Rosy future for Rosewood Mistletoe
The Rosy Futures project is working to protect the Rosewood Mistletoe on Widjabul Wia-bal Country in the Duck Creek Catchment, Alstonville
Capacity building - LEP_23_033_RLI_09
The issue
The Rosewood Mistletoe is a native hemi-parasitic mistletoe from ancient Gondwana. Under NSW and Commonwealth legislation the Rosewood Mistletoe is listed as endangered, due to historical clearing of the Big Scrub rainforest. The issue at hand is the many threats faced by the Rosewood Mistletoe including but not limited to, anthropogenic climate change, the loss of host trees, invasive weeds and declining biodiversity.
The solution
To protect Rosewood Mistletoe by restoring its subtropical, lowland rainforest habitat on Widjabul Wia-bal Country around the Duck Creek catchment in Alstonville, introducing the Rosy Futures project. Funded through the Environmental Trust, the project has been running since November 2022 and will run until October 2025. Collaborating with landholders and partners, the project aims to firstly protect existing host trees and habitat and to secondly create new habitat for the Rosewood Mistletoe. Supported by industry experts and First Nations organisations and community members, the project has a strong foundation for success. Engaging local schools in the project is also a crucial aspect for its success now and into the future.
The impact
As a result of the Rosy Futures project, 8.5Ha of lowland, subtropical rainforest is being restored on Widjabul Wia-bal Country in the Duck Creek catchment in Alstonville, across 7 closely placed private and public properties. This has positive impacts beyond the Rosewood Mistletoe. Not only does it protect, restore and build Rosewood Mistletoe habitat, but it also expands a Threatened Ecological Community, lowland, subtropical rainforest, and works to create connectivity between adjoining properties, expanding isolated remnants. The project increases awareness of the Rosewood Mistletoe in the local area so the community is informed and can work towards protecting the Rosewood Mistletoe on their own properties and in local parkland areas.
Learnings
The primary aim of the project is to protect and enhance Rosewood Mistletoe habitat on Widjabul Wia-bal Country in the Duck Creek catchment in Alstonville. The learnings from this project are many, including that by focusing on increasing habitat and host trees for one species, in this case, the Rosewood Mistletoe, consequently habitat is created for a diverse number of other species of lowland, sub-tropical rainforest species in the area. This project has many multi-functional positive outcomes for not only an endangered plant species but also for a Threatened Ecological Community, subtropical, lowland rainforest.
Key facts
- 8.5Ha of lowland, subtropical rainforest is being restored on Widjabul Wia-bal Country in the Duck Creek catchment in Alstonville, across 7 closely placed private and public properties