CHAIRMAN'S REPORT 1996/1997


Objectives

The Research Station and then the Australian Tropical Research Foundation were set-up to facilitate research and education in the wet tropical ecosystems of Australia (principally), as well as in other countries. A major direction for future research will be the establishment of long-term research programs (bench-mark studies) for this increasingly beleaguered environment, a research objective that goes against current research trends.

Progress

While starting from small and probably not particularly auspicious beginnings, the Station has come a long way in 9 years, especially considering that it has "bootstrapped" its development entirely on its own extremely limited resources, aided by the efforts of numerous volunteers. We have gone from the initial 2 very secondhand Main Roads Dept site offices from Cohen, to having the "Bat House" Interpretation Centre and two (with a third under construction) comfortable accommodation buildings that house 4 to 6 persons each. We have a substantial renewable power (solar) system that provides the Station with 6 KWh, 24-hour, grid-equivalent power and provides a platform for us to develop further environmentally appropriate technologies for the area. The Station site was a grassy paddock on our arrival; we have managed to plant or assist natural regeneration, so that over two-thirds of the 8.4 Ha (25 acres) site is now forested. Had the project been undertaken under less fiscally stringent and anti-environmental times, its growth would have been far faster.

We have managed to obtain several research grants, the major one of which has been the Project Gondwana funding from the Wet Tropics Management Authority ($84,000), to survey bat populations in the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area (1995).

Given the paucity of resources, the scientific output from the Station is impressive, and does us proud.

Report 1996 to 1997

Directors: Andrew Sinclair has resigned to become fully involved in his Internet business. Teresa Elizabeth (Research Station) and Andrew Small (Greening Australia) have been appointed. Brigitta Flick and Hugh Spencer (Founding Directors based at the Research Station), and Michael Archer (University of NSW) are the other three directors. John Sinclair will be a director from December this year, and we still require one more director, preferably someone with a legal background.

It should be emphasised that the three full-time resident Directors (Brigitta Flick, Hugh Spencer and Teresa Elizabeth) still operate in the capacity of volunteers at the Station, and are not in receipt of enumeration. The Foundation provides room and board to these people at a rate somewhat less in value than the tax-free threshold.

Volunteers: The web page, word of mouth, and one overseas tour-booking agent have meant that our volunteer numbers have soared. We had 56 volunteers since last June (1996), staying from periods between 5 days to 2 months. Some of the volunteers were also involved in research projects, usually for final year programs in environmental science. At least 50% of these students were from overseas. All these people have been directly exposed to appropriate technology and associated philosophies during their stays at the Station.

Gift Fund: In the year ending 30 June 1997, the Foundation received $7,373.30 in the Gift Fund.

Other Gifts: We would like to thank Dr. Richard Swan, Ramona Valley, CA, for the gift of a Macintosh 520C Power Book laptop computer.

Gifts To Other Conservation Groups: As part of our role as defined by our constitution, we support activities by other conservation groups who have aims related to ours, from contributions to our Gift fund.

Flying Fox Rescue Group (Millaa Millaa) - $1,576.80 for flying fox rescue.
Daintree Rainforest Task Force - $ 792.80 for environmental campaign.

Total gifts to Environmental groups: $2,369.60.

Building Projects - Carport: We have already lost 2 vehicles to rust because of lack of a carport. We have all the materials, and are awaiting volunteers with suitable skills to complete the carport.

Cabins: The major part of the second cabin has been completed to a point where it is useable. We are starting on the third, and for the time being, last cabin.

When both of these cabins are completed, this will be the end of the cabin building, which will give us accommodations for 12 people, which is about the capacity limit for the Station in its present form. We have planning permission for 5 cabins.

Repairs To Laboratory Building Roof: The Laboratory buildings, which are 2 ex-Main Roads trailers with a wide breezeway/verandah deck between them, are suffering from the fact that the over-roof was installed with too little pitch. The roof will have to be re-installed and the laboratory generally cleaned up and painted.

Residence Building: The construction of a self-contained residence for the Directors, some distance from the main Station buildings, is becoming urgent, as even basic privacy for Station staff is almost impossible to maintain under the current arrangement.

