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Welcome
Thank you to our valued Skyrail Rainforest Foundation members for your support in 2015, we look forward to your continued support in 2016 to help us meet our vision: The protection of tropical rainforests worldwide through sound management, understanding and appreciation through research and education.
In this edition, we are pleased to announce that the annual student research funding opportunity is not far away. Make sure you follow us on social media or check the Skyrail Rainforest Foundation website regularly for updates. We also share with you an update on Tropical Tree day, our first of many in partnership with Cairns Regional Council and bring you an overview of Elizabeth Roznik's research from past funding.
We hope you enjoy this newsletter and we welcome your feedback.
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Research Projects - Funding 2016
The Skyrail Rainforest Foundation offers yearly funding to support student research and further the protection of tropical rainforests through better understanding and sustainable practices.
Research students are able to access up to $5,000 for PhD and Masters projects, and up to $2,000 for Honours projects. Since inception, the foundation has provided more than $300,000 to research projects.
The funding favours projects with a specific focus on the impacts on flora and fauna, ecosystem recovery, revegetation, and ongoing management programs for Australia's Tropical Rainforests and protection of rare, threatened and vulnerable species and regional ecosystems. Projects that also address impacts, recovery and threat abatement, for example weed and pest incursion of rainforest ecosystems following severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi, are of particular interest.
2016 funding application details will be available online in the coming months. Please visit the
website for details or
contact us for more information.
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This is the first of many annual community events which the foundation will support through Skyrail Rainforest Cableway who partnered with Cairns City Council. The day was a huge success with over 100 people in attendance. 300 trees were enthusiastically planted in under two hours on Sund
ay
6th December at Cattana Wetlands as part of the Tropical Tree Day, supported by Planet Ark Environmental foundation. Families were able to enjoy a Skyrail Ranger talk about the environment under the shade of a tree, a sausage sizzle and face painting for the kids!
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Research Project by Elizabeth Rosnik - Cyclones benefit endangered frogs
Tropical cyclones are known for causing widespread destruction, but a recently published study shows they can benefit endangered frogs by reducing their disease risk. The common mistfrog (Litoria rheocola) is susceptible to the fungal disease chytridiomycosis, which is most devastating to frogs living in cool, wet areas. When Cyclone Yasi impacted North Queensland in 2011, it changed the composition of the rainforest by reducing canopy cover in some areas, which caused these areas to become warmer and drier. These new conditions reduced the disease risk in common mistfrogs by up to 28%, demonstrating how destructive storms can benefit frogs. This study was published in Scientific Reports by Elizabeth Roznik and colleagues at James Cook University and funded by a student research grant from Skyrail Rainforest Foundation.
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Join us on social!
Skyrail Rainforest Foundation invites you to connect with us via social media so we can interact more frequently and update you on what's happening with our funded tropical rainforest research and education projects. Visit Skyrail Rainforest Foundation's Facebook and like us and follow us on Twitter. #joinus #skyrail #rainforest #cairns
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The foundation has received many generous donations since its inception, including from visitors to Skyrail Rainforest Cableway in Cairns, Tropical North Queensland. Donations are vital to ensure the foundation can continue to support important rainforest research and education projects. All donations are tax deductible and go towards the protection of tropical rainforests worldwide. Click here for more information, or to make a donation.
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Nature Diary - The Wet Season is here!
Cairns is now well and truly in the throes of the annual wet season 'build-up' so if you're visiting Skyrail Rainforest Cableway in the next month or so, you will be treated to a fantastic tropical experience! The first monsoonal rain events will supply much needed moisture to the environment and really bring the region to life. Over the last few weeks, the rainforest has changed noticeably which has been triggered by the increasing temperatures - you will also notice the humidity is rising however at Red Peak station when you are on your Skyrail ranger boardwalk guided tour, the difference in temperature is quite obvious with it always remaining a few degrees cooler due to the height above sea level.
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PO Box 888,Cairns, Queensland, 4870,AUSTRALIA
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