Report paints a bright future

IT is the tale of two forests, comparing mangrove habitats in East Trinity and the Gulf of Carpentaria.

On one hand, the former cane property that the State Government spent tens of millions of dollars to restore to its natural glory is now thriving with wildlife.

The scientific report into progress of the rehabilitation of East Trinity, released on Friday, paints an optimistic future of exactly what can happen when governments take swift, direct action to rescue the environment. On the other hand, however, mangrove forests along the 1500km stretch of coast southwest of Karumba is struggling, according to the latest survey work from James Cook University’s TropWATER team.

The area, which underwent the largest mangrove dieback event ever recorded, suffered alarming vegetation mortality three years ago.

Now, scientists report there has been limited mangrove regrowth, and the recovery looks like it has been hampered by erosion.

Thus far, a not-insignificant amount of federal money has been contributed to these researchers and indigenous rangers to keep an eye on the dieback event, and try to work out what needs to be done to prevent it from worsening. It must be pointed out that the dieback has occurred in a remote part of Queensland, mostly only seen by passing fishermen.

But you cannot help but think that if this event had happened a bit closer to home there would be a much greater response to this environmental disaster in the making.

Mangroves are regarded as the lungs and kidneys of the planet, with their unparalleled ability to store carbon. With climate change still very much a concern, we cannot afford organ failure. Daniel Bateman daniel.bateman@news.com.au