Recycled Building Materials: Thanks to the support of a secondhand building material merchant in Cairns, Mark Herridge, we have been able to get high quality secondhand ("matured") building material for construction. Not only is it vastly cheaper, but also the material is usually of higher quality than the new material available. Besides, as an environmental organisation purporting to foster "sustainable" living, using secondhand timber is very much part of our brief. As a result, building costs are a fraction of conventional costs, and the results are as good, if not better. We had a very welcomed visit from Glen and Janet Brewer. Glen was here four years ago and built the toilet/laundry building, and greatly assisted our building efforts.

The Bat Cage: The size of the bat cage has been doubled to better accommodate our entire captive colony of 24 flying foxes.

Proposed Extension Of The Bat House: This will accommodate expected increase in visitor numbers following the completion of the Wet Tropics Camelot/Dubuji visitor facility. A relatively simple extension of the front of the Bat House will effectively double the display area, without significantly altering the overall design of the building. This will be the most expensive project, as it is a "public" building, and we will have to use professional labour and some new materials for the extension. We anticipate some assistance from Wet Tropics through a Cooperative Management Agreement currently under negotiation.

Other Infrastructural Projects

Solar Hot Water System: This new system is now operating. It is unusual in that it is a pumped (as opposed to passive thermo-syphon) solar hot water system. This was necessitated because of the design of the toilet block, the roof of which doubles as our water tank stand, couldn't cope with the load of an additional tank. At present, the solar system supplies one shower, and has proven to be highly satisfactory.

Pyramid Power System: This has had continuing minor modifications, principally to the tracker, and has been working fairly reliably; the modifications to the tracker have been the subject of an article by Hugh Spencer in the Australian magazine "Renew" in September. The poor weather has meant that over 40% of our power has had to be supplied by the diesel back-up generator. During the visit of the Sydney University proto-zoologists, the system was taxed to its limits and performed very well.

Composting Toilets: These have been an unqualified success.

Research Output

Project Gondwana: Gondwana survey project on the bat fauna of the entire Wet Tropics Word Heritage Area is nearing finalisation, but it has been dependent on the good will of Dr. Roger Coles (who is the only person able to perform the call analyses). The survey generated a very substantial amount of bat-call data, and the analysis of this has been incredibly time consuming. However, on its completion, there should be, in addition to the final report to Wet Tropics, about 5 referred papers, and about 6 conference papers.

Fig Phenology: (With George Weiblen, Harvard Herbarium). This has been an exceedingly productive project, yielding to date 3 referred papers and 5 conference papers over the life of the project. The project is continuing, with an investigation of the phenology of F.congesta., a common pioneer shrub of the area.

Blossom/Tube-Nosed Bats: One paper on frugivory has been accepted for publication, and there have been at least 10 conference papers. The project is still in process. Funding for continuing research on these animals has been applied for from the Wettenhall Foundation.

Flying-Foxes: We are trying to get funding for radio tracking released flying foxes (from the Zillie Falls colony) from the Wettenhall Foundation. This has especial importance for the understanding of the population dynamics of these flying foxes, given the current lyssa virus scare.

Auto-Track Project: (With JCU Electrical Engineering). This project is slowly proceeding, and desperately needs a commercial sponsor. It is certainly fulfilling our expectations (capable of locating an animal to ± 5 meters over areas of up to 5 or more km per side). However, it needs field trialling, and we have considerable interest from the Western Plains Zoo, and have applied for ARC Joint funding for the project through JCU.

Hugh Spencer attended the American Wildlife Society. "Forum on Wildlife Telemetry (Innovations, Evaluations and Research Needs" at Snowmass, Colorado, 23 September 1997, where he gave a paper on the Auto-track project. The paper attracted a lot of interest; as the project is a pioneering approach, and we hope that several overseas collaborations (with possible funding) will result.

Grant Searching: We have obtained $3,500 from Wet Tropics Management Authority to offset the costs of carrying out the Palm Road drainage impact study (now largely completed). We have applied to the Wettenhall Foundation for support for studies on sympatry in Blossom Bats and radio-tracking spectacled flying foxes. We have applied to the ARC for support for the Auto-track project (in conjunction with the Taronga Park Zoo (Dr. Jack Giles) and JCU.

