanity and all things we hold dear.

Alongside some incredible volunteers, I’ve been going door to door in the Cairns community, having conversations with strangers about climate change for just over a year. In analysing the data that we’ve gathered, we have found that most people express some level of concern about climate change, whether they are alert to the issue or very concerned about it. Many of those concerned people, however, have begun to feel overwhelmed, anxious, and pessimistic about the future. Some of those people are starting to disengage from the issue – they’re ready to give up, which is exactly what fossil fuel corporations and the politicians in their pockets want us to do. So, we’re walking a fine line here, between urgency and hope.

Due to decades of misinformation, denial, false promises, and empty pledges, our window of opportunity to mitigate the most harmful and devastating impacts of climate change is small and it is rapidly closing. But it exists! There is still hope, and we need to hold on to that tightly and make the most of this opportunity.

The United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, recently pointed out that, “climate activists are sometimes depicted as dangerous radicals, but the truly dangerous radicals are the countries that are increasing the production of fossil fuels” in the face of climate disaster. He also said, “we need to build on the work of young people, civil society, and indigenous communities to create a grassroots movement that cannot be ignored.” Here in Cairns, generations of individuals have built a strong grassroots movement that continues to power all of the work we do at CAFNEC – and we should be proud of ourselves for representing those who don’t have a voice: the generations that will come after us and the young people alive today whose pleas are being ignored by global leaders.

There are so many ways to take action on climate change as individuals, whether its putting up a Climate Action Now sign on your fence, letterbox, or office; changing your superfund to one that doesn’t invest in fossil fuels; chatting with a friend or family member about climate change; volunteering with CAFNEC in our climate campaign; or donating to CAFNEC to help us continue listening to the community’s needs and concerns and doing what we can do address them.

What we’re asking for isn’t outrageous and it is not radical. We’re simply asking our leaders to listen to the experts and turn their inadequate promises and pledges into necessary action and policy NOW – before our small window of opportunity closes and we are forced to look back on this time with the same dismay and indignity that we look back on the last lost decade with. We, want climate action now and we cannot and will not stop calling for it until our leaders finally listen.

More info about Our Climate Our Way of Life Here

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What does it take to plan a MangroveWatch Monitoring session?

Tue, 14 Jun 2022 06:32:38 +0000

We’ve been running monitoring sessions in Far North Queensland estuaries since 2019 and will continue to monitor between now at 2023. The data we collect gives us the opportunity to inform on-ground action plans responding to estuary-specific threats. How do we get the data? You’re about to learn what it takes to plan a MangroveWatch monitoring session.

About the Author

Alex is the Projects and Events Coordinator for CAFNEC. When she is not whispering to the mangroves she spends her time rollerskating or taking her drone to the beach or up mountains.

Citizen scientists in action on the Barron River.

Stilted Mangroves next to the Jack Barnes Boardwalk in Cairns near the airport.

When is the best time to monitor Mangroves? The dry season. Between April and October are generally the best monitoring times with more predictable weather patterns. So that leaves about 6-7 months to get on the water and collect data. Not so fast. We have to consider the tides. Any good boater will know what the conditions are going to be like before getting on the water. The best tide to go out for MangroveWatch is on a rising tide or sometime around what’s called a neap tide. Neap tide happens twice a month and occurs when high tides are a little lower than average and low tides are a little higher than average. I go to willyweather.com to check on the tides to determine when is the ideal time to monitor. What does this look like? It’s best to start at the mouth of the estuary and travel upstream on a rising tide to avoid running aground or getting stuck in shallow water.

A rising tide may happen in the morning or afternoon and with that, you will have to determine the position of the sun at that time of day. We cannot collect good quality data if we are shooting into the sun because the glare interferes with the picture. It is best to film with the sun on our backs. For example, if the rising tide is in the morning and we are traveling north upstream, we will film on the left side of the boat facing the western shoreline.

After a monitoring plan has been put in place we need to resource a boat and a skipper. CAFNEC does not own a boat for MangroveWatch and unless we have the proper facilities to store one or the time to maintain one we never plan to. We rely heavily on volunteers with their own vessel and boating experience to collect data and if we can’t find anyone to donate a vessel we do budget for vessel hire as a last resort.

Now we begin to recruit Mangrove Champions (dedicated volunteers) for data collection. We have 5 roles necessary to complete shoreline video assessment: boat driver, photographer, videographer, GPS operator, and notetaker (plus me as I teach everyone how to do their roles). It’s good to have 5 people, it’s possible with 4, you can get by with 3 on board and combine jobs if necessary. Generally, volunteers are available on the weekend so we need to find a neap tide that happens on a weekend (or close to it) to make the most of the conditions and give volunteers enough time to practice and collect a substantial amount of data.

A few days before we offer a training workshop, we need to make sure the equipment is charged, there is enough space on the memory cards, and we have enough blank data sheets and cheat sheets to guide the process. Don’t forget the first aid kit as well.

After we recruit Champions, we offer a PowerPoint training session as an introduction to the program so that participants feel more prepared to collect the data and identify threats and values in the mangroves more easily.

There have been times when MangroveWatch has been planned for weeks, sometimes months, in advance and then a sudden rainstorm develops the day before and is projected to last for a few more days. We can’t control the weather or the moon so we just reschedule and adapt to the situation. This year has been a demonstration of how climate change has impacted CAFNEC’s ability to do its citizen science work. The wet season usually ends in early April but this year it lasted through May and impacted our monitoring schedule. MangroveWatch is more enjoyable with sunny conditions and no rain to damage the equipment or dampen spirits.

If the conditions are good and we have enough volunteers and resources, a successful MangroveWatch is guaranteed. Volunteers make our work possible so we can always benefit from having locals participate in our work. Volunteers don’t have to have any scientific background or experience, we will teach you everything!

More info about MangroveWatch Here

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