ESTABLISHMENT OF MIXED RAINFOREST SPECIES ON DEGRADED LAND - A CASE STUDY FROM THE COASTAL LOWLANDS OF NORTHEASTERN AUSTRALIA

Abstract

Four treatments consisting of a control, mulching (bagasse), 1 m clear Growtubes (treeshelters) and 1 m white Growtubes, were applied to rainforest species planted as an even-aged mixture on a degraded site on the tropical lowlands of northeastern Australia. The seven species planted, which ranged from shade-intolerant to shadetolerant species, were Eucalyptus pellita, Grevillia baileyana, Toona australis, Flindersia bourjoliana, Flindersin brayleyana, Flindersia pimentelianaand Cardwellia sublimis. A month after the treatments were applied, poor survival was noted in the bagasse treatment for all species except E. pellita and G. baileyana. Height measurements taken at age seven months showed that E. pellita reached in excess of 2.5 m (bagasse and control) while the other species (except T. australis) produced their greatest height in the two Growtube treatments.