Turton, Stephen M., and Stork, Nigel E. (2006) Towards sustainable tropical forest landscapes in far north Queensland: opportunities and challenges in and beyond the wet tropics. In: Childs, Iraphne R.W., and Hudson, Brian J., (eds.) Queensland: geographical perspectives. Geography Monograph (12). Royal Geographical Society of Queensland, Milton, QLD, Australia, pp. 169-188.

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Abstract

[Extract] The far north Queensland region of Australia is internationally recognised for its outstanding natural and cultural heritage values. The region uniquely contains two world heritage areas (WHAs) side by side, the Wet Tropics and the Great Barrier Reef, that are renowned for their high diversity of species and habitats, with both WHAs being recognised as global biodiversity 'hotspots'. Far north Queensland is also of cultural significance as it contains a large Indigenous Australian population with strong links to land and sea 'country'. Like other regions of eastern Queensland, the Wet Tropics has experienced widespread clearing for agriculture, notably along the coastal plain between Mossman and Ingham and on the Atherton Tablelands inland from Cairns. Despite these major land use impacts, the region still contains large tracts of intact forest and wetlands that, elsewhere in eastern Queensland, have been severely fragmented. In recent decades there has been increasing pressure for further agricultural, urban, peri-urban and tourism development in the Wet Tropics and this has provided regional planners with both challenges and opportunities for sustainable use of Australia's most biologically complex landscapes. We explore these issues in detail, as well as examining threats to long-term sustainability of the region due to land use change, global warming and invasive plant and animal species. Our chapter discusses work undertaken by the Rainforest Cooperative Research Centre (CRC), based in the region, which underpins the natural and cultural resource management of tropical forest landscapes.

Item ID:	3629
Item Type:	Book Chapter (Research - B1)
ISBN:	978-0-949286-15-4
Keywords:	biodiversity; sustainability; tropical forests
Additional Information:	This publication does not have an abstract. The Introduction is of this chapter is displayed as the abstract.
Date Deposited:	08 Dec 2009 03:13
SEO Codes:	96 ENVIRONMENT > 9605 Ecosystem Assessment and Management > 960506 Ecosystem Assessment and Management of Fresh, Ground and Surface Water Environments @ 40% 96 ENVIRONMENT > 9605 Ecosystem Assessment and Management > 960505 Ecosystem Assessment and Management of Forest and Woodlands Environments @ 30% 96 ENVIRONMENT > 9613 Remnant Vegetation and Protected Conservation Areas > 961306 Remnant Vegetation and Protected Conservation Areas in Forest and Woodlands Environments @ 30%
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