Relationship With James Cook University: This continues to operate on an informal basis as it has for the past 9 years, primarily through the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, where the radio-tracking project is based. This has been, and I hope continues to be, a fruitful relationship, as both parties benefit, the Foundation having access to the facilities needed for research, the University, by being able to increase its research output for little outlay, and having preferential access to the Station for its students.

Conservation Activities

Save Daintree Campaign: The Foundation and before that the Station, has been involved in opposing moves to supply grid power to the Daintree, for about 8 years now, as behooves our role as an environmentally responsible organisation. As the recent TV coverage of rain forest clearing in the Daintree should attest, the potential impact of grid power on this area is a critical international conservation issue, and failure to oppose it will have dire consequences.

The Foundation acts as the conduit for donations aimed at supporting the Daintree Rainforest Task force. The Field Station personnel are all members of the Task force, and through the Bat House, the conservation issues of the area are exposed to the public. Teresa Elizabeth has just finished writing and designing a 20-page booklet titled "Daintree 2000" detailing the visions of conservationists for the Daintree's future.

Flying Fox Rescue: We continue to be involved in funding and supporting the North Queensland Flying Fox Rescue Program. We are also lobbying against the introduction of electric fences called "Fyre Foxes", which are set up by orchardists to kill flying foxes by electrocution.

Community Activities: Teresa is in her second year of serving as Secretary for the Cape Tribulation Community Council. Hugh has just been voted in as Vice-President. The Community Council is a lobby group working for the interests of the local community and the environment.

Publicity and Education

Web Site: The website is very successful, however, it is difficult to find the time for the needed updating. We must thank Clemens Vermuelen of Alternative News Network (Cairns); he has been very helpful, and has supplied both e-mail and website support for the Foundation at no charge.

E-mail: E-mail is becoming the preferred means of communication, as the mail service (twice weekly) is difficult to access, and it overcomes communication delays. The majority of our volunteer and research inquiries now come via e-mail.

Bat House: This continues to be our primary source of income, although volunteer day fees help as well. As a result of the lyssa virus scare, the major tour operators will not bring their passengers to the Bat House for fear of litigation. Explanations to the tour operators carried through the local Tour Operators' Organisation (FNQ Promotions Bureau) have fallen on deaf ears. The result is that our income is down to about half of that which might be expected from higher visitor numbers. However, we notice that many day-trippers who come as far as CT are totally uninterested in the environment. This seems to be an increasing trend, which is causing concern to other operators in the area, and we are working with WTMA staff in an attempt to reverse this.

The refurbishments to the Bat House (glass end wall, mural, more displays) have certainly helped its public acceptability. The more prominent donations notice has resulted in a higher proportion of visitors being prepared to pay the $2.00 entrance donation. We are planning to conduct a market research questionnaire on our return from the USA in October.

Dubijii: This is the new Wet Tropics Management Authorities' Day use site on the old Camelot block (diagonally opposite the Bat House). This was originally going to have a substantial interpretation facility (in direct competition with the Bat House!) There has been a very substantial reduction in funding for the project, with the result that the Bat House/Foundation is being requested to provide interpretation services.

We have been in consultation with WTMA. However, it appears that there is no certainty about the level of funding available to us, a fairly unsatisfactory state of affairs. It is likely that we can get funding for an improved renewable power system, and some funding for grounds improvement, directional signage from Dubuji and for some displays. Certainly, no funding for expansion of the Bat House. Given the level of funding that has been given in the past to other "Wet Tropics Information Centres" it is pretty poor pickings, the main consolation is that we retain our independence.

Recent discussions with WTMA, however, suggest that better funding with less strings attached, would be available from the Cooperative Management Agreement funds, and this is being actively pursued.

Overseas Education Programs: We have been approached by the Wildlands Studies Program to provide a 6-week formal course for their overseas studies program. Hugh Spencer will be contacting their representatives while in California.

An independent school, the Nueva School situated in the San Francisco Bay area, have also expressed interest in having students spend a 10-day period at the Station as part of their educational program. Hugh Spencer and Brigitta Flick will meet with representatives from this school.

