Overview

Located on the northeastern coast of Australia 
in the Queensland state, the Wet Tropics of 
Queensland, or the Wet Tropics, stretches along
for about 450 km. With around 894, 420 hectares (1 hectare = 10,000 square miles) this wet tropical rainforest is home to an expansive diversity of wildlife.

Wallaman Falls
www.useeus.com.au

Coastline
http://s1.at.atcdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/104081-634.jpg

Known as the "Wet Tropics," a defining characteristic of the region is obviously the climate-more specifically, the amount of rainfall that this area receives averages about 400 cm of rain annually.

Chart of the average monthly temperatures (ºC) and rainfall (cm)
www.queenslandholidays.com.au

Watch a video here:

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-W6_bjGNcf4)

Human Impact

The human impact in the Wet Tropics is low, especially in comparison to other tropical forest regions, as about 80% of the original cover is still present since the first European settlement. However, there are areas of lowland forest that have been cleared through logging for infrastructural purposes, such as for access roads and transmission lines, and the expansion of the sugarcane industry. Furthermore, other factors that have contributed to the degradation of the overall integrity of the Wet Tropics include invasive species, fragmentation, the “altered hydrological and fire regimes” (UNESCO), and climate change.

Logging in Queensland Australia before it was prohibited in 1987
http://www.rainforest.org.au/

Known as the “rainforest people,” 18 Aboriginal tribal groups used various wildlife such as toxic plants, which required “complex treatment to make them safe to eat” (Commonwealth of Australia). The Aborigines today are centered around the Bloomfield River and Murray Upper.

(http://www.yungaburra.com/site/wp-content/uploads/aborigines_EHS.jpg)

Protected Areas and Status:

In 1990, the Queensland government worked with the Australian government to “jointly fund and coordinate management of the Wet Tropics” (UNESCO), resulting in the establishment of the Wet Tropics Management Scene. Throughout the next decade, the several acts and plans were implemented to attempt to conserve the area through annual reports and regulation of threatining activity, such as the Wet Tropics Act of 1933 and the Wet Tropics Management Plan of 1998 (WT Plan). The Wet Tropics were officially inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1988 and the Australian National Heritage list in May 2007, promoting the conservation and protection of the area.

(http://www.wettropics.gov.au/maps)

As a result of all the work that has been done to protect the Wet Tropics, logging has been prohibited since 1987 and the infrastructure projects done in the area have since been removed, allowing the impacted forests to recover. Additionally, more than 79% of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area is protected as national parks, regional parks, State forests, and forest reserves. Some of the more well known protected areas include the Barron Gorge National Park, the Tully Gorge National Park and the Herberton Range Regional Park.

Tully Gorge National Park
http://nprsr.qld.gov.au

Barron Gorge National Park
http://nprsr.qld.gov.au

Benefits and Importance:

-Habitat for endangered and endemic species

-Contains plants that have been around for millions of years

-Serves as a living record for the major stages in plant evolution

-Exhibits exceptional natural beauty

-Tourism helps boost the economy

(http://www.wettropics.gov.au/world-heritage-area
-facts-and-figures.html)

Images Via: http://www.wettropics.gov.au
/world-heritage-area-facts-and-figures.html

Historical State:

The site has been minimally altered over the past 200 years due to its great preservation status. The area contains remnants of the Gondwanan forest that covered Australia and part of Antarctica 50-100 million years ago. Many of the original plant species remain and are endemic to this area. The relics of the forest have given scientists insight to the process of evolution. Aboriginal occupation of this area dates back from 40,000-50,000 years. To this day there are 18 tribes who occupy the area. An estimated 80% of the original cover before the European settlement is still present. In 1988 the area was named a World Heritage Site, meaning that the area is culturally and naturally protected on a global scale.

Gondwana
(file:///Users/Nikki/Desktop/content-autoresize-
20072012154756-290-width-gondwana1.jpg)

Click here for a table for an animal evolutionary timeline:

http://www.wettropics.gov.au/site/user-assets/docs/timeline_a3.pdf

Plants that have survived and evolved from Gondwana:

(file:///Users/Nikki/Desktop/content-autoresize-

20072012154756-290-width-gondwana1.jpg)

Future Outlook and Prospects:

Designated as a World Heritage Site since 1988 and an Australian National Heritage Site since May of 2007 with numerous legislation passed since 1990, a lot has been done to preserve and protect the Wet Tropics. As a result, the outlook of the region is very positive as about 80% of the original cover of the Wet Tropic remains since Europeans first colonized Australia.

Wet Tropics, World Heritage Area Sign
www.wettropics.gov.au

Balance Between People and the Ecosystem:

To maintain the great condition of the Wet Tropics, infrastructure needs to be minimized as to protect the wildlife and vegetation that would be displaced or cleared for construction projects. In its current state, there is a good relationship between humans and the Wet Tropics in part by the region’s status as a World Heritage Site and the legislation created to protect the Wet Tropics. Furthermore, the areas need to be preserved for the Aborigines groups who live within the Wet Tropics, as they have been living in the region for 40,000-50,000 years alongside the wildlife and vegetation.

(http://www.wettropics.gov.au)

What Does it Mean to be a World Heritage Site?

To be listed as a World Heritage Site the area must meet at least one of the ten criteria set by UNESCO and be recognized to have outstanding value.

Benefits of being named a World Heritage Site:

-gives the area global recognition

-increases tourism and therefore boosts the economy

-provides jobs for tourism and management related employment

The Wet Tropics  of Queensland as a World Heritage Site:

-Established as a site in 1988

Met 4 of the 10 criteria

1) Exhibits exceptional natural beauty

2) Contains examples of significant evolution in plants

3) Center of endemism and biodiversity
4) Habitat for many threatened species

(http://www.qhatlas.com.au/sites/default/files/imagecache/Large/Picture1_36.jpg)

Maintaining Positive and Minimal Human Impacts on this Ecosystem

Even though the Wet Tropics of Queensland is listed as both a World Heritage Site and an Australian National Heritage Site, we can do our part to help preserve this region of rich and one-of-a-kind biodiversity. Maintaining and increasing tourism to the area would be beneficial in that it would bring exposure to this lesser known area and boast its stunningly beautiful sceneries, as well as improve the economic importance of the Wet Tropics. 

Economic benefits of the Wet Tropics
www.wettropics.gov.au

Bringing publicity to the Aborigines would help preserve the area as well as they are integrated within the ecosystem. Furthermore, minimizing construction and urbanization of the Wet Tropics where ever possible would assist in the preservation of the ecosystem. The area aims to preserve not only its nature, but also the culture of the aborigine tribes. Through knowledge of the areas history, nature restoration, and tourism people can help keep this natural and cultural beauty alive and thriving.

Children from the aborigine tribes performing a traditional dance
(http://www.wettropics.gov.au/media#)

Communities and individuals helping with the
 rehabilitation of natural landscape
(http://www.wettropics.gov.au/media#)

Citations

"Home - Wet Tropics World Heritage Area." Home - Wet Tropics World Heritage Area. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Dec. 2014.

"Wet Tropics of Queensland." , Australia. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Dec. 2014.

"Wet Tropics of Queensland." - UNESCO World Heritage Centre. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Dec. 2014.

"Wet Tropics World Heritage Rainforest North Queensland, Australia." Wet Tropics World Heritage Rainforest North Queensland, Australia. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Dec. 2014.

"What Is World Heritage?" World Heritage. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Dec. 2014.

"World Heritage Areas." (Department of National Parks, Recreation, Sport and Racing). N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Dec. 2014.

"World Heritage Places - Wet Tropics of Queensland." Department of the Environment. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Dec. 2014.