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

For six months each year, one Island, part of a tiny archipelago off the east coast at Cardwell, is home to a huge breeding colony of the iconic Pied Imperial Pigeons (Ducula bicolor). Every September, the birds arrive from their winter territory in New Guinea to breed on NorthBrook Island, the largest in the Brook Islands archipelago, which lies 5 nautical miles east of Hinchinbrook Island.

The data they, and countless volunteers have collected, tells an extraordinary story of the population rising back from near extinction to a much healthier number, although still vulnerable to habitat loss and climate change, which is increasing the frequency of extreme weather events.

Each count begins mid-afternoon, as the first flocks return to the island after the day’s feeding on the mainland. Volunteer counters are paired up (one counter, one scribe) to cover the northern and southern approaches. Counters call the numbers as each flock is in view, while scribes record these on prepared data sheets. As the afternoon progresses, the pace accelerates and intense concentration is needed to ensure an accurate count. When it is too dark to see the last few flocks, the count concludes and the boat turns towards Cardwell with its tired but happy band of counters.

By the 1980s, populations were around 14,000 & the National Parks service was involved, coordinating up to five counts a year. Ranger Dave Green became a passionate advocate and a mentor for the mostly volunteer counters. Today, Girringun rangers are also closely involved.

The devastation from Cyclone Yasi in 2011 hit hard, damaging both the pigeons’ island habitat and the coastal forests they feed on. Despite a promising bounce-back, the birds have never reached pre-Yasi totals, plateauing around 23,000 after averaging around 34,000 in the first decade of this century. The reasons remain unclear and are being investigated by Dr John Winter, a veteran of fifty counting seasons.

The count is a true labour of love — for the couple who started it, those who return each year, and every first timer. As we enter the 60th season, it’s a reminder that to ensure a future for these important birds and the rainforest they help regenerate, we must keep watching — and keep counting.

Join this years count when dates are announced at www.pipwatch.net

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

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.

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

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.  

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.

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

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. 

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.

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. 

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.

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.

Paragraph two continues here. Your content goes here. Edit or remove this text inline or in the module Content settings. You can also style every aspect of this content in the module Design settings and even apply custom CSS to this text in the module Advanced settings.Your content goes here. Edit or remove this text inline or in the module Content settings. You can also style every aspect of this content in the module Design settings and even apply custom CSS to this text in the module Advanced settings.Your content goes here. Edit or remove this text inline or in the module 

Your content goes here. Edit or remove this text inline or in the module Content settings. You can also style every aspect of this content in the module Design settings and even apply custom CSS to this text in the module Advanced settings.Your content goes here. Edit or remove this text inline or in the module Content settings. You can also style every aspect of this content in the module Design settings and even apply custom CSS to this text in the module Advanced settings.Your content goesect of this content in the module Design settings and even apply custom CSS to this text in the module Advanced settings. You can also style every aspect of this content in the module Design settings and even apply custom CSS to this text in the module Advanced settings.

Your content goes here. Edit or remove this text inline or in the module Content settings. Edit or remove this text inline or in the module Content settings. You can also style every aspect of this content in the module Design settings and even apply custom CSS to this text in the module Advanced settings. You can also style every aspect of this content in the module Design settings and even apply custom CSS to this text in the module Advanced seo style every aspect of this content in the module Design settings and even apply custom CSS to this text in the module Advanced settings. You can also style every aspect of this content in the module Design settings and even apply custom CSS to this text in the module Advanced settings.Your content goes here. Edit or remove this text inline or in the module Content settings.