We have already had US school and college groups (Lawrence Academy, Groton Mass., West Virginia Wesleyan College, School for Field Studies and others), however, these groups came as "tourists" rather than having a definite program. If the SFSU program goes ahead, then we can use this to attract other US educational institutions. It is a shame that such programs are not part of the Australian educational program. For the Station such programs can rapidly become a major money earner.

Conferences: Hugh went to the USA for 3 weeks (September 8th-30th) to attend the Forum on Wildlife Telemetry, which is part of the Wildlife Society's 4th Annual Conference in Snowmass, Colorado. Prior to that he was in Ashland Oregon, meeting with the producers of "Home Power" magazine and looking at renewable energy systems.

Teresa and Hugh attended the Students for Sustainability Conference at JCU, Townsville, 14th-18th of July, which was attended by over 400 students from all over Australia. We gave presentations on appropriate technologies and on the Daintree Power issues. These were well received, and we attracted 3 long-term volunteers as a result of the meeting.

Cooperative Management Agreements (CMA): The rainforest regeneration program started 8 years ago is generating attention. This program has resulted in the Bat House and the labs, which were originally surrounded by fields of grass, now being surrounded by vigorously regenerating forest. We have entered into a CMA with a sister Foundation, the Daintree Rainforest Foundation (set up specifically for re-purchase of rainforest land), and have been awarded a $1,000 payment to offset rates. We are in the process of negotiating a much more detailed CMA with Wet Tropics Management Agency.

Auditors: KPMG continue to be our auditors. As we are an incorporated body, we are subjected to a fairly intense audit process, the results of which must be transmitted to the Australian Securities Commission. KPMG, kindly does not charge us full audit costs, as we are a public benefit body.

Research Station Visitors

Scientific Visitors:
George Weiblen (Harvard Herbarium) - Collaboration on fig phenology.
Dr. Jon Martin - (The Natural History Museum, London) - Working on the distribution of white flies (Hemiptera).
Dr. Tosio Kumata (University of Hokkaido) - Distribution of leaf mining moths.
Dirk van Helden (University of Newcastle) - Assessing the possibility of examining stinging tree pharmacology.
Brad Law (CSIRO Atherton) - Blossom bats.
Professor M.M. xhlenberg and Dr. Jolanta Slowik (Centre for Nature Conservation, University of Gottingen) - Exploring the possibility of setting up a study program here.
Dr. Stephen Donnellan (South Australian Museum).
Dr. Tim Strickler (Grand Valley State University of Michigan) - flying foxes.
Andrew Small (Greening, Australia) - Vegetation survey.
Rudolf Jander (University of Kansas) - Green ants.
Martyn Young (James Cook University) - Tourism.
Professor David Patterson, Alastair Simpson, Sabrina Schroeckh (University of Sydney), and
Dr. Kirill Mikrjukov (Moscow State University) - Survey of euglenoid protozoa.
Dr. Roger Coles (Vision Touch and Hearing, University of Queensland) - Project Gondwana.
Chris Clague (University of Quebec) - Project Gondwana.
Ellen Webber (JCU) - Xanthostemon distribution.

Students:
Anja Boettcher (Cologne) - Flying fox behaviour.
Isobel Davidson (University of Aberdeen) - Bat seed dispersal.
Kyle Apigian (Bowdoin College and SIT) - Invertebrate distribution.
Karen DeAngelis (Cornell University and SIT) - Flying fox behaviour.
Alison Drew (Cornell University and SIT) - Hypsiprimnodon behaviour.
Karsten Berlin (University of Munster) - Impact of drainage impediment in seasonally flooded palm forests.

Notable Visitors:
John Sinclair (Go Bush Safaris).
Merlin Tuttle (Bat Conservation International).
Debbie Jacobs (International Volunteers).
Vikki McLeod (Queensland Conservation Council).
Dr. Mark Sceats and Elizabeth Elenius (OFTC- University of Sydney).
Professor Warren Dolphin (Biology - University of Iowa).
Bill Wettstein (Mxnsingen, Switzerland) - Wild life artist lithographer.
Dr. Doug Maskell (Electrical Engineering - James Cook University).
Janet and Glen Brewer.
Totte Niittyl` (University of Helsinki).
Grace Richter (University of South Oregon).
Penny Gluth