Aura’s conservation success: Wallum Sedge Frogs thrive in specially created habitat
Recent research has unveiled a significant milestone at Aura, where Wallum Sedge Frogs have been successfully bred in a specially designed habitat, marking an Australian first.
Stockland’s Senior Environment and Community Development Manager, Mark Stephens, said Stockland is committed to its 2030 vision to continue to protect and regenerate the environment as an integral part of its development approach, with the aim of restoring the region’s biodiversity.
“Aura is creating 700 ha of conservation land from ex-degraded pine plantation and through this effort we’re creating significant habitat for the Wallum Sedge Frog.
“Through the collaborative effort of working with the community, environmental groups and international experts we are confident we are rehabilitating the old degraded pine plantation land into a functioning ecosystem for frog species – all of which will form permanent conservation lands once the development is complete,” Mr Stephens said.
Since the presence of Wallum Sedge Frogs was first documented during ecological surveys conducted on the site, extensive efforts have been focused on rehabilitating these areas to protect this vulnerable species, under the guidance of renowned frog expert, Dr Mark Bayley.
To date, Dr Bayley and his team have constructed 155 small wetlands across 200 plus hectares within the Aura site and monitor the wetlands each year to ensure the wellbeing of the Wallum Sedge Frogs.
“Breeding season for these frogs generally falls anytime between October and April and every year we’re finding more of the frogs in more of the ponds and we expect that to continue,” Mr Bayley said.
The Wallum Sedge Frog (Litoria olongburensis) is a small, arboreal frog, found in wallum habitats, characterised by acidic conditions and semi-ephemeral wetlands. Known as one of the ‘acid frogs’ due to its preference for mildly acidic environments, the species has found a home in Aura’s rehabilitated landscapes1.
Sources:
1 Caloundra South Wallum Sedge Frog Management Plan, May 2020