Community
9 July, 2024
Protecting tropical paradise
SIXTEEN local exhibitors have partnered with Kuranda EnviroCare and Wet Tropics Management Authority to host the inaugural Protect Your Patch event to help raise awareness of invasive species in the region.
Based in the Wet Tropics, Kuranda EnviroCare is a long-established volunteer community organisation that works to provide environmental education to the community and manage environmental threats.
Working to conserve and repair biodiversity, the group’s regular activities include revegetation projects, monitoring the critically endangered Kuranda tree frog and coordinating the local response to invasive yellow crazy ants.
Offering fun and educational activities for all ages, the free family event is focused on practical steps to help identify various invasive species in the region, and what they can do to help.
Held at Kuranda’s Centenary Park this Saturday from 10am-3pm, the day is set to feature native wildlife demonstrations and photos, live music, market stalls, facepainting, seed ball workshops, conservation demonstrations and much more.
Kuranda EnviroCare Community Taskforce coordinator Rachel Reese said a highlight of the day would be the demonstration showcase of the Wet Tropics Management Authority’s Yellow Crazy Ant Eradication Program odour detection dog.
“These highly-trained dogs played a key role after the recent flood event by checking the Kuranda Scenic Railway and banks of the Barron River for invasive ants,” Ms Reese said.
Ms Reese said the day was the best way to learn about how to identify, manage and mitigate the risk of invasive species in the region.
